New tandem gyro.

[asra]

Image Insert: 28.08

[NiqueNaque]

Verrry nice..Does it go as well as it looks?I wonder how long it will take for Paul to pick a problem...Cheers,Nick Tomlin

[Greg Mitchell]

Just wondering the same thing about you Nique.No analysis required?Sure is a fine looking craft guys. Top job.www.thebutterfly.info

[asra]

Don't be like that Nick!!!!!!!!!![]Looks great Murray. I would love to see where the COM is.Aussie Paul.[]www.firebirdgyros.com

[asra]

Thank you all for comments. Dont know where COM is but my number one criteria is that when you apply power the nose goes up.Thats a fairly good indication that things are right.Only got 4 hours on the machine so early days yet.Tim inspected it and saw it fly the other day and I asked him if he saw anything wrong with it and he said one thing "It climbs to steeply"!. Over 1000' a minute with 200kg of pilot and ballast.The Patrony prop is only 71 inch but is wide cord and certainly absorbs all the power.Pitch is 13degrees.Power is set at 5 grand.Is this the best RPM? This is the first subaru I have built so still feeling my way.The blades are Robs twisted and tapered design and are suprisingly light to fly cosidering thier weight.M Barker

[NiqueNaque]

Greg,Just leading in slowly... wont be long, I didn't bag yours in public.Clearly an overpowered gyro, mine doesn't climb faster than 80' a minute, there must be something wrong with this one, it has a subaru as well.... Cheers.Nick.

[asra]

Hi Murray, the ej-22 with the Raf 2.1 and a 68" prop is redlined at 5500. My Hirth or Sub4 with 68" I usually like around 5300 climbing out at 55kts and we cruise, depending on weight, 4400 to 4700.Today with Hybrid with a 75kg student, me at 92kg and 60 liters fuel we were cruising 55 kts at 4400. Hybrid weighs within a kilo or two of 300kg. I have Robs tapered, thinning and negative twisted 30' blades.Aussie Paul.[]www.firebirdgyros.com

[asra]

Image Insert: 79.65 KBThis is John Hills gyro before its first test flight,with me in the hot seat.M BarkerI've edited your post Murray, change John's to JohnsBarryThanks Barry.

[asra]

Nick, what make and size of rotor blades do you have?Aussie Paul.www.firebirdgyros.com

[NiqueNaque]

Paul,Good old Jack Allen 'Autoflyte'(?) rotors are fitted to my beast.I measured them the other day and remember that they are about 3230mm long, with a 375mm hub bar, so about 11'10" x 2 = 23' 8" diameter. They are the wide chord blades - 8" chord as best I can remember.There are several shortcomings:I weigh 95 kg, not 80 kg...Direct drive EA 81 engine....Engine revs to 3800 in flight...Climb performance is very marginal with me in it.Any suggestions welcome - yes, I know about the gearbox, big prop, etc, cure but at this point don't have funds to fix it. I bought the machine as a trainer in the expectation that I may trash it sooner or later (suprised I got this far without a major incident..) and now I'm getting to the point where I could tackle a circuit but am concerned with the marginality on climb out and its inability to get off the ground and then clear obstacles with me in it. (The west end of the Denman strip is not a welcoming one, nor is the East end of Whittingham, or either end of Smithies).Another issue is that I don't really know yet if it is piloting technique at the centre of it all or if it is mostly machine or a mixture of both, I have no doubt my piloting has to improve, but I don't know if that will happen if the machine doesn't improve into the bargain.Cheers,Nick.

[asra]

Nick, your rotors are too short. Get Jack to make a hub bar that is at least 2' longer. I think that your prop pitch maybe too course, what is the prop diameter?. Is your machine the one that Wal flew at Lameroo a few years ago? He would have won the noisiest machine!!!!! All that power making noise instead of thrust!!!!!Aussie Paul.www.firebirdgyros.com

[asra]

Murray I just have to this. "I am soooo jealous/envious of the way that you build so beautifully neat and tidy".[^] Brian must be so inclined as well.[^]I hope some day to see it in person.[]Great job Murray and Brian.Forgetting the CLT thingie etc, I still believe that the gear box is the wrong way!!!! Anyone see why I would say that?Aussie Paul.[]www.firebirdgyros.com

[asra]

Hey Murray, nice looking bird!I am building a similar front strut. Can you tell me the specs for the inner and outer tubing (diameter and wall) please. I understand you and your friends have built quite a few front struts of this type so from my perspective you have some very valuable experience in knowing what is needed in this type of landing gear. I really dont want to over-engineer mine (single seat 582 with the same pod) if I can draw on the experience of others who have done it all before.Greatful of any help you can provide.Cheers!Paul... It looks to have a pretty small COM offset to me. And the COD offset is obviously much smaller than the hybrid.L.Magner

[asra]

Hello All,Yes Paul i agree in principal that it would have been better with the box the other way up.BUT!!,The engine is half the weight of the pilots and fuel at gross weight.The thrust line is thru(Roughly)that weight(The pilots/fuel),and as close to the drag line as the overall frame hight and prop diameter allows.Also it would mean an engine around 16 inches higher in the frame.Not good for asthetics or ground handling.The next one is being built now and the gearbox will be the other way(down)but to compensate the frame will have to be higher,and landing gear wider.Thank you for the compliments on the finish,easy if you take your time.The front strut is inch x 1/8 wall.The outer is inch and a 1/4,035 wall thickness,all 4130. The bottom "horseshoe"is 3/4 x 065. Main gear is inch and a 1/4 x 120 thou,tempered to 40 RC.M Barker

[asra]

Thanks very much Murray!