Pilot Operating Handbook
Cavalon Pro
SECTION 10
SAFETY TIPS
RotorSport_POH_Cavalon
Revision 1.0 – Issue Date 12 04 2015
10-3
even for a moment, can result in disorientation, wrong control inputs, and an uncontrolled
crash. This type of situation is likely to occur when a pilot attempts to fly through a partially
obscured area and realizes too late that their losing visibility. The pilot loses control of the
gyroplane when attempting a turn to regain visibility but is unable to complete the turn
without visual references.
You must take corrective action before visibility is lost! Remember, a precautionary landing
in a gyroplane will always be safer than a flight with impaired or no visibility.
10.9 Overconfidence Prevails in Accidents
A personal trait most often found in pilots having serious accidents is overconfidence. High-
time fixed-wing pilots converting to gyroplanes and private owners are particularly
susceptible. Airplane pilots feel confident and relaxed in the air, but have not yet developed
the control feel, coordination, and sensitivity demanded by a gyroplane. Private owners
must depend on self-discipline, which is sometimes forgotten. When flown properly and
conservatively, gyroplanes are potentially the safest aircraft built. But gyroplanes also allow
little tolerance for error when flown to their limits. Gyroplanes must always be flown
defensively.
10.10 Flying Low over Water is Very Hazardous
Accidents repeatedly occur while manoeuvring low over water. Many pilots do not realize
their loss of depth perception when flying over water. Flying over calm glassy water is
particularly dangerous, but even choppy water, with its constantly varying surface, interferes
with normal depth perception and may cause a pilot to misjudge his height above the water.
MAINTAIN SAFETY ALTITUDE AT ALL TIMES
10.11 Conversion Pilots Constitute High Risk When Flying Gyroplanes
There have been a number of fatal accidents involving experienced pilots who have many
hours in aeroplanes or helicopters but with only limited experience flying gyroplanes.
The ingrained reactions and habits of an experienced aeroplane pilot can be deadly when
flying a gyroplane. The aeroplane pilot may fly the gyroplane well when doing normal
manoeuvres under ordinary conditions when there is time to think about the proper control
response. But when required to react suddenly under unexpected circumstances, the pilot
may revert to their aeroplane reactions and commit a fatal error. Under those conditions,
their hands and feet move purely by reaction without conscious thought. Those reactions
may well be based on the greater experience, i.e., the reactions developed flying
aeroplanes.
For example, in an aeroplane the reaction to an engine failure would be to immediately and
considerably push forward with the stick. In a gyroplane, application of excessive and
sudden forward stick, especially in a climb, could result in a low-G situation or, if the engine
failure occurred during initial climb, a reduction of rotor RPM combined with a high sink rate
with the consequence of a hard landing or impact.
Aeroplane pilots may also underestimate pedal work. Pedal control in a gyroplane is
important as it has the highest rate response with the smallest static and dynamic damping
effect of all other controls. On top of that, power-yaw coupling is much more predominant
than in an average aeroplane. Being used to the high directional stability of an aeroplane, a
conversion pilot may neglect proper pedal work and, which is much worse, assume side slip
