# Is it a helicopter or Autogyro? (Idiot in Washington D.C.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753 "2015-04-15T18:01:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/1 "2015-04-15T18:01:11Z")
Some \*fool \*flew some kind of rotary-winged craft into D.C. airspace and lands somewhere near the Capital building. Dumb-Ass Wolf keeps calling it a “helicopter”, but it sure looks like an autogyro to me. But what the heck do I know? I only know what I’ve seen on _The Road Warrior_. You’ll have to find your own pics of the thing if you’re not sitting in front of a TV right now. What an idiot. I’m guessing the pilot is gonna get some serious “stick time”. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/2 "2015-04-15T18:11:58Z")
All the articles I find are calling it a gyrocopter, which looks correct for the fuzzy pictures I can find. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/3 "2015-04-15T18:16:14Z")
Clearly a gyro. There’s not a big distinction if you’re not a rotorhead. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/4 "2015-04-15T18:24:36Z")
Yeah, CNN is calling it a “gyrocopter” now. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/5 "2015-04-15T18:27:16Z")
It looks like an autogyro. The engine for the pusher propeller provides forward speed, while the unpowered rotor provides lift. The faster the propeller pushes the aircraft, the more lift provided by the rotor. Speed up the propeller to go faster and higher. Reduce forward speed to slow and lower the craft. Stop the engine/propeller and the rotor will auto-rotate the craft safely to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/6 "2015-04-15T18:34:12Z")
Gyrocopter or gyroplane? One of these terms was a trademarked name, but I can’t remember which one. It’s fairly easy to differentiate between an autogyro and a helicopter- on an autogyro there’s no engine connected to the main rotor and it’s propelled through the air by a pusher prop. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/7 "2015-04-15T20:06:02Z")
wait what!? a gyrocopter doesnt have the main rotor powered? That just doesn’t seem feasible. I’m familiar with autorotation on a helicopter to bring one down safely, but it just doesnt seem possible that you can actually go up with a free wheeling rotor on top. So I suppose you can’t really hover with those things than can you? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/8 "2015-04-15T20:10:54Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > wait what!? > > a gyrocopter doesnt have the main rotor powered? That just doesn’t seem feasible. [Read it and weep.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro) > [@](#): > > I’m familiar with autorotation on a helicopter to bring one down safely, but it just doesnt seem possible that you can actually go up with a free wheeling rotor on top. You can. The rotor is your wing. > [@](#): > > So I suppose you can’t really hover with those things than can you? Not hover, but you can land a little softer than a brick. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/9 "2015-04-15T20:15:02Z")
Yep, no hovering. To take off you have to taxi like an airplane, unless you’ve got fancy rocket-tipped rotors. To go higher you have to speed up, to go lower you have to slow down. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/10 "2015-04-15T20:17:18Z")
I just don’t see any advantage of this over a regular ultralight airplane ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/11 "2015-04-15T20:22:43Z")
Yes, gyropcopters have unpowered rotors. Not only that, the rotors are mounted on a simple bearing / teeter tooter sorta system. Not the ungodly complex (and expensive) system you see on a helicopter rotor system. One could make an argument that a simple gyrocopter is one of the safest, simplest, and cheapest ways to fly. Though not terribly efficient mind you. Though in practice they are dangerous as crap statistically speaking. This is due to some bad designs, people that don’t actually understand how they work, and that they apparently attract more than their fair share of idiots, cheap asses, dare devils, and ill informed egomaniacs. The gyro community is the inbred trailer trash of the aviation world. If interested in gyro’s start with an internet search of “gyrobee” and “ralph taggert” (hope I got the spelling right) to get started. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/12 "2015-04-15T20:23:00Z")
Yeah, if you’re just using the rotor as a wing, why not just use a wing? ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/13 "2015-04-15T20:27:11Z")
AIUI they can take off and – especially – land in a very small space. A 'gyro typically can spin up its rotor under power before take-off. Also, while it cannot hover, it does have a very low stall speed. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/14 "2015-04-15T20:36:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Yeah, if you’re just using the rotor as a wing, why not just use a wing? It sounds like they have good low-speed performance. Though the Wikipedia article doesn’t seem to mention exactly what that is. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/15 "2015-04-15T20:49:14Z")
What, did the 4:30 autogyro already leave yet? I had a letter for the Prussian consulate in Siam. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/16 "2015-04-15T20:49:55Z")
Gyro’s can’t stall (generally speaking). They are very good at making tight positive G turns (which attracts the idiot dare devils). They take up very little storage space compared to a standard winged ultralight. And because of this they are much easier to trailer as well. They can land almost vertically, which is a big plus if you have to make an emergency landing. While it true they can’t hover per se, there is a fair bit of energy stored in the fast spinning rotor system, so when you do land vertically, if you “flair” right you are also touching down at a nice low vertical speed. If you try to go low and slow in an emergency landing in a winged craft, if you stall, bad things happen. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/17 "2015-04-15T21:12:50Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I just don’t see any advantage of this over a regular ultralight airplane IIRC gyros can be flown in much stronger wind than fixed wing ultralights. In strong enough wind they can land more or less vertically. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/18 "2015-04-15T21:19:15Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > What, did the 4:30 autogyro already leave yet? I had a letter for the Prussian consulate in Siam. Doh! Beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/19 "2015-04-15T21:21:31Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > wait what!? > > a gyrocopter doesnt have the main rotor powered? That just doesn’t seem feasible. I’m familiar with autorotation on a helicopter to bring one down safely, but it just doesnt seem possible that you can actually go up with a free wheeling rotor on top. > > So I suppose you can’t really hover with those things than can you? The autogyro has a pusher or tractor propeller to move it through the air. With the rotor tilted backward the air flow passes through the rotor from top to bottom just as helicopter in autorotation. When sufficient airflow lift greater than the weight of the craft is produced. You can hover relative to the ground in a head wind. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753/20 "2015-04-15T21:29:44Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > The gyro community is the inbred trailer trash of the aviation world. Even worse than the parachute pilots with leaf-blowers on their backs? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-helicopter-or-autogyro-idiot-in-washington-d-c/717753.md?page=2)