This is video footage of Dennis Fetters in the Spring of 1989 at the Air Command factory, flying the 582 Commander Elite Gyroplane with the Arrow 100hp engine. Mr. Fetters has designed and manufactured 9 different aircraft designs, 3 being helicopters, and 11 variants of these designs, producing over 1700 aircraft being flown worldwide.
Are you the guy that flys commercial and designed aircraft, or his sidekick?
Clearly69 3 years ago
I guess I'm the guy. I never had a sidekick.... but I am accepting applications!
fettersbuiltco 3 years ago
Is this one of those high thrust-line (HTL)"flying deathtraps" that they talk about on the Rotary Forums? You don't seem to have much problem flying it. So is it more to do with inadequate training that causes these gyro accidents, or is this a "less safer" design that the center-line thrust machines? I've always liked the looks of the Air Commands.
gamr4life 3 years ago
You're asking a question that would only go on as a never ending debate, and I will not allow that to happen here. The Commander is not a CLT gyroplane, but not that far off, and fly's safe. Yes, a CLT has some advantages, but in their present design also has some disadvantages too. The problem is that some of the CLT fanatics say the Commander is not CLT, so it's automatically bad. Both CLT and HCLT need full training to fly, which teaches you the characteristics for safe flight in either type.
fettersbuiltco 3 years ago
Hot-Dogging ! That boy's lost his mind.
Great Flying. What rotor blades are you running ?
jwdever1 3 years ago
Actually, that was mild flying footage taken while a film crew was there, and they were after fly-by shots, so most of the flying was just that. All of my real air-show stunt flying film was lost in the 1993 Missouri floods. I was lucky a friend sent me this footage. I'll thank anyone to lone me any air-show footage they have so I can copy it for posting here. The blades are McCutchen, the only ones approved for the Air Command when I owned the company. Thanks for watching.
fettersbuiltco 3 years ago