Air Command Jump Takeoff Gyroplane with Hydro-Drive

[GyroplaneFan]

Why not do it again with Hydraulics? It sounded like a decent method to jump the gyro. Looks like the closest thing we have for a jump gyro now is the MLS by Larry Neal, and the Carter Copter demonstrator. Looks like it will be s few years yet until a reliable modular jump system can be incorporated into gyroplanes.

[fettersbuiltco]

Because with my later venture into the designing and manufacturing helicopters, I learned a great deal about the efficient transmission of power. Hydraulics in this case is a very inefficient way to do the job. Look at the heat it produces in just one minute. Heat is loss of power. Now I could build a simple mechanical device that would transmit even more power, and do so without overheating. It would be smaller and lighter, less expensive to build, with less maintenance and easier to operate.

[treatrayner]

Hi Dennis, Could you build the same system substituting dual flex cables for the hydraulics?

If you build it. I'll buy one!

Bob

[fettersbuiltco]

Hello Bob, Flex cables are an easy way to transfer power, but not very efficient compared to a mechanical gear drive, like in helicopters. If I did do it again, then I would use a real transmission. I learned a lot over my helicopter designing days.

[tomterahedrob]

thanks!so what did the prerotator weigh?Im thinking if a gyro without all this weighs 254 pounds or so,how much extra is the whole jump takeoff add to a barebones gyro.thanks.

[fettersbuiltco]

The prerotator also weights about 25 pounds. So we had around a 50 pound system. But, that gyro in this film was not a 254 pound gyro, it was much heavier. It had a more powerful Rotax 532, not the little Rotax 447 that made the gyro only 253 pounds. You need the extra horsepower to do jump takeoffs. Even then, I would not do it again with hydraulics.

[tomterahedrob]

ooh.Ididnt think about extra hp for jumps.Thanks, this is very useful info.Ihope we see more jump takeoff equipped gyros in the future.

[fettersbuiltco]

I think it was some military procurement company, I guess needing the technology for something they were already working on. It wouldn't have been Robinson, I know old Frank, and he certainly can engineer his own stuff, he don't need me! He is on the list of the top-five people I respect most in the world.

Thank for watching.

[tomterahedrob]

Do you know how much extra weight this jump takeoff feature added to the craft?

[fettersbuiltco]

If I remember, the jump systen was about 25 pounds more then the normal prerotator.

[CalDayton]

I wouldn't be surprised if that "outisde firm" was Robinson, Bell, or Shweizer eliminating potential competition :P