Members of PRA receive the magazine "Rotorcraft", the official PRA publication - widely considered to be the best source of information about rotorcraft. "Rotorcraft" is the only major magazine devoted exclusively to homebuilt rotorcraft.
Welcome to the homepage of the Popular Rotorcraft Association. Based in Mentone, Indiana, USA at the PRA Mentone Airport, PRA was started in 1962 by Igor Bensen, the inventor of the famous Bensen Gyrocopter. Since then it has grown to include rotorcraft of all sorts with members in over 80 countries. We are a group of people who love homebuilt rotorcraft -- gyroplanes and helicopters that they build and fly themselves. These rotorcraft enthusiasts get together to exchange ideas, information, help one another, promote safety and help with flight training.
Come join in the fun at this years 47th Annual PRA convention Fly-in!
Aug. 4-8, 2009
The Banquet will be held on Saturday night.
Jane Feldman and John Gillmore are the co-Chairpersons for 2009.
We need volunteers to help organize, plan and work at the convention. If you are able to help, please contact the PRA office at (574-353-7227)
Events:
Forums/Seminars
Repairman’s Course
Food
Flying
Camping
Fun, Fun, Fun…
Competitions
Manufacture’s Showcase
Car Cruise-In Sat. Aug. 8
1) Gyroplane Flight Training/Licensing/Aircraft Inspection
2) Wunderlich Flex Shaft Prerotator
3) Magni Gyro
4) Gyroplane Stability
5) 2500 mile Cross Country
6) Carter Copter
7) Women in Gyro Aviation
8) Annual Condition Inspection
9) Intro to Gyroplanes
10) Emergency Landings
11) Airworthiness
12) Hang Test (tentative)
13) Yamaha an inexpensive alternative
14) Blade Balancing ( tentative- Presenter Needed)
15) Showing of DVD- Gyroplane Refrain
16) More to be announced soon
Where:
Mentone Airport
12296 W600 S
Mentone, In. 46539
www.pra.org (574-353-7227)
FAA Identifier: C92
Lat/Long: 41-09-00.1560N / 086-03-44.9880W
41-09.002600N / 086-03.749800W
41.1500433 / -86.0624967
(estimated)
Elevation: 860 ft. / 262 m (estimated)
Variation: 02W (1985)
From city: 2 miles SW of MENTONE, IN
Time zone: UTC -4 (UTC -5 during Standard Time)
Zip code: 46539
Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 May 2009 02:16
Experimental Rotorcraft
What is an "Experimental Rotorcraft", a "Homebuilt Rotorcraft"? Here are the most frequently-asked questions, answered by Paul Bergen Abbott, longtime homebuilt rotorcraft pilot and former editor/publisher of Rotorcraft.
1st Annual Fly In Utah Rotorcraft Association (PRA Chapter 2)
June 18th - 20th 2009
The Utah Rotorcraft Association proudly announces it’s 1st Annual Fly In. We will be meeting at the West Desert Air Park (UT99), a privately owned airstrip which is located just southwest of Fairfield, UT.
We are joining forces with a Group of Helicopter enthusiasts so there will probably be more Helicopters there than Gyroplanes. We have everything from a Military Apache Helicopter to several Commercial Helicopters to Helicycles and Safari Experimentals that will be there. Several Flight Schools will be there with Robinson R-22 and R-44’s and will have training and Introductory flights available for anyone who has always wanted to fly in a Helicopter.
From the Gyroplane Side we will have a Sparrow Hawk there also available for Training and Introductory flights. We should also have the new Sport Copter 2 there as well as a Modified RAF, a Sport Copter Vortech, a new Butterfly Aurora (with the Rotax 912), a Dominator, a Falcon, hopefully a Bensen and at least 2 static displays of projects in progress (A Butterfly Super Sky Cycle & a Dominator) and maybe another RAF that is in the process of getting the GBA Center Line Thrust Modification.
There is plenty of room out there for Motor Homes, Camp Trailers or Tents. There aren’t any hookups so you will need to be self contained, but there will be Water available and Porta Potties furnished. We will have a large tent setup as a PRA Headquarters and have Gyro Videos playing and some Presentations on Gyroplanes as well as some Forums on doing a Preflight and getting your Aircraft Inspected.
This will be a pretty casual affair with flying available pretty much any time. Fuel is available at the Spanish Fork Airport or the Provo Airport (both about 10 miles away) The West Desert Airpark is located out in a open valley with very little development around it so there is lots of open space to fly in. There are low mountain areas to explore, Utah lake is just to the East and there is lots of open flat area to land on in case of any mechanical problems. Anyone flying will need to sign a liability waiver that protects the Airpark owners from any liability.
To get there, take the Lehi exit off I-15 and head West through Saratoga Springs, continue to follow the highway through Cedar Fort and through Fairfield. As soon as the highway turns West after going through Fairfield, there will be a road cutting off to the South and you will be able to see the row of Hangars about a mile to the south.
Jim Mayfield has coordinated the formation of the PRA Incident Response Team. The "IRT" is intended as a resource of gyroplane investigators to assist the FAA, NTSB and other authorities in the investigation of gyroplane accidents. Traditionally, the NTSB, FAA and other investigatory organizations may not have adequate expertise in gyroplanes to identify the true root causes of gyroplane accidents. The formation of this team is hoped to provide more constructive information to help avoid similar future gyroplane accidents. Read more to see the list of volunteer team members. In the event of an accident in your local area, please provide this information to the responsible authorities if possible - or inform Jim Mayfield or the PRA immediately.
The 5209 Exemption, previously granted by the FAA to the PRA to allow PRA member instructors to provide training for hire in their experimental gyroplane has been superceeded by this new Letter of Deviation Authority "LODA" process.
Welcome to the homepage of the Popular Rotorcraft Association. Based in Mentone, Indiana, USA at the 