An interview with two modern gyrocopter pioneers

An interesting insight to a couple of great modern rotorywing aviators and innovators.

Chuck and Ernie have many great achievements under their belts as well as being a great support and driving force behind the gyrocopter industry.

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Chuck Beaty Helicopter

Courtesy: https://www.rotaryforum.com

My 1970s helicopter

01-03-2018, 02:03 PM

I stumbled across this photo of my 1970s helicopter; hingeless rotor with semi-floating hub, Canadian Kohler 440cc snowmobile engine and curved tail rotor driveshaft.

It hovers with the left skid low because left cyclic is required to resist tail rotor thrust and rotor hub is connected to the driveshaft via a stiff “U” joint made from Chevrolet engine mounts.

The tail rotor driveshaft ran at ~5,000 rpm, well above critical speed and if not curved, would have required support bearings every couple of feet to keep it stable.

Last edited by C. Beaty; 01-03-2018, 02:27 PM.

Blew the engine because it didn’t take kindly to running with a vertical crankshaft and the remains are in a barn growing cobwebs.

Outboard engines, designed for vertical operation, have serrations on the connecting rod big ends that enables an oil film to form between big end and crank cheeks. The Kohler had no such provisions.