Helicopter Gyros

HELICOPTER ACHIEVEMENT SCHEME GYROS

In 1997, Areas Council discussed the use of heading lock gyros and decided that, at least until further information on the equipment was available, their use should not be allowed in models flying the helicopter ‘A’ and ‘B’ certificate tests.

On 17th October 1998, the Areas Council discussed this matter again and, on the advice of the Achievement Scheme Review Committee, agreed that the following wording should appear in the Helicopter ‘A’ and ‘B’ guidance notes, effective immediately.

Electronic stabilisation is restricted to a single sensor acting in rotation around the yaw axis only.

This is now the official definition of what stabilisation is allowed in the tests and it covers the vast majority of gyros currently available, including the heading lock variety.

The development of solid state gyros is advancing continuously and it is quite likely that further modes of stabilisation will be available in the future. Areas Council accepted and welcomed any such developments but in agreeing the wording above, it has made it clear that a tail rotor gyro (of whatever type) is the only stabilisation that is acceptable for models taking the tests.

Chris Bromley, FSMAE BMFA Technical Secretary