Gyro question

[news.starpower.net]

I have a question:
(and the answer may be pretty basic)
We all know that you can't land a gyrocopter in a crab angle because you
might tip over. Why, then, don't they use castor type wheels, or some other
wheel setup where all wheels can swivel in any direction? I think that this
would allow the craft to roll in the direction of the momentum preventing
tipping over, but would it completely eliminate handling on the ground?
Could the rudder alone be enough to steer on the ground?

-Just wondering

[Peter Wendell]

news.starpower.net wrote:
> I have a question:
> (and the answer may be pretty basic)
> We all know that you can't land a gyrocopter in a crab angle because you
> might tip over. Why, then, don't they use castor type wheels, or some other
> wheel setup where all wheels can swivel in any direction? I think that this
> would allow the craft to roll in the direction of the momentum preventing
> tipping over, but would it completely eliminate handling on the ground?
> Could the rudder alone be enough to steer on the ground?
>
> -Just wondering
>
>

Some gyroplanes do have a castering, or semi-castering front wheel, of
course the mains don't castor, but why would you need them to? A x-wind
landing in a gyro is not much different from one in an airplane. You
apply cyclic into the wind to eliminate drift, and use rudder to align
the nose with the runway. If the x-wind component excedes your limits,
you can land on a taxiway, if permitted, or line up on a diagonal
approach to the runway, or choose an alternate airport. Experienced gyro
pilots can land accross most runways, if necessary. It is always a good
idea to carry a bit more power when making a landing in a significant
x-wind. It makes a go-around easier, and provides you with a little more
time to get straightened out if caught by a gust.

[news.starpower.net]

Yeah, I know, it's kind of a silly question.

"Peter Wendell" > wrote in message
news:5AMxd.1906$iH.616@fed1read02...
> news.starpower.net wrote:
>> I have a question:
>> (and the answer may be pretty basic)
>> We all know that you can't land a gyrocopter in a crab angle because you
>> might tip over. Why, then, don't they use castor type wheels, or some
>> other wheel setup where all wheels can swivel in any direction? I think
>> that this would allow the craft to roll in the direction of the momentum
>> preventing tipping over, but would it completely eliminate handling on
>> the ground? Could the rudder alone be enough to steer on the ground?
>>
>> -Just wondering
>
> Some gyroplanes do have a castering, or semi-castering front wheel, of
> course the mains don't castor, but why would you need them to? A x-wind
> landing in a gyro is not much different from one in an airplane. You apply
> cyclic into the wind to eliminate drift, and use rudder to align the nose
> with the runway. If the x-wind component excedes your limits, you can land
> on a taxiway, if permitted, or line up on a diagonal approach to the
> runway, or choose an alternate airport. Experienced gyro pilots can land
> accross most runways, if necessary. It is always a good idea to carry a
> bit more power when making a landing in a significant x-wind. It makes a
> go-around easier, and provides you with a little more time to get
> straightened out if caught by a gust.

[Peter Wendell]

news.starpower.net wrote:
> Yeah, I know, it's kind of a silly question.
>
> "Peter Wendell" > wrote in message
> news:5AMxd.1906$iH.616@fed1read02...
>
>>news.starpower.net wrote:
>>
>>>I have a question:
>>>(and the answer may be pretty basic)
>>>We all know that you can't land a gyrocopter in a crab angle because you
>>>might tip over. Why, then, don't they use castor type wheels, or some
>>>other wheel setup where all wheels can swivel in any direction? I think
>>>that this would allow the craft to roll in the direction of the momentum
>>>preventing tipping over, but would it completely eliminate handling on
>>>the ground? Could the rudder alone be enough to steer on the ground?
>>>
>>>-Just wondering
>>
>>Some gyroplanes do have a castering, or semi-castering front wheel, of
>>course the mains don't castor, but why would you need them to? A x-wind
>>landing in a gyro is not much different from one in an airplane. You apply
>>cyclic into the wind to eliminate drift, and use rudder to align the nose
>>with the runway. If the x-wind component excedes your limits, you can land
>>on a taxiway, if permitted, or line up on a diagonal approach to the
>>runway, or choose an alternate airport. Experienced gyro pilots can land
>>accross most runways, if necessary. It is always a good idea to carry a
>>bit more power when making a landing in a significant x-wind. It makes a
>>go-around easier, and provides you with a little more time to get
>>straightened out if caught by a gust.
>
>
>

There aren't any silly questions :) I'm happy to answer any questions
about gyroplane flight operations. Many people are confused about how
they are actually flown and there really aren't many gyro pilots out there.

[Dikkie Dik]

Many gyros have a prerotator. That is a link between the engine and the
rotor so the rotor can be sped up before you start the take-off run. For
this prerotator you want wheels with brakes and no swivel to take the
resulting moment (there's no tail rotor to take it). Other gyro designs
might not have a prerotator, but have the undercarriage layout anyway so
a prerotator can be installed later on.

The rotor brake actually gives you similar problems if you have
swivelling wheels.

news.starpower.net wrote:

> I have a question:
> (and the answer may be pretty basic)
> We all know that you can't land a gyrocopter in a crab angle because you
> might tip over. Why, then, don't they use castor type wheels, or some other
> wheel setup where all wheels can swivel in any direction? I think that this
> would allow the craft to roll in the direction of the momentum preventing
> tipping over, but would it completely eliminate handling on the ground?
> Could the rudder alone be enough to steer on the ground?
>
> -Just wondering
>
>