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 Post subject: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2018, 14:23 
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Joined: 10/10/14
Posts: 1471
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Location: St George UT
Aircraft: Mooney D 1964
Just thinking of going a different way for fun
Anyone here really into Bensen Gyros?
I actually have a full set of plans from years ago on the shelf somewhere.
Used to collect airplane plans in my youth


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2018, 15:19 
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Joined: 08/16/15
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Location: Portland, OR
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We had one of those at our flight school field. Impossible to see the dude, and he used a handheld radio.. so the only way to know he was in the pattern was to listen for a KSHAHKSHSKTSTTHTHSASSSTTHH every 60 seconds or so. Fourth one was him on final, so you had to bob your head around to disambiguate him from the windscreen bugs, lest he add to their number.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2018, 15:34 
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Joined: 12/12/07
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Company: Stonehouse Supply,Inc.
Location: Wellington-Palm Beach, Florida
Aircraft: Van's RV-14A
Username Protected wrote:
We had one of those at our flight school field. Impossible to see the dude, and he used a handheld radio.. so the only way to know he was in the pattern was to listen for a KSHAHKSHSKTSTTHTHSASSSTTHH every 60 seconds or so. Fourth one was him on final, so you had to bob your head around to disambiguate him from the windscreen bugs, lest he add to their number.


Mike, you crack me up. Well said as usual. I vote we add this to the "Brannigan-isms" thread.............. You say there isn't one? Well, there should be! And that's all I have to say about that!

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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2018, 15:37 
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Joined: 01/28/14
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Company: CCDE, Inc
Location: Houston - KDWH
Aircraft: M-35
Modern gyrocopters incorporate a MUCH more effective horizontal stabilizer than the old Bensen pattern designs. This is to avoid Pilot Induced Oscillation, which may well lead to "unloading" the rotor disc, which will most likely result in a fatal crash.

I suggest you save those old plans for posterity, but don't use them

Gyros are indeed a hoot to fly, and there are a ( very ) few instructors around that could introduce you their unique flight characteristics. I'm quite sure that none will encourage you to build or fly a Bensen 'copter.

Good luck

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N60988 C150

I'm retired now - don't need a fast airplane anymore.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2018, 22:02 
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Joined: 10/10/14
Posts: 1471
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Location: St George UT
Aircraft: Mooney D 1964
Actually from what I've seen the newer models of Bensens have been modified with a horizontal tail and a dropped rudder for better control.
Saw Ken Brock way back in the 70s flying his in a demo at an air show at KVNY. He flew them for decades (but got beat down by one also).
Many still flying today. From what I have learned there has never been an in flight breakup due to the design (pilot error? Yes).
Most of the damaged ones (and fatalities) have come from low or no time or training in them. Many over the years (decades ago) got their first ride, their first lesson and their first solo all on the same flight.
Bensen's ancient two part training videos are available on utube. Teach yourself how to fly one.
Early ones had an overhead yoke connection to the rotor head all the ones today use a conventional stick. Bensen himself didn't seem to have any problems.
Maybe its no different than a Cirrus today? In over your head, aircraft stops levitating.
Going to spend a day looking at them at OSH this year.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 08 Jan 2018, 22:14 
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Joined: 12/31/14
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Aircraft: TBM 700C2
No ... good friend killed in one . Was a great race car driver and very high skill level. My suggestion is ultra light .


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 07:21 
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No ... good friend killed in one . Was a great race car driver and very high skill level. My suggestion is ultra light .


What kind of gyro?


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 11:27 
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Joined: 10/10/14
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Location: St George UT
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I'm sorry for your loss, I really am
I am also interested in the particulars of the accident, if you could share them.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 12:01 
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Joined: 08/06/10
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Aircraft: ms880b
About 15 years ago I went to a Wallis day. Lots of gyros, lots of microlights and lots of light aircraft.
I got a flight in a gyro, the make escapes me but I do remember that it was powered by a Subaru engine. When I told the guy fkying it the I had soloed in the R22 a couple of weeks previously he let me fly it. Not very nice, pretty light in pitch and really heavy in roll. I can't remember what the rudder felt like so maybe there were no pedals on my side.
I had not been too impressed by the takeoff performance and when I asked him he blamed the hot day. It was hot but some of the Jodels were using a similar amount of grass as the gyros.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 12:28 
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Joined: 12/22/07
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Company: Cogswell Cogs, LLC
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Aircraft: C205
Did it have the little motor to pre-spin the rotor?

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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 12:32 
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Joined: 06/07/10
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Location: Boise, ID (S78)
Aircraft: 1964 Bonanza S35
Not a Bensen, but my buddy just went to Italy and built 51% of one of these.

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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 14:36 
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Joined: 01/28/14
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Company: CCDE, Inc
Location: Houston - KDWH
Aircraft: M-35
There is an order-of-magnitude difference between a Benson and a Magni ... maybe that's the origin of the name ?

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CHUCK
N60988 C150

I'm retired now - don't need a fast airplane anymore.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 10 Jan 2018, 11:01 
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Did it have the little motor to pre-spin the rotor?

Yes, it did have a spin up mechanism. Not a little motor but a drive from the main engine.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 13 Jan 2018, 14:00 
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Joined: 01/29/09
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Company: retired corporate mostly
Location: Chico,California KCIC/CL56
Aircraft: 1956 Champion 7EC
There was one of these at Hangar 1 in Opa Locka FL back in the late 60s. Always thought it looked interesting, I don't remember ever seeing it fly.

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soloed in a land of Superhomers/1959 Cessna 150, retired with Proline 21/ CJ4.


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 Post subject: Re: Bensen B-8 Gyrocopers Anyone?
PostPosted: 13 Jan 2018, 14:33 
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Joined: 10/10/14
Posts: 1471
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Location: St George UT
Aircraft: Mooney D 1964
I have a set of main wheels and brakes for a McCulloch gyroplane in the hangar somewhere. If anyone remembers those? :-)

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng ... ch_j-2.php


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