Reservoir Gyro

A flight in my MT-03 gyrocopter from 7 August 2022. On a flat calm early morning, I flew over the four reservoirs in North Wales that feed the River Dee to see how the lack of rain in summer 2022 had affected the water supply for where we live. The answer - all looks normal to me. And it was a decent excuse for a brilliant flight :)
#gyrocopteruk #gyrocopter #gyroplane #autogyro #stuwithaview

[@NT4XT]

Nice! +Functional wind/bug shields 🙂 Gorgeous perfect day, lovely. Thanks for sharing.

[@andygyro1422]

Good to see you back. Love the footage. I’ve learned loads from your flights. I’m just about ready to take my GST now. Shout out to Perth Aerodrome.. Great training centre.

[@StuWithAView]

That’s great to hear. Best of luck for the test.

[@lagyro]

Gorgeous playground...

[@zaphodbeeblebrox7616]

Good stuff! Love your work.. Next time the wind is up could you continue recording after landing to go through rotor management considerations in high winds?

[@andreacolomboairphotographer]

Great video! Amazing landscape!

[@James-gf9jl]

Great to see you back in the gyro again.

[@titanvr8372]

Beautiful flight, you can share the 360º video, I would like to enjoy this beautiful flight more.

[@crawford323]

If you fly low, fly fast. Having said this when during my career as a professional photographer and a fixed instrument single engine land circa 1983, with Gyroplane endorsement circa 1992, when in a fixed wing such as a Cessna 172, I required my check pilot to ad 10° of flaps, trim for best glide ( 65 or so knots )and add enough power for level flight. This was in the neighborhood of 2100 rpm. This gave me 600 rpm of power to grab if needed and enough energy in a glide plus well away from a stall if the engine coughed. An airplane is no more than a tool, use it correctly or your knuckles will get busted. You will never see a crop duster fly low and slow.

[@battshytkrazy156]

Fine cinematography !! 💥💫

[@2503Erik]

I am about to build a mount for my insta360 X3 camera. Do you shoot standard 360 deg. 5.7k video with default options or are there settings you can recommend? (I know diff. camera, but) I am now working on getting passenger permit.

[@StuWithAView]

I shoot default on the Max. I have an Insta 360 X3 on a pole mount for my Eurofox, and again shoot in max res default. I have found HDR on the X3 gives mixed results; in anything other than bright blue sky it can introduce blurring.

[@Tzhz]

Not sure of the rules, but if you had a licence could you have one of these in your garden and commute with it or does it have to take off from a runway due to flight restrictions?

[@StuWithAView]

If your garden is big enough then this would be just fine; although in the UK you’d only be able to do this for 30 days per year. There’s no legal requirement to use a runway.

[@stevenpurcell9300]

How are you finding the Dynon D3, you've had it a while now, are you still happy with it ? How's the readability in bright sunlight and how does the GPS derived VSI compare to the response of the original static pressure based gauge. I'm thinking of getting a D3 for my MTO.

[@stuartkellner]

I like the D3. It’s readable in bright sunlight, seems accurate and provides peace of mind - particularly re attitude reference in poor viability.

[@joemason9187]

Great vid but didn't know you could fly that low legally

[@StuWithAView]

In the UK the rule is 500 feet from any person, vehicle or structure - doesn’t have to be 500 feet vertically.

[@2503Erik]

I can't wait to shoot some great footage of my island (as it is quite pretty). Last week I went solo in my gyro OY-1039, so I'm not far off. Which camera(s) would you recommend?

[@StuWithAView]

I use GoPros; particularly the Max.

[@2503Erik]

@@StuWithAView Hi again - I just had my flight validation test (Edit: Skill test) 3 days ago. So now I can call myself a pilot!

[@StuWithAView]

Congratulations 👍

[@lagyro]

It is different to see y9u takeoff from hard surface runway... ;)

[@StuWithAView]

I’ve moved airfields… miss the grass 😊

[@lagyro]

@@StuWithAView looking at the condition of the pavement, I cannot blame you in missing the grass... I am usually very spoiled in the quality of the runways I operate from, but accasionally I encounter some rough surfaces that give me nighmares...

[@StuWithAView]

For me it’s more that grass is more forgiving, more cushioning. The state of the hard surface at Sleap is pretty good for a local airfield in the UK. You US guys are spoilt 😂

[@lagyro]

You have a lot of faith in the engine so close to the water surface...

[@StuWithAView]

Perhaps, but then again I also have faith in kinetic energy and stay close to shore.

[@lagyro]

@@StuWithAView I hear you... and in most cases the camera gives the wrong impression of the actual position in space...

[@StuWithAView]

I was pretty low 😁

[@Froestenpust]

@@StuWithAView How about the legal thing flying that low in GB? If I would post such videos in Germany, I would have been caught by the air traffic control. Or when not me posting it, someone whipped out their mobil phone and snitched it... 🙂 Anyway, beautiful scenery! And I love those videos! Keep going!

[@StuWithAView]

In the UK we just need to be 500 feet from any person or structure; it doesn't have to be 500 vertical feet. So I can fly at 10 feet height as long as I'm 500 foot horizontally. I think Europe and the US require at least 500 feet of vertical separation.

[@ABCDEF-xb3xo]

Wish I was rich.

[@cjeremie]

Two irresponsible matters which gave you a dislike. I fly a gyro myself so my comments are warranted. 1) overflying water at such a low altitude; no life jacket; no opportunity for any recovery in an engine out. You hit water, you sink. No chance in releasing your seatbelt. You're dead. 2) "I know it's not ideal..." Overflying a forested area stating it wasn't ideal but you did so for a ridiculous reason - to avoid flying to close to a farm house or something similar. Who cares. Fly as close as you want because it's a lot easier to land in an open field from an engine out than it is surviving a 30ft drop from tree tops. Flying at what ever speed you were over forest at the altitude you were at is not giving you time to slow your speed.

[@StuWithAView]

If you want to avoid all risk, stay on the ground. I was on my own, kept the speed high, and stayed as close to shore as I legally could. Yes, this is higher risk than some might feel comfortable with, but, for now at least, we live in a free world. You make your choices, I'll make mine. As for 'overflying a forested area', take a look on the video - I easily remained in glide distance of clear ground, and was abiding by the legal requirement to remain 500 feet clear of structures.

[@jf1890]

@@StuWithAView Very nice flight! - enjoyed it much and I took some good info from it. Thank you from a Maui Gyro Student. Also You made perfect sense and you had plan B in mind (dry land) - how much safer can you get. Life Jacket not needed.

[@NT4XT]

​@StuWithAView *I'm with you. If your time is up, there are countless ways worse than while flying by the seat of your pants. I mean, I'd take these flights over fawsome sex 8 out of 10 given opportunities😂 Exiting this realm while doing either is yet another, gift from God. Anyways, (except during the acute banked turns) even at 10 feet, I'd bet being at the ready to pull back in case of-- fwd thrust = momentum only, yields enough nose up, for several seconds of splash fwd velocity float time. In such unlikely event, having a pre-arranged process, I'd remove my glove asap from my dominant hand the moment fuselage touches water. Take the biggest deep breath I can while reaching for the harness buckle, but not release. Wait until blades hit the water. When blades are static, then unclasp the buckle. No matter what. Maybe the cockpit is sideways half submerged, only your head above water. Maybe it's completely under water, and so are you, whatever. It's water, wait 'til the craft has fully crashed before swimming out of your seat. *So a coast guard rated, gas charged rip corded, personal floatation vest properly secured under your coat might be worth the added bulk?😂 Fly on you crazy diamond🍻