Gyrocopter transport trailer
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE A TRULY ONE PERSON OPERATION, HERE IS A ROTOR BLADE HOIST SYSTEM FOR INSTALLING THE HEAVIER ROTOR BLADE PACKAGES ONTO YOUR GYRO WITHOUT STRAIN.
The key ingredients of this simple hoist system are a lift point and a folding hoist. The hoist is constructed from an old mast and bent axle, one “eye” bolt and washers, a set of old cluster plates, and two 6 inch long X 1-1/2 inch angle iron pieces. I made my pulley arrangement from two pulleys and twenty feet of 3/8 inch cloths line.
On the back of my trailer I bolted two 3 X 3/4 inch scrap 6061 aluminum angles with a two inch gap between them. In conjunction with a four inch “C” clamp and a tie-off point, the trailer now becomes a fixed point or base, (see photo at right).
Gyrocopter rotorblade hoist system
Since the teeter bolt on my gyro is 73 ” above the ground, the mast length is 89 inches and the boom is 56 inches. As you can see from the adjacent photo everything clears just fine with no strain on me (yes, that is my fast-turning, narrow chord, no-lift, 2 X 4 prototype wooden rotor blade).
I now have this simple and reliable system for rotor blade installation on gyrocopters. This rotor blade hoist was developed after an instance where my Rotordyne blades turned over while I was trying to lift them into the uprights of the rotor head. Damn near removed my jaw. Never again!
By pulling out one 1/4 inch bolt this rotor blade hoist system folds like a pocket knife and stows next to the ramps on my flex-trailer. The rope and pulley system stows in the hub bar box as illustrated in the photo above.
If you transport your gyrocopter regularly, this is a simple time, blade and back saving device that you shouldn’t be without. With a little imagination, you can design and build your own – why not incorporate a small electric motor to make things even easier!
Trailer mounted rotor hoist
Be the first to comment on "Rotor Blade Hoist System"