New Tail Material!

Good morning!  Happy 2013! It is hard to believe that we are already 11 days into the New Year! 

Topic for this morning...Over the life of the HoneyBee G2 Project, our Team (& customers) has always been thrilled with the quality and appearance of our tail surfaces. Honestly, our quality rivals anything coming out of a Part 23 Operation. They are a work of art for sure.  

After four years of producing these quality, labor intensive tails, our engineering efforts has now taken a different approach with our tail surfaces.  This change means that the tails are now made from "Honey Comb" sheet.  It is lighter, stronger, quicker to build and requires 400 less rivets! Ultimately, they absolutely provide a great solution, better durability, better hinging system (more on this later) and one more way to build an even better G2 Gyroplane line.  

Just an FYI...For those that are in the current production batch of airframes...Happy Birthday! You are also getting this upgrade. Not all bad eh?  

2013 is going to be a phenomenal year!

Stay tuned!

Wayne & Deb Meade Join The G2 Fans!

Good Morning!

For those that have been following the HBG2 Project for awhile you know that we are located in Michigan and that it is cold this time of year. In spite of the cold, shorter days and rain/snow once in awhile, we do manage to go flying too, once in awhile. 

Last week, I had the honor of giving rides to two close friends of ours, Wayne & Deb Meade.  Deb and I we were up having fun doing the roller coaster ride routine and looking for deer. We did manage to see a few here and there, unfortunately that includes more dead ones than those running around that are alive and well.  

For Wayne and I, we looked for deer from the start of the flight to the end...in fact right up to the point where it was dark and we needed to get on the ground. Wayne and I saw a few more deer but it seems like we  needed to get down in the swamps more to find them. Without snow, this time of year it can be hard to see them against the open woods and leaves on the ground.  Both Wayne and I have hunt for years and appreciate the struggle the Whitetails have gone through this year. Like Baseball, there is always next year for the deer to make a comeback!  In this area, there is a lot to comeback for sure!

When it was all said and done, I had a blast flying and sharing my love for the HoneyBee G2 Tandem.  I just love going into the woods and swamps to find deer.  They are a beautiful, precious commodity these days for sure. 

For those that are thinking about coming up and going for a ride with me, please be sure to call early to schedule the event. There is a lot going on and our Team will do the best we can do to introduce you to our love for the Gyroplane!

Have a great day!

70,000+ & Counting!

Good morning to all 70,000+ of you!  

It is 10:52AM on November 27, 2012. Beyond the date and time, 2012 is a year that will go down in the history books of HoneyBee G2 as the year of many "firsts".  One of those firsts is that the blog is being well visited (Thank you again for all 70,000+ visits!) and that people from all over the world are enjoying it.  

Another first for us is our association with, staffing of and joint development of our flight training system in Gyroplane Training Centers International, LLC.  I love the people who are part of this and can not wait to be part of this company.  This project is as big as anything we have done to date and is of incredible value to our global efforts. 

It has begun with the right  people, the right equipment and the right long-term/vision in our approach.  We are building the foundation and I am pleased with where this is going. More on this later! 

I say all of this to say, Thank You for your friendship, your support and the encouraging words.  2013 is going to be an even better year!

Take care,

When Dreams Come True!

As our flying season begins to suffer from the cold weather and shorter days, the available time slots for giving rides  get harder and harder to make work.  For instance, this morning we are big time fogged in, a condition that is a bit rare in November for sure.  Because the weather does not cooperate all the time, it is hard to get everyone a ride that wants a ride. This Fall, I have been wanting to some how fit in a friend of mine's father. As it so happens, this afternoon is going to work. I will have the distinct privilege of taking a real  gentleman flying; that spot is being filled by Ed Schrock.  Ed is 79 years old and a long time friend of my brother Mike. Ed is a great guy that has a positive influence on everyone he comes in contact with.  

For some background, Ed is a fixed wing pilot from way back. He used to own a Cessna 150 and in that airplane introduced all of his kids to aviation.  The ironic thing is that, like so many of you, Ed has always wanted to fly a Gyroplane. Well today, that dream comes true in nothing less than a G2 2PT.  

Who says that dreams don't come true!

Have a Great Thanksgiving!

Take care,

Cold Weather Flying Today & The Next 30 Days!

Last Winter, there were about a dozen brave souls that went flying with me in what we called the 2012 Winter Flyers Hall Of Fame, see Post by same name. Well, Winter is coming again and even though the Full Enclosure is the one project that has taken longer than we could have ever dreamed it would take, it is two things for sure.....Gorgeous and Right!  Flying in cold weather is fun, but still cold.  Nobody wants this option more than I do.

This afternoon, I am taking two friends (a  couple from Hastings) with me to fly.  It is 50+ degree weather here and we will have fun for sure; the deer are starting to show up again! 

For those that are coming over the next 30 days, please bring your warm clothes and plan on coffee afterwards.  One thing for sure, the enclosure will drastically broaden the use of the G2's for us in all kinds of weather, not to mention Brazil.  No one is looking forward to this happening more than me... 

Come on enclosure!

Greetings from Brazil!

Greetings from Brazil!

There is nothing in the world like flying to the South side of the globe to fly HoneyBee G2's with friends. That is precisely what Jeremy and I are up to this week. We boarded a plane in Grand Rapids with our tickets, bags, and laptops and arrived 26 hours later where we were met by our friends Sebastian and Paulo.

Because Jeremy and I were able to get some sleep on the plane, we went right to the "real airport" in Goiania to see Sebastian's Flight Operations, HoneyBee G2's, meet a few friends and finally have dinner at "Copa Cabana", one of the nicest restaurants in downtown Goiania. A good night's rest later and Jeremy and I were off to the airport for a good time with friends.

Having flown at Escolinha Airport (Portuguese means "Little School") with Ebson (CFI) in the hills of Goiania has been an eye opener. I am not a stranger to flying in international airspace but here at Escolinha I have seen how great CFI's (like Ebson and others) who truly LOVE aviation and the ones they teach make all the difference in the world; at least in this part of the Brazilian aviation world. When this goes on, it breaths life into an airport and this airport is more than alive. There is a plethora of aircraft flying everyday. These guys exhibit flying in harmony and they are doing it at a field that is being extended, getting a new taxiway and sustaining an active (and I mean active!) flight training program every where you look on the field. There are more commercial operations at "Little School" than I ever remember seeing at a field this size. Aviation is booming at "Little School" and HoneyBee G2 is thrilled to simply be here and in some small way just be a part of it. I am especially looking forward to flying many, many HoneyBee G2 from this "Little-Busy-School". It is especially sweet when you get to work with people that have withstood the test of time; those associated with the challenges of doing international business together. When it is all said and done and the dust settles, the best part is you are still with your friends.

Selfishly speaking I desire this kind of fire and passion for aviation to spread across the US again. With this kind of spirit, everyone wins...and if everybody wins, nobody looses.

Make a flying friend today...even if he is on the other side of the Earth!

Take care,

Single Place-Deluxe Update: 10-19-2012

Greetings from 9D9!

No flying at 9D9 today or the last couple of days for that matter. It has been so "Fall like", with cold and rainy days since the 5,200' flight earlier in the week. 

When we get days like these, when the CNC machines are busy doing what they have to do, when the powder-coater is busy doing their part, we finally have some time to get back on the aircraft that are underway on the floor, namely the 2013 SP-Deluxe that you have been reading about. 

The one pictured here is showing the Floors, the Upper Surrounds, the Drag & Trailing Links and Interim Control Rod Arms. This aircraft is becoming exactly what we hoped it would be  within this segment of the G2 Line for 2013. 

One change we have been kicking around over coffee is whether or not to use the ROTAX 503DCDI or to put a ROTAX 582 DCDI on it. The 503 will do the job, but there is nothing like more power when it comes to flying a Gyroplane. It is nice to have the power and not need it vs. to have to use all of it...all the time. Reserve is nice. It is also easier on fuel, easier on the engine and better when the heavier pilots fly this  aircraft. 

We don't have to decide about the engine for awhile; I will keep everyone in the loop on that decision.  For now, there is lots of discussion on the aircraft....getting there is more than half the fun for sure.

Next week we will be in Brazil! I will be blogging from there!

Vejo você mais tarde do Brasil!

Hastings At 5,200'!

Hastings At 5,200'

Yesterday, the 16th, was an absolutely beautiful day in West Michigan! Clear as a bell, mid-50's and a South wind at 6 MPH. 

My flying for the day began on a flight with Jerry from Elk Grove, CA while his delightful wife Ruth took pictures from the ground of two older guys flying by in a Yellow 2PT.  An hour or so later Hugh, pilot extraordinaire, from Jenison, MI and I went out and ran the G2 2PT through its paces. Hugh flew most of the time, I just got to set back and enjoy the view and someone else enjoying the G2.  An hour later, we were on our way back to Hastings doing the landings of several types. We had a great time for sure...no surprise!

Since Hugh was my last flight of the day it made sense to grab a quick lunch with him and then get back to the office to finish up some office work there.  Here was the problem...there was lots of gas (and gas does go bad if not used right away!) in the 2PT, it was a beautiful day (more rare this time of year) and there was no good reason not to go back to the airport and just fly.

I did a quick pre-flight, buckled in and off I taxied. With a South wind at 6 MPH I could either use Runway 12 and manage the cross-wind from my right...or do a max pre-rotate to  175 RPM's and take-off from the North-South Taxi way that leads to Runways 12-30. Either way, it is all paved and the aircraft stays clean. If I do a taxiway departure I save myself 5-7 minutes of taxi time not to mention the tires and hassle of going to the West side of the airport for a departure to the South. Since the airport was quiet I exercised the benefits of being a rotorcraft.  

When the tachometer hit 175, I turned onto the taxiway, eased to full power and 150' later I was off and climbing at 700 - 900' FPM to somewhere South of the airport.  I really did not have a plan as to where I was going; I just knew that I wanted to climb. The 2.34 Drive does a great job of that for sure.....all the way to 5,200' in six minutes without really having to work at it.  What a beautiful view from a mile up in the air; makes me want to go flying right now.

It is so much fun to fly an aircraft that has an ultimate, Minimum Forward Speed of 25, will loiter for hours at 35 and when you spool it up will fly at 85 MPH....as an open frame. I can not wait until the enclosure is done, fitted, painted and screaming along at....well, very, very fast speeds. 

Got to love it! 

...All 5,200' of it!

Flying At 9D9 Today!

Today I had  the distinct privilege of taking two friends flying.   Jeff was the first. This was Jeff's first ride in a Gyroplane.  Jeff brought his camera and took aerial pictures of his house and his beautifully manicured yard while we did a side-wards descent to it.  We flew all over Barry County and enjoyed the beautiful Fall color here in West Michigan. What a blast. Jeff, one question for you....I forgot to ask you what color you want your G2 to be? 

The second passenger was our Jeremy (University Of Michigan guy) and my adopted Son in the Gyro World!  Jeremy has been flying with me since early Spring this year.  Because it has been such a busy year,  he and I simply have not had much time to fly together.  Due to the re-schedule of another passenger today, Jeremy and I got to go up together and work on some good solid, Practical Test Standard procedures. Jeremy did a great job on Turn Around A Point, emergency field selection and initial procedures to get there and  finally acrostics; HOT-GLUMPSR & HAT-Te-MeR for those that have ridden with me before.  We got right up to the "Cake" of Class C airspace for Kent County Airport too.  We worked on trim conditions and setting the aircraft up for a nose or tail heavy condition and how to read the telltale of airspeed and what to do to correct it. 

The best part about my job is seeing people flying what I love and have committed so much of my life to.  It is great to fly!

I love flying Gyroplanes...

...especially with my Friends,

Imprint™ Control System Integration!

Good Evening!

The first entries in my logbook in 1981 were in a beautiful, 1946 Cessna 120 out of a little strip on the Ohio River in Ona, WV; home of Chuck Yeager. Donny Chapman was a CFI extraordinaire for sure. He also went by the name "Okie Skidmore" so you kind of get the feeling that Donny was just a good old boy. He was kind enough to get me started on my journey to become a Private Pilot. What a gift that was Donny! Thank you!

His Cessna 120 (tail dragger) had a control wheel. A couple of hours later I went onto fly a tired old Cessna 150 (tricycle gear) with Ricky Jones out of Robert Newlon Field along the Ohio River just outside of Huntington, WV; it had a control yoke and was very different from the 120. Four or five hours later I was in a Cessna 182 with more knobs and gauges than I had ever seen.  Then my internship was done in WV and I was off to Michigan again where I would eventually settle down and begin flying a tired old Cessna 152 out of Hastings, MI. It was a piece of junk too. It has more gauges than the 120, less power than the 182 and the nose gear shimmied so bad that you had to do soft field take offs every time or you would shake the nose wheel off the airplane. Two attorneys eventually crashed it to put it out of its misery. Later on I would finish my Private Pilot License in one of two 172's that I flew out of Lowell City Airport in Lowell, MI. Both of these aircraft were at the extreme of equipment and power and feel and on and on it goes. 

So what is my point? How we survive flying (and getting our Sport or Private Pilot License) in such different and sometimes junky old airplanes at the average FBO is beyond reason. It is a tribute to our tenacity for sure!  This is precisely the reason for  the G2 Imprint™ Control System! That's right, every Single Place-Standard and above will have the critical controls in the same place allowing you, the customer/student/etc. the simplicity of being "Imprint™" by habits that transfer directly to your single or two place HoneyBee G2. 

Expanding on this more....Train in a G2 2PT and then transition to your Single Place-Standard/Deluxe/HP or 2PT with identical controls!  This will result in better transitions, safer-confidence building experiences and overall, a life-time start on the best possible Gyroplane experience in the world. Seriously.....

If we always do, what we have always done, we will always get what we have always got....