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Old 07-17-2009, 12:57 AM   #1
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Gyroplane

In case you didn’t already know, “gyrocopter”, “gyroplane”, “autogiro” and “autogyro” all mean the same thing, and the most important feature shared by gliders, airplanes, helicopters and gyroplanes is that they all use wings to fly. It’s just that on helicopters and gyroplanes the wings are mounted on pylons and spin in circles, but they are rigidly affixed to the sides of airplanes and gliders. Other than that, they all get into the sky the same way: You move a wing rapidly through the air and it produces Lift. The rotating wings of a helicopter are directly-driven by the engine, enabling it to hover; whereas the rotating wings of the gyroplane are free-spinning, meaning it can’t hover – though it can come astonishingly close to it, because it needs very little forward speed to stay airborne.

The cardinal virtue of the gyroplane is its ability to do nearly everything a helicopter can do, at only a fraction of the cost, while doing it more safely than any other kind of flying machine. While even the most mundane gyroplanes are true STOL (Short Take-Off/Landing) vehicles, they can be configured to take-off and land with no ground-roll at all. Moreover, their exceptional STOL capabilities make them terrific for “bush” or water operations. Helicopters are vastly more mechanically complex than any other kind of aircraft, with a host of critically interdependent moving parts, which is why they cost several times as much to purchase and maintain as a same-sized gyroplane. Meanwhile, many gyroplanes can be purchased and operated for less than some motorcycles, and because they fly in a constant state of autorotation, even a total engine failure results in a parachute-like descent, making them the safest of all aircraft.

As if all that weren’t wonderful enough, a typical gyroplane can stay aloft at 5 to 10 knots airspeed, and even a small gyroplane (in the hands of a competent, experienced pilot) can be operated safely under high wind conditions that would keep gliders, ultra-lights, blimps, balloons, space launches and most private airplanes on the ground. Moreover, gyroplanes are capable of the same forward speeds as helicopters. This is so because of the rotating wings, and their “wing-loading”, a term describing how many pounds of an aircrafts total weight are supported by each square foot of its wings; Gyroplanes have very high wing-loading because their rotorblades have so little total area, using rotational speed rather than size to generate lift. So gyroplanes really do offer exceptional utility.

Gyroplanes are simple and inexpensive to own, fly, maintain, transport and store. They’re easy to tow. They can use skis for snow operations. They can be fitted with amphibious floats for water-and-landing flying, and although it is not presently being done, they could be equipped with sophisticated avionics, autopilots and de-icing gear for all weather capability. They’re highly versatile and very practical. Because of technological advances being incorporated into 3rd – and 4th generation equipment like the Sport Copter series, they’ve become so versatile and practical that you’re going to be seeing a lot more of them; many of them performing important commercial tasks perhaps even military tasks that have heretofore been the sole domain of airplanes and helicopters.
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Old 07-17-2009, 12:58 AM   #2
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Sportcopter II

http://www.sportcopter.com/

http://www.sportcopter.com/Gyroplane...3/Default.aspx

http://www.sportcopter.com/Gyroplane...3/Default.aspx

http://www.sportcopter.com/Info/Thin...9/Default.aspx

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Old 07-17-2009, 01:03 AM   #3
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MMkay, that's pretty cool
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Old 07-17-2009, 07:15 AM   #4
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Old 07-17-2009, 07:43 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Zabo View Post
:Spam:
Well it's in off topic and it's an informative post for those who are interested. It caught me off guard, but hey he isn't trying to sell something.
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Old 07-17-2009, 08:31 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1320junkie View Post
Well it's in off topic and it's an informative post for those who are interested. It caught me off guard, but hey he isn't trying to sell something.
I wouldn't be so sure, but if you want to let it go I'm cool. I just think it smells strangely of a 'sales pitch.'

Bah, it's early. =_=
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Old 07-17-2009, 12:31 PM   #7
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