VSRA Hang Your Machine Weekend

[asra]

Hi all VSRA and ASRA members.We need to examine the way we build our machines. Thrust lines and CofG issue are hot on the current ASRA/CASA agenda.

[Adrian S]

Sam,Great initiative. Anyone that wants to do the same in WA should contact me.AdrianMob 0427094552

[admin]

The details are at the http://www.VSRA.org.au website as well.We try to keep our calendar upto date.Please note that the VSRA is for any dates that people would to have placed on it, feel free to ask. the VSRA webbie (me)or submit them yourself they do have to be approved though, that makes sure that no rubbish appears.

[asra]

G"day all.Final call, our VSRA come "HAND YOUR MACHINE" weekend is this Saturday and Sunday. So far seems we will have about 30 plus people.Regards VSRA Committee

[asra]

Okay, so just a dumb newbie question:How often should one hang one"s machine?I understand it all depends on weight.So, if you"re increasingly suffering from "middle-age spread" or hitting the gym whilst doing the Jenny Craig thing, and so changing your weight significantly, you"re going to change the overall balance with respect to C of G. Is that correct?What about major modifications?Is there a ball-park change in weight of maximum all-up takeoff weight that would necessitate a re-hanging?Thanks in advance.

[asra]

No such thing as a dumb question.A Gyro should be re hung if there is any structural mod"s or any significant weight changes.This includes another person flying you machine,I.E if you weigh 60 Kilo"s and you lend it to your mate who is 120 then obviously things will change.The easiest thing to do here is have the maximum and minimum pilot weights allowed recorded in the aircraft logbook(which you all have,right?) or the operating manual.Any weight added will also alter the center of gravity. Changing from a light set of alloy blades to a heavy set of fiber glass will alter the COG.This parameter will become increasingly more important for gyro"s registered with ASRA.

[asra]

Thanks Murray.So, that would mean that your average Bensen/Brock-style gyro is very-much a "one machine, one person" type setup?i.e. it is "calibrated" (for want of a better word!) to suit one particular pilot/weight range/etc and so cannot be used by two people of significantly differing weights?If so, can it be calibrated for the heavier of the two, and then ballast (like you"d place in a glider/sailplane) be added for the lighter pilot?Also, how does that work for 2-seat machines where it may be flown solo one day and dual (with some random person of a random weight) another day?Thanks in advance.

[lparsons]

Today (02.10.2010) at a gathering og gyros and gyro owners, we spent several hours attempting to comply with ASRA"s regulkation to balance our gyro. We pushed the safety envelope as far as we judged we could go before abandoning the attempt.We live in NSW where workcover saety laws (Occupational Health and Safety Act NSW, 2001) are fairly strict, and heavy fines apply for infringements.Firstly, working at heights was an issue, as we were working above 1.8 metres without safety harness with appropriate anchor points.Secondly, tha angle that would be required to balance the 2 seat gyro with full tanks would present an unnecessary risk to both machine and personnel.Thirdly, although we followed the guidelines as set out in the SARA"s Gyir News magazine, we consider that we were placing the ASRA members involved in a position where theri safety was at risk, and they would be breaking safety laws.Has ASRA done a risk assessment of this balance test for a 2-seat gyro, as we believe that there are some machines that are up to 6 metres in length that would have even more safety issues than we had with our 2-seat machine?

[bosca]

Lloyd,I with many others were at Mangelore for the hang tests and as far as I concerned there were no safety issues nor any issues with hang height.These test were done in a shed which is similar to yours.

[asra]

I would consider flying a HTL machine a far greater HAZARD than to simply complete a CofG test proving static stability. We must remember this is the basic building block for an easy to fly stable & efficient machine. Regards SamL...............

[tonydenton]

come on guys, loyd has raised some issues that are very real. any employer will tell you their responisability. i wondered about it after seeing one done with a endless chain and 6to 7 men . although it worked for them i was still thinking of the size of my fine due in 2weeks . i think it is more the comunication between the front

[Tsemler]

Hi All,We did our Cg Testing this weekend also, and have very little problems with our setup and ran threw them very smoothly and quickly. As you can see in the pictures we used a forklift to hang the machine then also used it to balanced the gyro on a set of slippers, once balanced it was chocked and the then photographed, we used the vertical H beam as our vertical reference point and transferred it a cross once printed out.The sample pictures shown are without fuel.I understand that not everyone has a forklift, just another idea that’s out there. Trent

[asra]

Hi All,We did our Cg Testing this weekend also, and have very little problems with our setup and ran threw them very smoothly and quickly. As you can see in the pictures we used a forklift to hang the machine then also used it to balanced the gyro on a set of slippers, once balanced it was chocked and the then photographed, we used the vertical H beam as our vertical reference point and transferred it a cross once printed out.The sample pictures shown are without fuel.I understand that not everyone has a forklift, just another idea that’s out there. Trent

[Brian]

I thought that the gyro news detailed the process fairly clearly and I"m sorry that Lloyd"s group has run into problems. I"m sure Lloyd that if you talked to Tsemler or Sam, the problems could be worked through as these two groups[ SA & Vic] have already done a number without too many problems.While I am familiar

[Tsemler]

I would suppose that a tandem machine will be fairly high up during the balance test from the ground which could be a safety issue, we didnt have to do one so didnt experience that problem.