Dr. Paul's World Record Flight

Kim Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:28 am

I've always been a fan of aviation endurance records...the more mininmal the aircraft...the better, and so when a friend of mine set out to break a world record with his little Magni Gyrocopter, I got a big kick out of it!

Here's the gist of what he's doing, with an address to track his flight, which is rapidly drawing to a close:

On Friday, August 21st I am repositioning the “Missing Link II” Gyroplane to Torrance California from Cape Girardeau, MO. I will depart Torrance on Monday, August 24th as soon as the Tower opens at 6:00 am local time, or soon after. I will fly from Torrance to Jacksonville, Florida thus setting a new Eastbound Transcontinental Gyroplane record. After arriving in Jacksonville I will be filing some paperwork, refueling the Gyroplane and departing on the return flight back to Torrance, California. The return trip will establish a new Westbound Transcontinental Gyroplane record, as well as a new Transcontinental “Round trip” Gyroplane record.

http://capecopters.com/pauls-findmespot/

Back in May of 2010, Dr. Paul generously donated use of his Robinson R-22 helicopter as Chase Vehicle for the flight of "Little Traveler II"...a modified Sanwa 'Q-Tee'...as a fund-raiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Little Traveler II's mission was to fly non-stop for 30 miles, being controlled by myself from Paul's R-22. Sadly, rough, unstable air on the flight caused a wing failure in the heavily-load model airplane, and it was lost in the Mississippi River, only four miles from it's launch.

Still, the project raised over $1400 for St. Jude Hospital, and Dr. Paul's generosity added a VERY colorful chapter in my model airplane flying history!

Here's wishing Dr. Paul a safe wrap-up fro his latest adventure...more to follow !!!

rsv1cox Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:56 am

Far out on all counts.

If I'm following this correctly Dr. Paul is following I-10 and is just west of Las Cruces with a long way to go. Go Dr. Paul.

Too bad about the Traveler, I would guess that it was never recovered?

fredvon4 Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:40 am

Kim have you taken the introductory flight on this bird?

I was perusing your friends web site and think $199 for an hour intro flight might be in my future

Kim Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:53 am

rsv1cox wrote:Far out on all counts.

If I'm following this correctly Dr. Paul is following I-10 and is just west of Las Cruces with a long way to go. Go Dr. Paul.

Too bad about the Traveler, I would guess that it was never recovered?

Shamefully enough, I'm not nearly up on this latest adventure as I should be...lots going on lately. I think the flight is over, and figure I'll get the wrap-up when he returns to Cape.

Yeah, the last I saw on L.T.II was bits of it;'s carcass floating on the flooded Mississippi. It a real challenge getting everything to line up schedule-wise, with several delays, so I just gambled going with what we had when we had it.

Think Paul was more upset than me! L.T.II was the only model I ever totally lost, but it still drew some money for the hospital. The river was out of it's banks, so figure the Q-Tee ended up wedged in some tree on the Missouri side.

Still, it was a great adventure !

Kim Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:21 am

fredvon4 wrote:Kim have you taken the introductory flight on this bird?

I was perusing your friends web site and think $199 for an hour intro flight might be in my future

I've had two 'un-official lessons' I mooched when Paul needed to test some new gadgets in the Magni. Once in forward flight, the thing flys almost like a regular airplane. Things start getting wierd in turns and approaches, where the rotor's needs for RPM start to assert it's self.

With steadily increasing back-pressure in the stick, the gyro won't stall, but mushes dramatically...especially in any sort of bank, and there's a ' point-of-no-return' if the pilot lets it go too far. Of course ANYTHING negative is forbidden as the rotor must always have a positive load.

According to Paul, one of the BIG improvements over the old Bensen design is the Magni's flexible main landing gear struts. It's real important not to touch down with a crosswind component on the gear, but the Magni's gear gives you a bit more leeway. The Bensen's gear, mounted on those long rigid struts would instantly dump you forward on your face if you touched down the least bit crossways.

I'll post some photos of Paul's new Magni soon...meant to post these before, but didn't have the drive they were on.

Kim Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:07 pm

I wanted to get some sort of follow-up on my Trans-America Gyro buddy. Still don't have his write-up on this adventure, but DO have some photos and our local T.V. report on Paul's breaking 6 world records with his diminutive gyrocopter!

He's back home, safe and sound, and probably planning some future adventures with either this Magni or some other such sling-blader!

My best "Right Stuff" photo of Dr. Paul and his "Missing Link" Magni Gyro.

Paul's TV reporter takes a selfie as Paul brings the gyro down almost vertically to the numbers on runway 20.

Beth admires the 'Missng Link" . Paul's new gyro has 'hamster pouches' molded into it's lower fuselage.

The fuel bladder Paul had strapped in the back seat of the Magni, giving it an endurance of over six hours.

The reporter from KFVS hangs onto his helmet as Paul takes him on a run down through the sticks..

http://m.kfvs12.com/kfvs12/db_349220/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=jcrVEAaR

rsv1cox Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:11 pm

Interesting reading and wonderful pictures.

He would have made nation wide news had he taken a side trip to DC and landed on the Capitals grounds with a leather carrying case full of funny money to pay off the Nations debt. Smile

Bob

Kim Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:22 pm

'Tis true...that'd be a lot easier to reduce to an understandable NEWS McNugget !!!

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