Gyroplane, Gyrocopter, or Autogyro.

[asra]

Here in Australia, and also in America we call them Gyroplanes. In Europe they call them Autogyro"s or Gyrocopters.So who"s right? and who"s wrong?Regards SamL.............

[GraemeMonro]

Who cares, I just call them "gyro"s".Graeme.

[Des Garvin]

Nah Sam we just call them fantastic gyros. And worse than drugs Ya just can"t get enough of them for an over dose. Cheers Des Garvin

[samwilson]

Well... I"m an Autogyro kinda person, because thats what it is, the name describes it. Wasnt that also the name given to it by he who invented it?

[Greg Mitchell]

G"Day SamL and all,After having a great ole natter on the phone to a Mate yesterday, or day before....swearing black and blue I was"nt posting anymore, Sam comes up with a "live bait" wiggling on a hook. Great teaser Sam.This is my understanding of the story of the Autogiro, so far.SamW, close. Cierva called his invention the AUTOGIRO.Bensen patented and copyrighted his stuff and called it the GYROCOPTER.The Americans and others (here in Tasmania Australia and on the mainland) widely referred to them as GYROCOPTERS as many folk read about (through Popular Mechanics magazine) Bensen"s Gyrocopter and how they could build one themselves. The first marketed kit gyroplane. Even the blades were made by the "home builder". Hence the referrence one sees to "Home Built Gyro.......".I believe the Europeans continued to use the term AUTOGIRO more often than not.A few years back the Americans and others, including Australia decided through a "consensus" process upon the term GYROPLANE, as it most clearly and more correctly describes to others in the air, what we are, when we are making calls.Further, the use of the term GyroCopter for many years belonged to Igor Bensen and may still be so, I am unsure of the current status. Finally, clearly the pusher gyro is not a Cierva autogiro. I believe the consensus for the use of the term GYROPLANE carried by a strong majority.I believe ASRA supports the use of GYROPLANE when making radio calls.That"s my take on it and got to agree with Des.GYROPLANES "To much fun to be legal."Light the fires, Fly Safe.

[bones]

Mitch
..........

[asra]

G"day all.My undestanding is as Mitch explained in detail.ASRA and CASA classify and acknowlege them as GYROPLANES. I dont know how many times I have been asked what the difference is between them. Some think a Gyroplane is the Tractor, or winged (Pitcairn variant), and a Gyrocopter is the traditional pusher not winged (Benson variant). All these diffenent names seem to only be doing one thing, and that is cause confusion.I feel we all need to adopt and begin using the one name, being (GYROPLANE) If ASRA and CASA both acknowlege and classify them by this name, then thats what they are here in OZ.

[Dewie]

Totally agree Sam. Gyroplane it should be,the differant names do cause confusion.

[Des Garvin]

Only one small challenge here in Sam"s correct statement, the world sees it other ways and the persons looking for information through the great service of the internet get the incorrect information from the start. One should remember that the first time persons see how a name spelt is the way they will remember it. So untill we get that one sorted we will have the same old same thing going on with regard to the terms of name used. I agree with Sam and others that we at ASRA MUST encourage CASA to only use the word "GYROPLANE" in their documentation.Cheers Des Garvin.

[gbw]

"and a Gyrocopter is the traditional pusher not winged (Benson variant). "Question. What is different about a Benson? Does a "Benson Type" refer to a pusher, or is there something different in the head assembly?Graham

[elwynne]

I just call them Gyro"s however to the majority of people I talk to can relate to the term Gyrocopter more than Gyroplane. Maybe it"s because they look similar to a helicopter & they all think they take off like a helicopter. Hey Mitch, good to see you back on here.

[Greg Mitchell]

Graham,My understanding is that Bensen whilst working for Sikorsky (helicopters) became interested in the gyro gliders the Brits AND Germans developed during the 2nd world war.Bensen flew gyro gliders and then strapped on a motor, pusher style....it was this that Bensen patented and copyrighted a la GYROCOPTER. I believe he used a spindal head initially and later developed the offset gimbal head. He also designed and built his own wooden blades and then manufactured aluminium blades. Bensen used the over head control stick from the early gyro gliders, though later he designed the common "pump stick".G"Day Elwynne,I look in from time to time. Good to see you participating.Hope you got all your training sorted. Look forward to hearing about your progress.Cheers,Mitch

[ajm]

What we have to consider is that we have a walking language set by societies choice of words at the time.What was invougue, say 50 years ago was correct then and what is invougue now is also correct.Perhaps, in the future our society will choose another word as there choice.By questioning a word, encourages society to modernise the word meaning but it takes all of society to accept, and not neceserally just us, the elite.AJM

[samwilson]

Well .. as long as they don"t change the "Gyro" part of the name then i have no problem with any other variants. Most folk i know just call"em gyros anyhow.One thing they can never change is the fact that they are the best mode of flying fun you can have ;D

[asra]

Well I use the term GYROPLANE when talking about them.BUT..... I feel GYROCOPTER is a better way to describe yourself when making radio calls. WHY... because people associate