One of the times I wished I had a video running while flying. Their backs & sides blended into the ground vegetation's colors such that I only became aware of them as they exploded into motion when they bolted! I was flabbergasted how closely they were to each other as they ran away from us. While were were out on our flying adventure, he & I suddenly came upon a small herd of antelope below us as we skimmed along about 50' AGL.

Shawn's flying ability amazed me w/ him doing tight turns, even as low as 15' off the ground! He also could lift off on his takeoff run much sooner than I could, due to his lighter weight. My mind's eye is still amazed the scenery as we did so, flying along cattle country dotted w/ small volcanic buttes that we flew over that were only a few hundred feet high. I flew in my Sport Copter along w/ Shawn once, when we met up w/ the Yreka gyro guys in northern California. Shawn replied that he sold his gyroplane quickly when he advertised it for sale later. Very impressive agility for a heavier, two-place gyroplane. There is a youtube video of someone else doing some fantastic flying in their Xenon/Tercel (?), ending w/ an engine out landing. Some enclosed cockpit two-seater one's can do likewise. In fact, virtually all of the single-seat gyroplanes can maneuver like this. The rotor simply self propel (autorotate) due to the way the air flows through it.This, together with a very short landing roll, means that a gyrocopter is one of the safest machines for flying. So, if anyone's rapt attention is captured by Shawn's flying ability in this world-reknowned video, know that this almost identical gyroplane for sale here is capable of doing the same maneuvers, when flown by a competent pilot. Gyrocopter looks like a small helicopter but the main difference is there is no engine turning the main rotor. Plus, he removed the stock Wunderlich prerotator to further reduce the machine's weight & prerotated his rotorblades while seated.

Shawn told me that he switched from the heavier fiberglass construction SWs to the lighter aluminum construction SRs to bring his gyroplane's weight down to meet Part 103 regulations. And, Shawn flew on Sport Rotors instead of the McCutchen Skywheels that came w/ the A/C gyroplane kits. The only difference is the engine on Shawn's gyro in that video was only 52 hp (Rotax 503), whereas Van's engine is the Rotax 532 (65 hp), having a radiator mounted for engine cooling.

Shawn related to me that the FAA did indeed contact him after it was published & that they let the matter drop after he explained the previous & the fact that it was a true ultralight vehicle involved in a truly-professional film production. They also had blocked off auto traffic both ends of this filming. For those who haven't seen this video by Shawn Adams, who by profession films & produces high quality videos, you're in for a treat! Viewed over TEN MILLION times, he also flys his Air Command gyroplane featured, which is in the same configuration as the one up for sale in this thread by Van.ДЇilmed in the hills above Ashland, Oregon, Shawn had a team help him w/ the filming of the fantastic shots, including a videographer seated backwards as a passenger on the filming motorcycle.

Gyrocopter they came from behind