
Our Organization
Home Events & Meetings Members & their Aircraft Join or Renew Volunteer Sign-up Sheet Contact Us
Gallery
Gallery
Getting Started
How to Get Started Sharpen Your Dream Instructors & Demo Flights
Flying in Northern VA
Northern VA Airfields Airfields with Restaurants Poker Runs The Ambassador Program Video: Club 1 PPGs Video: Club 1 Trike PPGs
Weather
USAirnet Wunderground Windy Virginia Weather Stations Historical Wind Speeds
Flight Planning
SkyVector iFlightPlanner AirNav (airports) NOTAMs
Resources
Instructors Stories Past Newsletters Bylaws and Budget Other Clubs Other Resources Liability Departed Members
This website is supported by a gift in honor of Ed Lynch Site maintained by Flying Club 1 Member Steve Beste

Light Sport Gyroplanes

Pros	Cons
Smooth flying. They don't feel the mid-day thermals. This is huge. Local instructors Out-in the wind or enclosed, whichever you prefer Flies like an airplane, so easy transition for airplane pilots A co-ownership club is available at Bay Bridge airport	None for rent. You must own. You must own to solo Open models require heated clothing in winter Insurance is expensive

Sample Gyroplanes (Click on the picture to go to their website.)

Magni Orion
AutoGyro MTO
Silverlight AR1

Purchase cost

New
Used

$97,000 (kit)
$80,000+
$100,000
$75,000+
$78,000 (kit)
$93,000

Capabilities

# of seats
Cruising speed

2
90 mph
2
90 mph
2
90 mph

Training

FAA license needed
Medical?
Training cost
Demo flight?
Nearest instructor

Sport Pilot
Driver's license
$5,000+
Missouri
Frederick
Sport Pilot
Driver's license
$5,000+
Frederick
Frederick
Sport Pilot
Driver's license
$5,000+
Florida
Frederick

Can I rent?

During intial training
To solo
After license

Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No

Where to store it Hangar Hangar Hangar

The Magni and Silverlight are currently (2020) available only as kits. However, a) the kits take only about 80 hours to assemble, and b) the vendors have builder-assist programs in which they do most of the work.

Unfortunately, for insurance reasons, no gyro instructor will let you solo in their gyroplane. You must own your own gyroplane to solo.

For instruction and demo flights, see our Instructors page.

Further Information

Videos
- Video in which a wild Scot explains how gyros work.
- Video comparing AutoGyro and Magni flying characteristics.
- Video on gyroplane landing techniques.
- The Gyro Slicer! Do you like slicing onions? Of course not! Better than a Vegematic, the GyroSlicer will do the job! But wait, there's more. This fun video will persuade your spouse that you need to get a gyroplane today. Maybe two. As seen on TV!
Other Gyro Articles
- Typical Pilot Operating Handbook (AutoGyro MTO Sport 2017). Educate yourself on performance and maintenance items.
- Flying a New Generation Gyrocopter - A book you can buy for converting pilots by Phil Harwood.
- Article on building a Magni gyro at the factory near Milan, Italy. Instead of building it here, spend two weeks in Italy.
- Many technical articles about gyroplanes from Greg Gremminger, past head of the gyroplane ASTM committee, past president of the Popular Rotorcraft Association, and longtime Magni distributor.