Contents
Chapter 1 - What Are You Getting Into?
A brief description of the joys and challenges of learning to
fly a gyroplane.
Illustration: An in-air closeup of the world’s most
famous gyroplane pilot, Ken Brock.
Chapter 2 - Meet the Gyroplane
Answers: What’s good about gyroplanes? What are there limitations? Can
you fly a gyroplane as an ultralight? What are the choices in
gyroplanes? How do you get started?
Illustrations: Various sport gyroplanes, Bensen Gyrocopter,
Twinstar, Barnett, others.
To read part of this chapter, click here.
Chapter 3 - Picking the Best Gyroplane
How to pick the right gyroplane for your personal needs. Compares
specific gyroplanes to help you choose open-frame or enclosed,
single-seat or dual, gyroplane or helicopter, ultralight or licensed,
and other choices.
Illustrations: Photos of each gyroplane being compared.
To read part of this chapter, click here.
Chapter 4 - Where did the Gyroplane
Come From?
Here’s the history of modern sport gyroplanes, starting with
Igor Bensen’s early experiments with the Rotachute. Briefly
covers the earlier history and introduces the Popular Rotorcraft
Association.
Illustrations: Igor Bensen, early gyroplanes the German
Fa 330 and the English Rotachute, 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro
and others.
Chapter 5 - How a Gyroplane Works
Describes each part of the gyroplane and explains its function
in this particular aircraft, including the rotor blades, the engine,
the controls, the airframe, the pilot and various other components.
Illustrations: Photos of various gyros, a diagram of a
gyro with each part identified.
Chapter 6 - Learning to Fly a Gyroplane
Tells how to get flight training, what will happen during your
training, describes towline training and some things you can do
even before you take training to get ready.
Illustrations: Photos of the most popular two-seat trainers
in flight.
To read part of this chapter, click here.
Chapter 7 - Equipment You’ll
Need
Describes clothing and other gear needed by a gyroplane pilot.
Key emphasis is on helmets, with a description of how to tell
how good a helmet is.
Illustrations: Various helmets.
Chapter 8 - Mental Preparation
You can prepare for the mental challenge of the excitement of
learning to fly a gyroplane. Then you’ll get more out of
each training session.
Illustration: The view from the seat of an open-frame training
gyro from the air.
Chapter 9 - Flight Characteristics
of the Gyroplane
Here’s why a gyroplane can’t stall, but has other characteristics
to consider, like PIO and zero G’s. Describes various potential
problems in flight, tells what to do to solve them.
Illustrations: Diagram of PIO.
Chapter 10 - Safety Checks
Tells how to check to make sure a gyroplane is ready for flight:
hang test, balance checks, engine checks, includes a suggested
pre-flight checklist.
Illustrations: Photos of engine start, blade assembly,
rotor head checking.
Chapter 11 - Getting Off the Ground
Especially helpful to the person who has complete dual-seat training
and is ready for solo flight. Tells how to work up to your first
solo takeoff, how to continue to learn safely.
Illustrations: Gyroplanes in flight.
Chapter 12 - Troubleshooting
Lists common problems in learning to fly a gyroplane, gives solutions.
Illustrations: Gyroplanes in flight, landing.
Chapter 13 - Keeping It in the Air
Explains how power and altitude relate to each other, other flight
fundamentals such as crosswind flying. Includes a play-by-play
description of your first solo flight.
Illustrations: Power/altitude diagram, cockpit photo from
an open-frame gyroplane approaching for a landing.
Chapter 14 - How Safe is the Gyroplane?
Lists all the problems people worry about and explains why they
need not be a concern.
Illustrations: Crashed gyro, gyroplanes in flight.
To read part of this chapter, click here.
Chapter 15 - Pilot Report
Tells how it feels to fly from the pilot’s viewpoint. Includes
a narrative of a typical flight in an open-frame gyro.
Illustrations: Aerial photos of gyros in flight.
Chapter 16 - I Can Fly! What’s
Next?
Inspires you with suggestions about the many things you can do
after you master basic piloting.
Illustrations: Power-off landing diagram, in-flight photo
of Ken Brock, who flew coast-to-coast in his gyroplane.
