2 seat gyro types rarely flown in the U.K.

The Parsons (this one has a Rotax 532)

Air Command 532 Elite (side by side)

Unfortunately the Air Command story in the U.K. has not been a happy one. They were first imported into the U.K. in 1988 and almost immediately the death rate amongst gyro pilots went from virtually nil to being quite unacceptably high, practically all of these being as a result of pilots flying the Air Commands. There has obviously been enormous speculation as to why so many deaths occurred. Theories range from : the power to weight ratio being too high with the power band on the 532 engines coming in with a sudden rush rather than smoothly (so they tell me - I've never flown on a 532 engined gyro) [most of the deaths were on 532 engined Air Commands]. Another theory is that the heavy, slow turning McCutchen rotor can result in problems sometimes if there is a combination of a very light weight gyro and pilot beneath this rotor. In 1991 the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Temporary Suspension Order on all Air Commands 'Permits-To-Fly'. This lasted for several years while the causes for this disproportionate number of deaths was investigated. A number of changes were recommended and Air Command owners who have made these mandatory modifications have now been allowed to fly their aircraft again. Sadly, one of the first pilots to carry out the modifications and regain his Permit-To-Fly died in an accident at a gyro rally. We cannot all be hopeless pilots over here, but until a satisfactory explanation is provided you won't get me flying one!

Only a very small number of Air Commands are now flying in the UK - almost exclusively in the North of the country. Owners find it very difficult to sell their gyros and most are broken up for their engines, rotor and other component parts.

Air Commands are probably the most popular gyro types in the world today, being sold almost everywhere. Unfortunately, 99% of the UK gyro community rather wish that they had passed this country by! The gyro movement have yet to recover from the unfortunate events of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Further bad news - 02 February 1999 : The UK's Popular Flying Association Chief Engineer sent a letter to the British Rotorcraft Association saying ". . . The situation with the Air Command gyroplanes at present is that the CAA have decided not to issue Permits to Fly on these machines. This descision has been reached as a result of concerns over the high accident rate with the type, coupled with the results of research carried out by Glasgow University which suggested that the stability and handling of the Air Command may be unsatisfactory as it nears the edge of its flight envelope."

There is no longer a UK agent for Air Command gyros, but you can find out more about them at the Air Command website.

Air & Space 18A

"The 18a used to belong to my father, who was partners with Don Farrington
in America. I can remember flying in to Battersea Heliport in it!!!"

Part of an e-mail sent to me by Chris de Vere, a visitor to this website. For those of you that do not know it - Battersea Heliport is a very busy rooftop helipad in central London!

McCullough J2

The Rolls Royce powered Campbell Cougar, 1973.

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