Sourcing, installing electric prerotator

[johnc]

I"m purchasing a gyro with no prerotator and wish to install one.

[Disco]

Be a shame to encumber such a machine with a prerotator.That little one you listed looks like a beauty.

[gyroo]

Hi John,Looks like you"re picking up a nice lightweight Morgan-style machine. I am not aware of anyone in Australia operating the aviomania system. It looks like a well-thought out up-to-the-minute design but my suspicions are that the system would practically almost be a "one shot" system after which ground-based recharging would be needed and I reckon you"d need to be sceptical about the "recharge in flight" claim. Maybe having spare charged batteries on hand might ensure reliable second or third pre-rotation wind-ups, but I also have suspicions that the batteries wouldn"t have much of a life either, and carrying spare sets of batteries means more weight.If you are a bit of a fitter you might consider a Wunderlich friction wheel system from Culumetair.com in Florida. That would be probably midway in weight between the aviomania system and a more conventional 12v car starter motor and heavy battery combo favoured in Australia. Please note that the Wunderlich system will need a lot of stuffing around and fiddling and making brackets, etc, to get it fitted and adjusted just right. Starbee gyros in the US are still selling what looks to be a reasonable 12v prerotator for about $600 US, and they previously listed Wunderlich systems (although not currently) and also (at one stage, but not now) a very lightweight pull-start pre-rotator called the "Gizmo".On a machine as light as yours, however, the good old "Armstrong Pre-Rotator" (your left arm) shouldn"t be discounted - there is absolutely no extra weight burden for an "Armstrong".Cheers,Mark ReganTech Mgr

[johnc]

Thanks guys.

[gyroo]

Hello again. Why I called it a "Morgan style" is that it looks to have been prinicipally constructed by Wayne ("Mad Dog") Morgan, also from Victoria"s western district and an associate of the late (and great) Ken Hately. "Mad Dog" (and Ken) turned out a few of these basic lightweight machines, which had an obvious Bensen lineage together with design and construction input (and components) from reknowned gyro identities Ross Symes and Tim McClure. Along with the Western Australian "Challenge" design from 15 years ago, and the original open frame Air Command (also from 15 - 20 years ago), these Morgan types probably represent the lightest practical gyro available on the Australian gryo scene.The 2010 fleet survey confirmed that they are within the plus or minus 2 inches thrust-line-to-CofG from about 1/2 tank through to empty tank. With an average weight kitted out middle aged pilot (about 95 kg) and full tank, the thrust line is roughly 3 inches above the CofG. These figures are all highly acceptable, meaning there are no concerns that the machine has a latent hazard so far as installed power - thrust line - CofG is concerned. If you want to try the aviomania - then, go for it! We need people trialling new technologies. Just always keep an eye on any weight increase because the takeoff distance reduction achieved by pre-rotation will erode as weight increases, the climb rate reduces, and the sink rate increases!!Rosco (Ross Symes, Gyroscopic Rotorcraft at Broken Hill) is the best option and source for an electric pre-rotator setup. Also, please be aware that a soft-start chrome wire coil setup is preferred by ASRA to reduce any sudden starter-motor prerotator torque impulse which, over a long period of time and after many hard starts, can lead to the 2 teeter block bolts distorting the teeter block bolt holes in the hub bar leading to potentially disastrous cracking. A wiring diagram for such a device was published in Gyro News about 5 years ago and it"s about time it was published again!

[asra]

Hello John and thank you for bringing this post to my attention. as you have asked me here are some information on out prerotators.Our Booster electric prerotator is the lightest in the world and we offer this if your main goal is to same weight. If you are looking for a robust, easy to maintane and very dependable then you should consider our Mechanical

[aussie_paul]

Rosco (Ross Symes, Gyroscopic Rotorcraft at Broken Hill) is the best option and source for an electric pre-rotator setup. Also, please be aware that a soft-start chrome wire coil setup is preferred by ASRA to reduce any sudden starter-motor prerotator torque impulse which, over a long period of time and after many hard starts, can lead to the 2 teeter block bolts distorting the teeter block bolt holes in the hub bar leading to potentially disastrous cracking. A wiring diagram for such a device was published in Gyro News about 5 years ago and it"s about time it was published again!Hi Mark, I reckon the wiring diagram should available from the web site??Aussie Paul.

[johnc]

Thanks for all this information (gee the "Armstrongs" looking good now - joking!).

[johnc]

Update.
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[johnc]

Sorry if this is confusing but this is the soft start wiring I used in my last gyro and will use in this one.

[johnc]

Easier to do it while seated, especially if it"s windy and needs forward stick to stop the rotors flapping, and then you gotta put seatbelt on......but yeah, I know, don"t need a pre rotator either, I"ve been told, or a gps, camera, rotor tach, yaw string, radio, horizontal stabiliser, brakes or even a gyrocopter, for that matter

[johnc]

Regards to you to mate - don"t go troppo up there.....