The test flight of a new UFO autogyro variant at Tokoroa Airfield

Here's something you don't see every day...
It's a distinctive New Zealand designed and built autogyro being test flown for the first time after the fitting of a new design empennage.
I videoed the day's activities from arrival, through assembly, test-taxiing and finally the first flights.
The craft has a rotor-span of 30 feet and is powered by a Subaru car engine.
Enjoy!

[@bobbyvance4725]

The PRAYER at the beginning was BEAUTIFUL,,,,, rest of video was PRETTY GOOD too,,,,,

[@hsvxu6suzukihatch959]

What a little ripper, well done and good first landing.

[@seq165432]

You might notice the pre-rotator spinning up the rotor. Once the rotor gets spinning, it disconnects from the motor and it freewheels. It's a little like a helicopter in auto-rotation while it's in flight - and the pusher prop keeps it moving through the air.

[@craigcarnachan7153]

That was Cool as , I was On the Edge off My seat Just Sitting Here Watching It lol .. I want One ..

[@dronepilot4life]

THAT IS ONE OF COOLEST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN. I WAS CHEERING OUT LOUD IN MY RECROOM DURING THE LIFTOFF AND THE LANDING LIKE I WAS THE PROUD OWNER OF THAT THING!!!!!! Makes me wish I had the money to play with to build something like that.

[@birdmanbl]

Great clip watched whole thing. So relaxing

[@Obnoxymoron]

Absolutely beautiful machine.. I am in love.

[@ioanniszorgianos5299]

Nice design. The priest also seemed impressed.

[@Najvalsa]

Fantastic, great stuff mate definitely a WIN!

[@FenTheFur]

I am astonished at how softly these auto gyros touch down at every time. From the looks of it you could land the thing going 5 mph.

[@johnnydiamondsmusic1673]

Looks a beaut, nice touch with the blessing.

[@ast33ro]

Gyroplanes don't suffer from adverse torque because there is not power applied to the rotor blades--they are free-wheeling. Therefore, there is no need for an anti-torque ("tail") rotor. Despite the rotating wing, gyroplanes handle much more along the lines of fixed-wing airplanes. Airflow over the movable tail structure provides flight control in the yaw axis.

[@tailswales]

i reckon you should do a video on the workings of the auto gyro, i for one would most certainly watch it. cheers blue loving the vids

[@XamTakorian]

Very cool..well done.

[@ngravi]

Good innovation if it comes to commercial sales......

[@RCSuperPowers]

Wow that thing is cool!

[@TransferAir]

Oh! A Chopper Exorcist?!?! Never heard before! 😉😆‼️ But seriously: a awesome and good designed Gyrocopter!

[@cyrollins4020]

I am concerned about the 3/8" teeter bolt (connecting the rotor to the rest of the gyro). Shouldn't it be thicker? It has to hold up all that weight!

[@Aviator168]

Don't be. A 3/8" teeter AN bolt can hold more than 16000 lbs. Besides, how do you know it is a 3/8" bolt? I am more concerned about the push-pull rotor control cable.

[@Quokka57]

Truly inspirational stuff :)) Any particular reason all your tests and TO's/Landings were all done on the grass verge of the strip and not the tarmac? Q:)

[@kingwithabrokencrown]

he had it blessed,thats kool...thumbs up for that alone

[@Jaddavila]

It would be nice to have you post a new video of you flying the gyrocopter !!!

[@JayDillon-mm6yv]

I think a top rotor that is more of a spiral curved blade design, with shorter blades, in backswept curved triangular form, might be ideal. These blades could be attached at the base to a larger circular or polygonal hub which might also be providing some aerodynamic stability and/or lift.

[@glitchinthematrix5761]

Damn that motor was screaming.

[@slinkyboykid]

dang that was awesome. I love your videos

[@tailswales]

cheers buddy, makes sense.

[@jcer93705]

@xjet Very good I believe in prayers. Very good idea throwing holy water to the aircraft for extra protection. :)

[@ictpilot]

Holy water works, I've seen it myself.

[@TimDonk]

I was done when the wizard showed up.

[@dioncuda]

very nice

[@SuperAviatar]

Autogyros are wonderful, as long as you do not get outside their normal way of doing things. Once you have left the envelope, you do not get back in again.... sudden movements are often fatal.

[@gkz871]

The first time in a KZbin, see someone use oil to anointed the thing

[@TheLipRipp3r]

very cool!

[@dphotos007]

Looks like James Bond might like this flying machine.

[@JAHarrell46]

Good one!!!

[@sp769]

The Gyro was rather concerned with that Priest hanging around. It was thinking 'go play with your own oil cooler' and stop looking at my rear wheels that have no pants on!

[@Quokka57]

@xjet Ok...kewl. Just looked a bit 'bouncy' out there - but yeh, better to come a cropper on the grass than on the bitumen.. LoL Q:)

[@mikespeedyfpv321]

Hello I was hoping you could help me with a question about my fpv drone emax hawk pro 6s I have just bought it ,it's my first FPV drone I have binded the radio controller to the reciver but the only switch that works is the beeper locata but no other controls work and the quad won't arm, the throttle doesn't work nothing could you please help. 👊

[@cheleni1]

small enough to turn the craft if it did not have the rudders that compensate for that ones the pusher prop is forcing air onto it .

[@SuperAviatar]

Ever done a proof loading test on a 3/8 bolt? If it says 12 on the head, then it will take 12 tons to the square inch... as a matter of course. Usual failure is about four tons....stretch starts at two.

[@NEMOZAC]

how far can they fly and how much fuel

[@abulmagd3]

Is it only the big tail and rudder trim which prevent the heli to yaw to left ?! , another question, the main rotor is tilted toward the tail that increases the drag, is that design energy efficient?

[@Bombastl]

cooool design! Please tell me: what´s the MTOW ?

[@followthewhiterabbit7504]

Maximum Take Off Weight

[@Bombastl]

Yes, thanks, I know....but whats the MOTW? Here in Germany it is 450-560 kg

[@followthewhiterabbit7504]

@@Bombastl Sorry! My misunderstanding.

[@jm1166b]

Nice Machine, when the performances are to be tested and published?

[@Llohr]

Yeah, he's wrong. The torque applied to a prop on a helicopter is generated by the engine. So, as the engine/body pushes, it is pushed in return. Thus the tail prop is needed to stabilize the fuselage, ensuring that only the prop rotates. In a gyrocopter, the wing/prop is not spun by a force generated by the engine. It is spun by air currents. That same wind does not apply opposite torque to the fuselage, how could it? It's a matter of where the torque comes from.

[@chiltonwilliam]

Dear Sir, I have been so surprised seeing all around, the Gyros with a single rotor. Obviously, there are many problems with it. I would like to propose two rotors, contra rotating. It solves all these Gyro problems. Mr Kamov developed a very nice helicopter with two rotors that outperforms all the 'normal' helicopters. I do not know why he did not continue with Gyros making only the famous KAs machines though he began with Gyros. Probably you work with good engineers who have thought long time ago about a two rotor gyrocopter design. What do you think about this idea? Please comment. Regards, Wind, the UK.

[@Jaddavila]

do you still own the gyro?

[@costaadams3005]

Hi there i love your gyro. Can you tell me theres another version with tall stabiliser. I like the design of your tail. Are these machines fir sale

[@400chevlc]

Is that a Subaru Turbo? Fully Sick mate. LOL

[@sayyidhibban7824]

i am like it.. Great

[@PHeMoX]

What do you think Bruce, will this ever be the replacement for the common car as we know it?

[@EXTREMERFLUGSTOFF]

absolut TOP

[@nipponhouseplayer]

nice!

[@tailswales]

i have a burning question about these that has been braking me for a while. if i sound beef i apologies it might be obvious to every one else but is not to me. torque im assuming like any rotor bladed aircraft it will suffer a need to spin like a top because of torque, so as it is missing the feature that helicopters have to stop this from happening and its not co-axle how does it achieve this????

[@efesair4336]

Dear Robert, torque can only be generated when there is an opposite force. Example, a helicopter has an engine and it turns a shaft. That shaft is connected to the rotor and turns it. So, there is a force that wants to spin opposite, the torque. A gyrocopter rotor is spinning freely once in flight, the wind makes it spin. That is the reason why gyrocopter rotors are at an upward tilted position in flight.

[@hornplayer1228]

No sign of the local Iwi - Catholics are obviously confident enough in their Sky Pilot to go it alone.

[@sshukri0]

how much would i cost to build something like this?

[@helipassion]

Awesome! Although, I think I'd feel safer if I DIDN'T know the blades were held on with that one, tiny little bolt! LOL (no, I know it's a high strength bolt) Great Video, very thorough!

[@militantmindset]

Subaru car engine ..... i would want a toyota powering mine thanks

[@tinolino58]

What airfoil is THIS?

[@militantmindset]

kinda looks like the old jetsons car to me =)

[@zyoungson]

@mythicalhell seriously, dont even worry about it.

[@tsbrownie]

It seems that if one dove (tilted the rotor forward) quickly in forward flight that the air flow might be able to enter thru the top of the rotor and stall it (or even cause it to rotate backwards). Is that the case?

[@henq]

Yes, that can happen and often leads to an irrecoverable loss in rpm, then crash...

[@ictpilot]

You don't want negative Gs on it. You unload the rotor and the blades go out of plane.

[@jcer93705]

@xjet Oh I didn't read it right. Not that good because Flying on Sunday can be better than going to church as I'm always praying more when things go wrong in the air! LOL

[@52000arshdeep]

if anyone have this model of helithruster plz reply , i have some questions

[@bg563195]

Looks a bit how ya going to me. Not quite a Cavalon

[@oceans2533]

You don't need prayers unless the builders have some doubts about the safety, and even then prayers won't help if the prop happens to drop off.

[@michaelharper2780]

That's what the prayers are for, so the prop does not drop off.

[@schlutorflyer]

You need a blessing to fly in one of those....

[@cheleni1]

it has rudders the prop is pushing air onto them they act like vertical wings s and just as a planes rudder can steer the plane or give yaw then when this rudder is trimmed it counters acts against the giro toque of the over head fan

[@vickielawson3114]

Holy fuck, PLEASE learn to use punctuation!

[@ictpilot]

Tim there is no torque from the rotor because it's not powered.

[@emmettdoliveiro4327]

whats the link

[@geograph1000]

should have got George Pell to do the religious stuff, that might have sealed the deal

[@TheAdamie]

I don't get it. there should still be an opposite and equal reaction to the spinning force...

[@brucebeverly2629]

Regarding "opposite and equal reaction..." That's a very good question. A helicopter's rotor blades are powered, so the helicopter needs a tail rotor to develop torque to counter the rotor blades' torque. A gyro plane's rotor blades, however, are powered only during prerotation on the ground. In flight it's called auto-rotation. The craft's forward motion spins the rotor blades which, in turn, develop lift. So there's no reaction force imposed on the craft to necessitate a tail rotor.

[@birdwing98]

4:55 We're being invaded by a giant FLY!

[@pieterpretorius1014]

woop woop woop, clap clap clap. sound of the rotor. most amazing machines ever invented

[@Justwantahover]

It's BIG.

[@Justwantahover]

@@pieterpretorius1014 Don't look up gyrocopter fails, then. Also they are vastly inefficient and require helicopter power and twice as much needed as a plane that carries the same weight. Helicopter power and can't hover like one. And gyrocopters have a terrible habit of suddenly losing lift and just going down quick. Must be that sometimes they lose rotor rpm (since the large rotor only "windmills" and is not powered by the engine).

[@pieterpretorius1014]

@@Justwantahover the rotor usually has a lot of inertia so the chances of it loosing rpm or to much rpm is quite small. Most crashes happen due to inexperience and idiots that think its an easy machine to handle. It's not. I have flown one myself and trimming that rotor is a bitch to say the least

[@chrismurphy6962]

WOE, not a UFO. O_O

[@Justwantahover]

Why do they want God to lend a hand? Cos it's a gyrocopter.

[@rknill1]

At least a jet engine has three on average. Still their is failure with three.

[@fabioleal6513]

Muito interessante podia mostrar como construir o aparelho

[@oceans2533]

Thank goodness the Priest was throwing water rather than permanent ink.

[@SuperAviatar]

Just like Air America....

[@gerrys6265]

Why is this something you don't see every day....?

[@mb4lunch]

Priest blesses plane then pilot throws up the devil sign after landing.... Hmmmmmm

[@michaelwarlow4398]

Christian copter :-)

[@mattyp80]

does it count if he isn't wearing his dog collar???

[@ziyadurukan]

I want one ☝️

[@SuperAviatar]

Hang gliders have even less.....

[@ZachScott1]

Looks like a helicopter but flys like a plane. Weird

[@hillbillygrizzly7045]

very impressed and blessing is great ,JESUS is here for us, believe or not, someday you will GODBLESS!!!

[@jrfoleyjr]

Jesus is my copilot!

[@Paulman50]

hope it doesn't leak

[@davida.4933]

I think it's apparent if there is a god he doesn't interfere.

[@ram64man]

I think it was because of the bug on a windshield looks , looking at the bonnet if his truck he thought it would be best to be sure

[@chrisst-d7241]

What? that´s so funny, all that praying stuff? That won´t stop him from crashing....... :-(

[@bobsullivan5714]

Hey.......Couldn't hurt.

[@peterclark4685]

@@bobsullivan5714 If god, then he made science so we would stop whining and calling upon him 24/7 to fix stuff. If not god, then science is here to fix stuff. Either way religion is never recommended.

[@bobsullivan5714]

@@peterclark4685 When you know more about science; you will know more about God. Religion is bullshit.

[@kevinlittle1159]

Well sure

[@RoadRunnerLaser]

Chris St-D - Teach a child that an invisible magic man will fix all their problems and you create an adult who is ill-prepared to find their own solutions.

[@aussieaeromodeler]

getting a priest out to exorcise the evil spirits in it doesnt inspire much confidence lol

[@mdsuavejr]

That is not God. That is a priest

[@aprildahle7077]

fubby i see ufoi have proof

[@oscar2hot4u]

@mythicalhell it is what him and I are called kiwis, its from New Zealand, and its a bird and a fruit :D

[@startazz]

Yeah i like these sort of videos Bruce so please keep them coming mate,but don't think i would want the god squad chucking holy water all over my Auto-gyro if i had one that is,mind you it might come in handy ;-) thumbs up

[@oscar2hot4u]

god in love being a kiwi

[@efesair]

@abulmagd3 the reason why the main rotor is tilted towards the tail, gyrocopters fly like that. the rotor needs to get air from below in order to spin. in flight the rotor does not receive power from the engine and only wing makes it spin like a windmill. in fact, the most dangerous part of flying a gyrocopter is when the rotor gets wind from the top.yes, it creates a lot of drag but there is simply no other way how it could fly.

[@MSargeNZ]

"...Father, of the son, and the holy spirit. What's this, an oil cooler?" LMAO. Also: an autogyro catching a thermal? Maybe it IS true what they say about soaring up there.

[@jcer93705]

Wow very awesome flying. Loooks so beautiful in the air and in the ground. Is that a catholic father blessing the heli?

[@Nipponing]

Why is it called "UFO"?

[@HEINZUNIMOG]

is the short tail being affected buy air corkscrewing off your pusher .. prop wash in pusher designs and needs to be accounted for when sizing the tail and establishing your allowable CG range. have you tested a taller tail . ?

[@bmull81]

Hi HEINZ, if you check out their website, you'll see that the _old_ tail was exactly as you describe! - www.ufo-helithruster.com/ Looks like the project has gone quiet . . . .

[@phillhookz3080]

congrats on the flight and hope all goes well for you guys

[@SvenOkonomi]

God is your copilot? Goodluck with that. ;)

[@Arielsenis]

I want one

[@TheAdamie]

thanks

[@MrTrax0r]

pretty cool device, how much it cost? the whole father blessing thing was lame as shit. talk about superstitious non-sense. how do you even get a priest out there to waste his time on a pointless load of crap? money i assume.

[@bobsullivan5714]

You have issues...