G001

[tonydenton]

that"s a good point tim, is the design pilot error or the fact that the pilot never picked up on unseen problem in a preflight. either way russ, it was very commendable of you to post so quickly that it was pilot error. the buyer got in quick too.

[Russell]

Very sorry for you Russ, but that doesn"t sound like pilot error to me?Was mate......machine went feral, this ol coot should"ve sorted it. Yet to find "why" Checked out the linkages today, seem ok.Other poss......steering inner spindle jammed, still checking.Other poss......me left foot was not on the peddle, I was pushing the shyte out of the cab floor ??At the minute it"s got me stuffed

[Brian]

Sorry to hear of your unplanned expedition into the scrub Russ. Glad to hear you didn"t get hurt.I"m shocked at the price but someone got a bargain ! Take care.

[Des Garvin]

Russ Sorry to hear this misfortune. Know the feeling well still trying to figure why I did what I did just on three years ago and I am reminded every step I take. Could you inform us how long it has been since you last flew 001 to when you had this mishap, was it weeks or months and could you have had a brain fart and think you were in your plank wing momentarily instead of a gyro. Just askin mate.Cheers Des Garvin

[MadMuz]

Just out of interest too, Russ..... were you landing? taking off? just taxying? in other words, was it a high speed mishap or a taxy speed one? and what was the wind like at the time? Where did it happen? At Wondai?

[tonydenton]

muz , there are no drains at wondai.

[MadMuz]

Wow, it must flood a lot then

[Russell]

Found the cause...The inner steering shaft / spindle goes up through a large nylon bushing, then continues up to the linkages etc etc.That bushing has grown, literally seizing the rotation of the steering shaft. ......Forcing the shaft back to a "straight ahead" position, it became slightly easier a small degree left and right, but then rotating the shaft more right it again jammed solid. Now, my personal comfort level gets questioned, Rod ( builder ) has immediately offered to rebuild, I pay a pittance in costs, speaks volumes for the guy. Ringing the new buyer and opting out of the sale was not me, bloody hard actually, 1st time I"ve gone back on my word. Hope karma doesn"t have it"s revenge.Sorry john, sincerely sorry. ( I"ve recently ph him )

[MadMuz]

Definately rules out pilot error then Russ, at least you know what happened...... just bad luck

[gyroo]

Holy Hygroscopic Batman!That"s a lurking issue if ever there was one - nylon is one of the range of polymers that are hygroscopic. It is also one of my favourites because it is machines really well - I use it quite a bit for spacers and bushings and stuff like that. From now on I"ll keep a watchful eye out for any hygroscopic swelling.Mark R

[Russell]

Pilot error alright....... Was having ground turning issues the week before, needed a football field to get around to line up for takeoff.Needed excessive force to get rudder inputs.Pilot error........knew something was amiss, failed to investigate. Also......a better preflite would"ve picked up the seizing if I had just tipped the machine back, and hand twisted the nose wheel, it would"ve shown up conclusively right there.Lesson learnt. ( hope others learn from this as well )Yes Dez, you"re right, I was flying a plank wing mindset at the time, we had 4....5 goes to land, on a gravel road actually ( headland ) each time she shot off heading into drain, I horsed her back into the air, got interesting, then decided to find a grass strip nearby....wider etc, this time when the nose touched down, it BIT big time ( got grip ) Fookin near shot us out the passenger door as it veered right.....the rest is history.Ol mate beside me probably never get in a gyro again.

[tonydenton]

ok there are nylons and nylons, some are resistant to water some absorb moisture from the air even. when the do absorb they swell. what colour was the bush material russ. that"s just from the school of hard knocks experience speaking.

[MadMuz]

Holy Hygroscopic Batman!That"s a lurking issue if ever there was one - nylon is one of the range of polymers that are hygroscopic. It is also one of my favourites because it is machines really well - I use it quite a bit for spacers and bushings and stuff like that. From now on I"ll keep a watchful eye out for any hygroscopic swelling.Mark RMark, I started out using white

[asra]

That gyro (and pilot) is still one of the few I would trust with any of my family in the pax seat.Get it down here and start the rebuild.We"ll all help where possible.

[mad max]

When I build a gyro I like to have a high angle of caster back so the wheel always wants to pull straight and as a pre-caution always land as though your nose wheel has fallen off. The only price you pay is the turn circle is reduced. (But then I"m only a dumb pig farmers son).