I've got to have one of these things!
It looks like a safe and cheap way to get into the air. Apparently the can land vertically and take off in as little as 150 feet! It sure would be nice to give up the terrestrial commute. I can see driving this thing out of the carport down the road and off into the air to work. I got enough parking lot at the office to get off the ground too! I wonder how legal that would be?

Anyone have any experience with an autogyro? Know anything about the regulations of where you can and can't fly. I've been looking at the FAA site and there's a bit about airspace classes that you are limited to but who knows what airspace is what.

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Yea, I've heard of em. People here in Texas are dying in them all the time.

tkamiya,

Everything I've read says they CAN land vertically just not take off.
By the way, do you have any additional detail on what qualifies as a populated area? I'm guessing the DC metro area qualifies.

Washington DC. Your not going to be able to fly into the Dc area without a radio and transponder. Unless you want fighters escorting you.
Land in your parking lot. You cannot operate within 500ft of anyone or any man made object. Without a violation. Or at an approved airport.
Using it to commute to work, I doubt it. Not with the setup your describing.

The Washington DC restricted airspace is the biggest obstacle. You would not believe what we have to go thru at the airlines to get into and out of National airport.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
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2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
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Thanks Tkamiya,

I had a feeling you would not want to land vertically on a regular basis. Maybe if I had that "jump start" option it would be workable. I had actually already checked out the gyro page.

Dave,

THAT'S what I was wondering. I figured there had to be some buzzkill regulation like that. The appeal was being able to stay away from airports. The short to and land seemed to open up new possibilities. Soo I guess commuting isn't going to work. There still might be some oppprtunity here though. I just have to figure it out.

By the way, I'd love to see a couple of supersonic jets follow a 60mph gyro. They'd have to keep looping around in order to avoid stalling. While I wouldn't want to actually do it, I think it'd be rather comical.

Howdy That Guy,
You can come here to El Mirage. They are flying all over the place on weekends. The most dangerous time with them is when a newbie is learning.

__________________
Frank X. Morris
17 Kia Niro
08 Jeep Wrangler 4 door unlimited

Autogyro was VERY cool in The Road Warrior with Mel Gibson.

Those look like a lot of fun. Isn't there a really cheap "builsd at home" true helicopter kit as well?

Howdy All,
Ken Brock was a neighbor of mine here in El Mirage. He had his home, hanger and airstrip here. I only met him a couple times and those times were at gyro crashes when I was with the local FD. Ken died back in 2001 from a crash. Here is the website for his business.
www.kenbrockmfg.com

__________________
Frank X. Morris
17 Kia Niro
08 Jeep Wrangler 4 door unlimited