Oshkosh 2022 Trip - Day 4 - Kallithea gyro travels from Los Angeles to Oshkosh
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Oshkosh 2022 Adventure - Day 4
The day started with the knowledge that reaching my destination was not in question, and there was no pressure on me to keep pushing the envelope. Not feeling pressure is not the same as being totally relaxed - there were still close to 6 flight hours planned for the day.
On top of all this, a storm front was rapidly approaching from the West and the first raindrops were beginning to fall.
By the time I was done with my preflight, light rain was covering the Sioux City area, and heavier precipitation was forecast for later in the morning. I calculated that the current light rain was not going to damage the gyro in flight, and I could clearly see the shapes of heavier cells, which would allow me to avoid them.
So, around 10:00 AM I said goodbye to my friend Tom and rolled down Rwy. 32. It took about 20 minutes of flight to outrun the rain. Windshield was wet, but I could clearly see that my prediction for the light rain was right.
As I crossed the Missouri and entered Iowa, I encountered similar terrain to the one of Eastern Nebraska - green farmland, picturesque farmhouses and silos, yellow crop-dusters bussing around.
Oh, ya… those yellow crop-dusters can be very dangerous to a low flying gyro. They are not equipped with any ADS-B equipment as far as I know, and if you count on your GPS unit to look for traffic, you will be unpleasantly surprised.
I stayed around 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the ground, and in my observations, that was enough to avoid the “yellow buzzards”.
Additionally, most local airports cater to the fleet of crop-dusters, so you should keep your eyes open when landing for refueling. Listen on the radio and give them some space on the runways and the ramp. By the way, the crop-duster pilots I encountered were very professional, used radios “appropriately”, and were very courteous on the ground.
The vast majority of airports on my route were non-towered, but there were few controlled ones. For me dealing with their towers was similar to the way I navigate the complex L.A. airspace. Unless I had to go through the airspace (usually a “Delta”), I tried to go around it or over it. Even in those situations I gave them a courtesy call letting them know I would be listening in case they need to contact me for traffic separation.
As I crossed the Mississippi at Dubuque, I said goodbye to Iowa, and said hi to Wisconsin. Red barn houses and silver silos became the norm.
After refueling at Platteville, I contacted my friends in Kenosha, then rumbled down the runway on my final leg to the shore of Lake Michigan. As with the day before, there was plenty of daylight left and not many miles ahead of me, so I slowed down a bit and allowed myself to soak in the surrounding views. It was amazing to see numerous lakes dotting the landscape, and patches of woods added to the variety of the vegetation covering the ground below me.
10 miles out I contacted Kenosha tower and was instructed to line up with Runway 7R and report 2 miles final. That runway is significantly shorter than the other one, but it is right next door to the south t-hangars, my final destination.
When I landed, I noticed that my friends were doing touch-and-gos in their tail-dragger Champ. This gave me enough time to do a proper shutdown of my engine, pull the gyro out of there way and be ready to greet them as they rumbled back down the taxiway.
Well… after 4 days of adventures, Phase 1 of my trip was completed. Next couple of days were dedicated to rest and final preparations for our visit to the big show at Oshkosh.
“Pitstop for man and machine …” 😂 Thank you for a practical informative video 👍🏻
Thank you for watching… and for the kind words.
I like the descriptions of the landforms and other geographic features you were flying over. So many times while I have flown in airplanes, I have wondered about the landmarks below.
I liked that you showed what you have to do to refuel your craft.
I appreciate your meticulous attention to detail. It seems like, while flying, you live by your wits and your checklist.
Thanks for a series of great videos!!
I totally understand your desire to recognize the landmarks you fly over. I love identifying map features by comparing their appearance…
On a long, and lonely, cross-country flight you do have to keep it together mentally. The checklists help, and proper prior planning prevents poor performance ( the 6 P’s). I would love to have a wingman or two… that would really make the trip more enjoyable…
I watched all your journey in 4 evenings from Oklahoma. I enjoyed seeing you fly over Sioux City, my birthplace 70 years ago. I got my private license in 1981, but haven’t flown since 1982 lol. I just love that Kallithea. Cheers.
When it comes to flying, I consider myself blessed...
very good trip report! Greetings from Bavaria / Germany
Thank you for the kind words. Have a Merry Chrismas in Bavaria!!!
Great video. You answer all the questions that come to mind on a trip like that.
I try to use the video as a debriefing tool for myself as well. There are many lessons to learn from this trip that can be useful for other pilots or even for me. I encourage whoever is interested to contact me directly for more detailed chat.
😮@@lagyro
Enjoyed you flying over my state of Iowa - It's too bad you didn't fly about 60 miles north of Waterloo on your eastbound trek. We have the "Driftless Region" in Northeast Iowa with abundant bluffs, trout streams and the beautiful Upper Iowa River! And the topography once across the Mississippi near LaCrosse, is also amazing and very 'bluffy.' Hope you had a nice time in Oshkosh and thank you for taking us on the ride!
It is fascinating to observe the changes of the terrain below as i flew over various parts of the country… most of this is hard to imagine from ground level.
It’s been an enjoyable trip. I like the green places best. When I was young I rode a small motorcycle with a top speed of 50 mph, for 500 miles. That was nearly 50 years ago but it’s similar to your gyro.
There are still adventures to be had... if you know where to look...
Really enjoyable and informative video! Thank you! ☺️ Makes me wanna fly a gyro cross country here in Australia sooner 🤩🚁
Life is short… don’t wait if this is on your bucket list…
Fantastic production. I watch with great interest.
Thank you for the kind words…
A fascinating journey, most enjoyable.
This truly was a fascinating journey. And the video is not a complete representation of everything that occurs. I recommend to anyone who has a chance to do something like this.
Fantastic flight ❤
Thank you for watching...
I enjoyed your journey.
Thank you for watching…
Thanks for sharing
Watching from Australia. I enjoy your commentary style. I went for a gyro ride many years ago….. it was okay but not something I want to fly myself.
Well, there is a reason why they make strawberry and vanilla ice cream… 😜. We all like different things even though from time to time we cast a jealous eye across…
Great footage, great planning ,
..,my hat off to you sir !
Thank you for the kind words…
De la Californie au Wisconsin! Ça été un grand et long vol et aussi les incroyables changements de paysages! Vous m'avez donner le virus de l'autogire! Je vous suis très reconnaissant de votre vidéo. Un grand merci pour votre exploit et votre partage très passionnant! Désormais un abonné de plus de France. 😊👍🇨🇵🇺🇲
If you live in northern France, I can put you in contact with a friend of mine who can probably take you for a flight...
Merci beaucoup avec plaisir! Je suis aussi membre de l'Amicale du Musée de L'air et de l'Espace du Bourget situé au nord de Paris. J'habite à Paris! Je vous dit, Bon vol@@lagyro 😉👍🚁
That is fantastic... lots of aviation history is preserved there...
I grewup about 20 miles west of Storm Lake. It was fun to see the lake on your approach. The island in the middle was built in the early 60's. The state hauled a few hundred junk cars out on the lake when it was frozen and in the spring they went to the bottom. The state came in with a couple dredging barges and dredged the bottom all around the lake and piled it on top of the cars. Needless to say that would NOT go over today.
That is something you don’t read in the tourist brochures… I loved the green all around while flying through Iowa…
Really enjoyed the cross country trip.
You style of cinematography is very enjoyable to watch. Subbed!
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words.
I’ll try and make it short…So enjoyed your trip over the Midwest and detailing additional tasks along the way. My home town is Webster City, Iowa and it brought back memories of the first time an 8 year old leaving the same runway…same direction in an old Cherokee 180. I was 8. I’m now 55. I currently live in Waterloo now, which you also crossed through. You’ve done. Such a great job with video and encapsulating these wonderful areas of the Midwest and western US. It was a relaxing ride for me. Maybe one day you could stop in Waterloo and make some arrangements…just a thought. But thank you for the wonderful time you took with the positive comments!!! Keep in touch!!!!
Thank you for watching, and thank you for the kind words...
I really loved the experience of flying over Iowa - the green fields, the meandering rivers, the forrests lining the river banks...I am not sure when I will have the opportunity to do it again, but would not bet against it... ;)
Beautiful drives in that area!!!
thank you!!
When you are following high ways you should still maintain the rules of the road by staying on the right side.! We might meet up someday head on.!
Ha-ha… now that you warned me, I will be keeping an eye on the ADS-B traffic display… and you are correct about using some ground rules when staying so close to the ground.
I did notice how active the crop dusters are below 2,000 feet AGL, that kept me on my toes even when the rest of the surroundings were quite tranquil.
What do you fly?
General aviation rules say for eastern travel your altitude is plus 500 feet and western travel at your altitude proper with 00 difference. This, though explained poorly and I probably have this backwards, keeps head on traffic naturally separated by 500 ft.
Reminder .... Above 3000 feet AGL.
§ 91.159 VFR cruising altitude or flight level.
Except while holding in a holding pattern of 2 minutes or less, or while turning, each person operating an aircraft under VFR in level cruising flight more than 3,000 feet above the surface shall maintain the appropriate altitude or flight level prescribed below, unless otherwise authorized by ATC:
(a) When operating below 18,000 feet MSL and -
(1) On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees, any odd thousand foot MSL altitude + 500 feet (such as 3,500, 5,500, or 7,500); or
(2) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even thousand foot MSL altitude + 500 feet (such as 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500).
(b) When operating above 18,000 feet MSL, maintain the altitude or flight level assigned by ATC.
@@christopherwhull very well said...
Okay… I’ve now watched all four parts of this magnificent journey. I developed an interest in gyros several years ago when I watched a promo video for the Arrowcopter flying around the Alps. I’m curious about other gyros you’ve flown in. Also, I visited the manufacturer’s website of your gyro and see they have a few models. The Lightning caught my eye because of the tail feature directly behind the prop. Again, I’m curious as to the difference between your model and the Lightning, as they both appear to be very similar otherwise. Thanks for the entertainment and well done putting together these awesome videos! ~ John in Ohio
If you go to my website (www.lagyro.com) you will see both of my gyros - Woodstock and Hummingbird. After watching all three videos of the trip, you are already familiar with Hummingbird, a Kallithea gyro.
Other videos in my channel highlight my affection for Woordstock, an American Ranger AR-1.
I have flown in few other makes/models, but these are the two I am flying regularly and am most familiar with,
When it comes to the Lightning, it is almost identical to the Kallithea, and when you fly you cannot tell the difference - the cockpit looks the same and the flying characteristics are almost identical. Obviously, the outside appearance is clearly different... ;)
Contact me at peter@lagyro.com if you would have any gyro related questions...
@@lagyro Thank you for the detailed response, Peter. I’ve never flown in a gyro but would like to catch a ride with someone. I’m in Columbus, Ohio… any recommendations?
@@Primus54 I am not aware of any specific gyro pilots in Ohio who would be able to give you an introductory flight.
I would suggest you join some gyro related Facebook groups and ask the same question - you may get a good answer.
Also, if you have the time to spare, the first week of August in Mentone, Indiana, there will be the annual PRA Convention - many gyros, instructors, dealers, enthusiasts will be there...
@@lagyro Thank you, Peter. I’ll look into your suggestions and will perhaps head over to Indiana. It looked very interesting when you landed there last year.
Awesome video 👍👍👍
How are you?!splendid editoin~ 🖖
Does your Gyro have an autopilot? Nice and simple narration. Well done Sir. What's the minimum landing length for landing since I think you can't hover.
No autopilot on my gyro... In general, gyros do not have autopilot, although some fancy models are trying to install that option.
After thouchdown a gyro needs just few feet, and with some training one can plop it on a napkin, but you still need some open space for the roundout from approach and the flair. All together a football field length should be enough.
Thank you for watching... the return trip is coming soon...
Hello ....thank you for sharing and thumbs up. What is the "mental" difference between Cruise Mode and Landing Mode? And how can you regulate the rotor speed to keep stable speeds? What can you do if the rotor speed decreases or increases, or sways during flight to hold him in his limits (various reasons)? Have you a min/max "dot" for rotor speed?. I understood that the rotor is a "free runner". Thank you in advance for answer. Remark: I was only a simple helicopter mechanic/boardmechanic (Hind D), please be patience with me by your explanation. Stay safe an healthy.
Don’t sell yourself short… I am sure the Hind is a complex machine… add to that field conditions, and you probably have stories to tell…
So, landing vs. cruise mental setup… for me the aircraft flies differently in both situations. In cruise you are dealing with fairly high speeds, almost constant throttle settings, small adjustments here and there, you are more relaxed.
During landing the speeds are much lower, the changes in speed and attitude are sometimes drastic, you must be very precise in every movement.
I consider myself a good gyro pilot, and yet i have had some forgettable landings when on long cross-country flights.
About the rotor… you have no direct control over its speed. There are few stupid maneuvers you can do to get yourself in trouble and unload the rotor, but you learn yo stay away from them early in your flight training.
The good thing about the rotor is that it reacts to what is needed and speeds up or slows down. There are limits in which the rotor operates but you never really have to worry about them in normal flight.
@@lagyro Thank you Mr. Kalev. 👍
I would honestly like to watch your videos. The video quality is excellent. But that background music is so annoying I can’t go longer than about 2 minutes. Why did you do that?
Thank you for watching…
The background music… well, some viewers like it some don’t. It is an artistic expression of a sort.
@@lagyro it would be nice to watch and hear the sounds of you flying your gyrocopter That is why we want to watch. It wasn’t for the artistic expression. It looks like a great adventure. I will definitely watch if you were to republish without the music.
Technically you are not missing any conversation, and minus the music you will hear only the hum of the engine. You can imagine that on a trip like this things can go wrong, and what went wrong few times was my inability to record properly cockpit audio.
Also, this was not intended to be a documentary but rather an introduction to gyro flying adventures.
In any case, feedback like your is always welcome.
I flew gliders and soloed in a Cessna when I was younger, but I've always been fascinated by autogyros. Question: I thought a lot of Rotax engines can run on regular automotive gas. Is this true of yours? If so, why do you use avgas?
The Rotax 9XX series engines prefer unleaded fuel with up to 10% Ethanol. I use 91 octane gas in California, but my friends in Florida have 93 octane.
These engines can work just fine with Avgas but they need help getting rid if the excessive lead content. For that purpose we use a chemical called Decalin. Also you should change the oil everyday 25 hours rather than the usual 50 hours. On the other hand, if you fly at very high altitudes, you should not use fuel containing Ethanol, so in most cases Avgas is the only option.
I use Avgas on the long trip because it is the only fuel readily available at every airport I stopped. Occasionally i have a local friend get me automotive fuel, but that is rare.
Is the vibration inherent to the gyro technology? I'm surprised the aircraft stays together.
Keep in mind you are looking through the lens fo a camera that is vibrating on its mount, while trying to apply image stabilization to the captured video... All of this distoprts teh level of actual vibrations of nearby objects, while the distant stuff appears more stationary.
That being said, gyros do vibrate more than fixed wings...
@@lagyro , thanks for the reply. I was mostly watching how much your hand was shaking on the stick and your shoulder relative to the seat back. I would think you'd be worn out after a day of flying. It certainly is a "looker" and I enjoyed the entire series of Oshkosh travel videos. Oh, one other question. With the camera mounted above and behind your head, there was constant panning and zooms without any apparent controlling by yourself . . . as if you had a ghost cameraman. How do you do that? It is quite professional, and far better than any other pilot videos I watch.
Thank you for watching… i am currently processing the return trip.
The camera over my shoulder is an Insta360One X capturing the world all around. In post production i use their free software to pan, tilt and zoom in order to produce a flat video.
@@lagyro , I assumed it was a 360 camera but wasn't sure. You need to suggest this technique to Stevo, Juan Browne, Trent Palmer, Premier1Driver, 310Pilot, and all the others who struggle to get decent video synced to the voice description. Your post production is phenomenal.
@@bent.cyclist you are too kind... I also get inspiration from other people, but I am also lucky that viewers like you like the same things as what I like to see in the video. So, now I just have to be myself, not try to overdo it, and the rest falls in place by itself.
I had funny experience with one of my customers few weeks ago. Afer he entered the cockpit, his reaction was: I have been in this cockpit so many times virtually, I know every inch of it... ;)
If it can't handle a few cracks in the runway, is it a very durable, tough and strong gyro? What's the problem? Probably could not handle a grass runway I guess, so what good is it? I'd want a gyro I could land on my farm without worrying it's falling apart because of a few bumps.
The majority of the Kallithea gyros in service are in Europe and they happily live on grass airfields.
The cracks i am referring to were a problem for the smaller tires of the gyro, because in some cases there 2-3 inch gaps in the surface.
My home airport is baby butt smooth so i guess i am spoiled…
Are those Halo tubephones? How effective are they with the Rotax? I have a 912UL and have been considering getting a set.
I am using ClarityAloft headset with Bluetooth adapter. The noise cancellation is passive but comparable to my Bose A20. You should make sure to select the proper size foamies for best results. I used the regular size for long time and thought things were working good, but when I tried the large size i was surprised how much better the noise cancellation is.
Good day sir, what is the maximum weight for a pilot in this ac?
The maximim wight on the front seat of each gyroplane is slightly different, but hovers between 240 and 270 lbs.
Is class D airspace different now that it was when I flew 20 years ago? You didn't have to ask permission to enter it, you just had warn them you were coming, to tell them when you were in it and where you were in it. If I remember right anyway. Class C was a different story. Maybe my ancient brain is not remembering right?
I don’t know what Class D was 20 years ago, but i am suspicious it has not changed. You still need two way communication with the tower.
I also like to talk to the tower if i am passing in the vicinity of their airspace.
Do you need av gas fora Rita’s 915?
I thought Rotax could operate with regular unleaded
Yes, Rotax engines usually run on automotive fuel 91+ octane, but when you are on a long cross countr, it is practically impossible to find automotive fuel, so I just use Avgas. Also automotive fuel containing Ethanol is not recommended when flying above 5,000 feet.
By the way, my gyro does not have a 915 engine... it has a 912 with aftermarket turbo...
Do I detect Russian accent? No matter, your English is perfect, but with a slight Russian or Slavic flavor. Your narration is excellent, and your video is fascinatingly beautiful.
Thank you for the kind words. You got the Slavic part of the equation... ;) I am from Bulgaria, been in the US for about 35 years. The "videographer on the rear seat" is actually a 360 degrees camera that captures everything during the flight. I hate being distracted while flying, so this camera is a fantastic "assistant". In post-production I use their free editing software to extract a "flat" video and I control the pan and zoom of the shots. This is a lot of work, but it also allows me to enjoy the flight over and over again. In the end, the moving camera gives a dynamoc feel of the whole experience and allowing the viewers to feel like they are flying with me...
I asked myself, what do you shout out louder short time before taxi? I can not understand it. Saw this a few times.
how much time into the video is the moment in question?
@@lagyro Sorry, my english is not very good. I saw you shout out at Minute 0:49 (and at some other scenes before dedartue) and was interested in, what you call. Because I wondered that no person is outside :-)
@@eduardschnakenfuss9411 Aaah... I am yelling "Clear Prop" which is a warning to everyone staying out there to stay clear of the propeller since I am about to start the engine. Regardless of someone being there, or you are alone at the airport, you should always yell "Clear Prop...". This way you create a strong habit and would never forget to warn people to be safe.
@@lagyro I understand. That is very sensible! Many thanks for your explanation!
Great video series. Question, where did you find that clear check list pouch for your knee
I found the pouch on Amazon. It is called "Dry Erase Pockets for Students". They are big enough to accomodate a letter size sheet. I recure the pouch to my leg with "Mitten Clips".
@@lagyro thanks
Is it common in other countries to do straight ins and depart any direction or turn radius?
I don’t know about other countries, but in most instances on the trip, i was by myself on all those small airports. This is why i did my landings straight in, and my takeoffs were designed to be efficient and put me on course as soon as possible.
@@lagyro Single engine light aircraft it is best to enter on the 45 to the downwind. It should give you a long look for the IFR aircraft doing the long strait in. In all practicality, into a empty uncontrolled airfield, if the correct channel has been quite for 10 minutes while inbound, with ADS-B in/out, announce a a strait in, an overhead, an upwind, or 45 into the downwind. If you or no comms work your way to the standard entry. Oshkosh week in the Midwest, head on a swivel.
After watching the part with the mist, I wondered if gyro pilots ever fly in the rain. They have a lot of window space. How would anyone put windshield wipers on one?
You should not fly a gyro in the rain. The raindrops can damage some rotors and propellers. The only reason i was flying in these conditions was because the mist was fairly light and the potential drops hitting the propeller were small. My rotor is aluminum so it has no problem in these conditions as well. If I was not on a long cross country flight with schedule to keep, I most likely would have avoided this flight.
When it comes to the wiper blades, i have not seen any small aircraft equipped with them. The onrushing wind is usually enough to clear the windshield.
I am thinking of Rain-X, which I believe is intended only for vitreous glass. I imagine his canopy is probably Plexiglass or Lexan, both of which are plastic. The alcohol in Rain-X would damage those materials.
I just wonder if Kallithea could be equipped with an autopilot? Is it possible at all?
I am sure it is possible... Would I pay for one, no, I would not. This trip is not a normal mode of operation for my gyro, and I just love the stick control as part of the flying experience...
@@lagyro I see. By the way thanks for your video. It's inspiring! And your green bird is really beautiful.
Thank you for watching…
I'm not familiar with gyros so my question is why do you wait to spin up the rotor until you are on the runway?
Well, that is a subject on which you can wrote volumes...
Gyros, in general, shoudl not be taxied with rotor spinning, so the prerotation should be done as close as possible to your takeoff position.
On this gyro, the prerotator is foot operated, so I have to be in place where I can remove my right foot from the rudder pedal and step on the prerotator - that place is on the runway ofter lining up for takeoff.
On my AR-1 (the yellow one you can see on other videos of mine) the prerotator is hand operated, and there I like to start the prerotation at the hold-short line before entering the runway.
It all depends on who was your instructor, AND the mechanical prerotation setup of the gyroplane...
Thank you for answering my question. Enjoyed very much watching your flight to Oshkosh.
Why not make radio calls before departure ?
What do you mean, what departure calls were missing?
No sunshine ... so, why reduce visability ?
I don’t understand your question…
Those Gyros can land really short.
That is one of their best characteristics... and once they touch down, there is no forward energy to worry about.
Wht are the H.O.B.B.S. # And used for what?
the HOBBS meter is an hour counter that gives you the count of flight hours in 0.1 increments (every 6 minutes). It usually starts counting at the moment the Master Switch is turned on. Most maintenance is based on this counter
I didn't see many trees in this video. How can you demand that other countries have it?
I don’t understand what you are referring to?
@@lagyro sorry, this is not a post for you directly, but for Leonardo DiCaprio and Greta Thunberg. I noticed that the landscape for the entire flight has no trees.
By the way, congratulations on the videos! I love gyros!
Still that 1 - 1 lateral vibration.
I cannot argue that there are no vibrations that can be reduced, but you have to keep in mind that your observation is through the lens of a camera that vibrates on its mount while trying to apply image stabilization on the video it captures. That distorts reality a bit.
INHERENTLY SLOW ...POTENTIALLY very safe tho 👌