The weather was perfect for a test flight today.



I found that I had to cut the front of the rotor tilt mechanism away to clear the locking nuts for the rotor attachment bolts.

I took the Spacewalker out onto the runway and set the Co-Pilot. I'm not sure it was working properly, but I think it was. While holding the gyro up so the Co-Pilot could see the horizon, the blades started to speed up pretty well, maybe 500 rpm, I thought about trying a handlaunch, naw it's 10 pounds has an 80" rotor, and I don't want to get whacked with the blades. I didn't see anyone around that I thought was dumb enough to try it, so I went for the ROG.

The wind was prefect, a nice 7-10 mph out of the north so it was very smooth air. At our field if the wind comes from the east or south we get lots of rotor off the trees making takeoffs and landing dicey at times. I gave it throttle and it gather speed, after about 25 feet the rotor started to speed up, at 50 feet it was going pretty good. I remember talking with someone in Florida and they said once the rotor is coming up to speed to raise the tail and let it run tail up a little before giving up to rotate of the ground so I did. The rotor hit the stab, and flew off landing unharmed 10 feet away. The gyro tipped over broke a rudder hinge and broke the prop, but otherwise in good shape. A pretty mild crash, but a crash just the same.

I wanted to have a .mpg of the "flight", but my flying buddy Charlie and I were so focused on the gyro we forgot about pictures. Below is were the rotor struck the stab, a little CA and it'll be fixed.



A post crash look revealed that the rotor axle shaft had pulled out of the rotor tilt mechanism. Which came first the pull out or the rotor strike? I don't know. One of the guys watching said as the gyro gained speed the blades seemed to tilt back, the front going up, which I would expect, but the back going down, which I wouldn't expect. I would think the back would go up also to form the coning angle.

Tomorrow I think I'll make a new taller rotor axle.

I'll mount the rotor at less of a tilt back. I tried to make it about 10* , but on subsequent measuring it looked more like 12*.

I'll take some of the "aileron" throw out, I've got the rotor able to tilt 20* each side, which looks like a lot.