Couple walk clear from chopper crash

[Guest Fred Bear]

A COUPLE escaped unscathed when their gyrocopter crashed into a sandbar in north Queensland today.

 

Police said the pair's Gyro Magni helicopter crashed as it was coming in for a standard landing on the beach at the mouth of the Burdekin River, 12km from Home Hill, south of Townsville, about 10am (AEST).

 

It's believed the chopper was hit by a gust of wind which picked it up and turned it over, police said.

 

The pilot and his wife were treated at Ayr Hospital but were released soon after having suffered only minor bruising.

 

 

[BigPete]

It must have been a fair old gust - I thought these "wingless" aircraft were not so prone to turbulance.

 

regards

 

 

[vk3auu]

That is exactly the same comment that I was going to make before I scrolled down and saw what you put.

 

I remember some years ago at a GULF meeting at Bairnsdale when it was that windy, all the birds were sitting on the fences, we heard the sound of an approaching aircraft. It was Trevor Taylor in his Gyro, coming in as though there wasn't a breathe of wind.

 

David

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Yes, I have seen them fly in some horrible gusting winds and it never seems to bother them. Who knows how accurate the report is or what actually took place.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Interesting post vk3auu, hope you are not implying the named pilot is dangerous.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

:thumb_up:

 

 

[vk3auu]

HPD. On the contrary, although come to think of it, aren't all gyro pilots dangerous.

 

David

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

HPD, your ability to read things into post's that are non-existant is remarkable

motzartmerv, please reconsider your opinion :big_grin: (smily put in)- we have a named pilot associated with the thread subject - I ask a question.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

yea..ok..better delete it before they ban me..hehe:laugh:

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

vk3auu, how about removing the 'name' of the named pilot - then all my posts (and Motzas) in this thread can just...... disappear.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Hey guys. Big brother has been watching, but it all seems kosher to me, unless you think the named pilot would be offended by being named?

 

In my experience, the Gyro guys are quite proud of their ability to fly when birds wouldn't.

 

 

[Admin]

It was a full moon last night i_dunno - well said Slarti

 

 

[Guest aircraft1]

If you looked at the news footage i would say he landed in the soft sand because there were a few tell-tale marks up the beach of difficulty.

 

I would guess it landed in the soft, inertia took the blades forward, hit the ground, hence the damage.

 

No signs of it turning upside down as reported because there was not enough damage AND not enough marks in the sand, just my 16 cents worth.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Fair call, soft sand was the first thing that I thought of, probably just bad journalism!

 

I don't have a problem with naming names.

 

I once saw David Tanner fly from Yarram to Drouin in a Zodiac in 50+ knots of wind with a groundspeed of about 5 knots.

 

I know, because on the same day I tried to fly from Yarram to Tooradin with a ground speed of 6 knots in my Gazelle.

 

Doesn't make me dangerous, to the contrary because a forced landing would have meant I could have landed on a roof top!

 

 

[Yenn]

brentc. No doubt you could have landed on a roof top, but when you got out of the plane it would have been blown away. It happened to me in a Thruster, landed in 25kts cross wind on a beach at a mates place and when I went to get out ny mate was lifted off the ground by the rising wing. I promptly took off again and that was an interesting experience.

 

I have heard that gyro's handle rough weather well, but wonder why they always fly early and late at Old Station, but not in the middle of the day.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

unless you think the named pilot would be offended by being named?

Hmmm... Slarti, I wasnt thinking of the named pilot being offended. - more concerned with the association to the thread subject.

 

Re the thread subject.

 

I havnt had much to do with gyros, tho I have operated Helicopters off beachs.

 

One thing that can catch you when operating near a sand bar for example, is you approch into the steady coastle wind to a firm part of sand, and get dumped short because of a sharp wind rotor turbulence near the surface.

 

I am not saying this is what happened in this case, just offering my thoughts to counter the speculation. ;)

 

 

[rick-p]

I see that you have all forgotten the priciple of flight for a chopper or gyro that is they are so ugly that the ground repels them.

 

On examination of this case it is quite obvious as to the cause, the pilot's wife was so good looking the law of flight for these machines was in this case inverted by her beauty and the machine rather than repelled from the ground was attracted to it.

 

Rick-p

 

PS It's good to hear that at least in this incident the couple were OK.

 

Just remenber when it all turns to crap the result we all seek is that we walk away and that always makes for a good landing.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

:laugh:onya Rick:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

I see that you have all forgotten the priciple of flight for a chopper or gyro that is they are so ugly that the ground repels them.On examination of this case it is quite obvious as to the cause, the pilot's wife was so good looking the law of flight for these machines was in this case inverted by her beauty and the machine rather than repelled from the ground was attracted to it.

Rick-p

A very proonean response there Rick-P

 

 

[Guest aircraft1]

I have a quick observation >>>

 

Have you EVER seen advertised a vintage helicopter or Gyroplane event ??

 

Me neither, doesnt that say something ?

 

 

[Deskpilot]

This is just for those who have spoken so far in this thread. How many of you have actually been up in a gyro?

 

 

[Guest aircraft1]

This is just for those who have spoken so far in this thread. How many of you have actually been up in a gyro?

I would reluctantly put my hand up but it might be taken off by the rotor !

 

 

[Deskpilot]

So I take it that's a NO

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

This is just for those who have spoken so far in this thread. How many of you have actually been up in a gyro?

Yes Doug, I was often going to say but never mind, some will always have the mindset that a gyro is dangerous even if they have not flown in them. I thought the same initially and was later amazed to see that they can fly in conditions we would never take our Jabs up in. They are as dangerous as the people flying them (that goes for all aircraft, cars, motorbikes etc).

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Well said Darren. I was gobsmacked as to how stable they are. Like all other aircraft, there are certain rules one shouldn't bend, let alone break. With gyros it's negative g. Go there and die. As simple as that. The gyro itself 'knows' that and only the pilot can put it into that situation. I only left them behind because they aren't really suitable for long distances but, having said that, things are improving all the time.