Timber Creek

[NT5224]

Gyrocopter down with a reported fatality in region of Timber Creek.

 

Reports dont yet have details on the nature of the problem that led to accident.

 

Tragic to lose a fellow aviator - my thoughts are with his family... A Katherine man.

 

 

[onetrack]

Another power line fatality, apparently. A thankless task for rescuers looking for his body in the croc-infested Victoria river. My condolences to the gentlemans family.

 

[/url]https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-04/gyrocopter-police-nt-victoria-river/11176030

 

 

[turboplanner]

There's a related story of another gyro crash on February 7, 2019 at Capel near Busselton.

 

Father & son killed, making "metallic" noises as it flew over.

 

 

[onetrack]

Turbo, the Capel gyrocopter crash has already been discussed at length on here.

 

Their machine suffered a catastrophic failure of the folding mast components, and the model had been grounded due to a previous crash caused by a failure of the folding mast components.

 

[/url]https://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/double-fatality-in-gyrocopter-crash-into-sea-busselton-w-a.63651/

 

 

[NT5224]

I read somewhere that the Gyro was being utilised for mustering operations. What are the benefits of a gyro for difficult low level operations like that?

 

Never heard of Gyros used for mustering before. To the uniformed they might look like a chopper, but surely don’t confer the same advantages of a rotary wing aircraft...

 

 

[alf jessup]

Report was he was leaving Timber Creek for Stapleton, caught a wire crossing the river about 5 kms out of Timber Creek. apparently the power went out at Timber Creek not long after he departed the airstrip and when he failed to arrive at his destination they started searching the proposed route he was taking.

 

Found him eventually a few days later, rumour was that the police were waiting for a croc cage for a few days so the diver could finally retrieve him.

 

Such a waste of life and another power line accident that should not have happened, Hazards and temptation always catch the unsuspecting out at times.

 

Condolences to all the family and friends.

 

Information I have passed on come from a work mate up here in the NT where I am currently working who’s wife is managing a medical clinic currently at Timber Creek.

 

 

[Downunder]

I read somewhere that the Gyro was being utilised for mustering operations. What are the benefits of a gyro for difficult low level operations like that?

 

Never heard of Gyros used for mustering before. To the uniformed they might look like a chopper, but surely don’t confer the same advantages of a rotary wing aircraft...

Talking to a few gyro instructors, there is quite alot used for mustering.

 

They would be VERY much cheaper to operate and purchase than a chopper.

 

And also thousands, if not tens of thousands cheaper to get the pilot certificate/licence.

 

Maybe if it can do 80% of what a chopper does at 25% the cost, it's worth it?

 

 

[NT5224]

Talking to a few gyro instructors, there is quite alot used for mustering.

 

They would be VERY much cheaper to operate and purchase than a chopper.

 

And also thousands, if not tens of thousands cheaper to get the pilot certificate/licence.

 

Maybe if it can do 80% of what a chopper does at 25% the cost, it's worth it?

Not doubting it’s cheaper than a chopper, but choppers are used for mustering because they can operate at low speed and hover so they can turn very tight at low altitude. Can a gyro do that safely? It’s lift depends on forward momentum... surely it’s performance would be similar to a STOL fix wing

 

 

[kasper]

Not doubting it’s cheaper than a chopper, but choppers are used for mustering because they can operate at low speed and hover so they can turn very tight at low altitude. Can a gyro do that safely? It’s lift depends on forward momentum... surely it’s performance would be similar to a STOL fix wing

If you had ever seen a gyro thrown around you would understand how effective they can be in mustering. They are very loud can out perform a fixed wing

 

 

[Downunder]