Paul Rogers Joins The 2012 Winter Flying Hall Of Fame!

Welcome to Dr. Paul Rogers to the 2012 Winter Flying Hall Of Fame!

Gyroplanes Flying in Michigan is just something you don't see all that often unless you live in Hastings, MI.  Last Winter I flew the Pink HoneyBee G2, Single Place High Performance and this Winter the 2PT is the rage about town. Anyone seen wearing any "HoneyBee G2" or "G2" logoed clothing is like a celebrity around here...so many people have seen them flying!!!

One part of this legacy and a guy that has been a key part in making all of this happen is Dr. Paul Rogers! What a great guy! Thanks Paul for being our friend!

Oh by the way, just wait until you see what Paul is bringing to Bensen Days!!!!

Take care,

ELT's and a word about them....

Good Morning! 

The ELT question has been an issue that has been around the block a time or two, maybe three.  Some have defined the regulations one way and others define them yet another way; given the momentary context both arguments have seemed plausible at the moment. 

Originally the regulation that we understood was for the use of an ELT in a two-place "airplane" which seemed to bypass the need to install one in a two-place "Gyroplane".  Later on in our quest to be in compliance with the regulation the discussion became that if the two-place (not a single-place) "Gyroplane" was used outside a 25 mile radius or for training that an ELT was required.  This makes sense if for nothing more than  safety reasons.   To address all possible "regulations" and for our purposes, HoneyBee G2, LLC will be adding the ELT  as an option on all SP-HP (though not required today)  and 2PT G2's.  

To aid in your individual decisions, both now and later, HBG2 will at no cost place the "Front Panel" (shown) of the ELT system into our domestic & international "Deluxe Instrument Pods".  Doing that makes the G2's "ready" to be equipped for ELT operations globally for current and eventual owners of all G2's.  This is easy for us to do; it is the worst part of an ELT installation later if you have to do it later without a CNC machine at your disposal. If one gets it crooked, it looks bad for the life of the aircraft. A factory install allows the owner to accommodate the regulations, individual decisions to install or not install an ELT and looks professional at the same time.  Sound Good?

As a company, we are always, always, always going to promote safety and honestly an ELT makes sense to install in the beginning. If you need one and don't have one, you are probably going to have to face the moment on your own. If your life depends on having one for that moment, price is not even a consideration and the $600 you saved means nothing at that time. 

So what does this mean for us and our aircraft? Our two-places...aircraft used for training...and  SP-HP's that are used for cross country flights will be equipped with ELT's.  

I know that the regulations can be confusing....for more help, please check out this site.... FAQ's For ELT's

Committed to building the safest Gyroplanes & Gyroplane Pilots in the World!

Fly Safe!

The 2.21 Ratio Drive!!!

Hello Race Fans! 

The "jury" just returned on the 2.21 Ratio Drive on the 2.4L and I love it....but there is one more round to go.  I have been flying N421RB solo and with as much as 335 pounds in passenger and fuel. It is still climbing between 900 - 1200 FPM and believe it or not is faster at the same time.  It has been a blast!  We have been doing some Ultralight/Microlight training profiles at 4000 - 4300 RPM's. That means that the 2PT with full fuel and two people on board is using less fuel per hour than our MZ 202 powered Ultralight or Microlight! Wow, what a great gyroplane!

Over the next couple of weeks I will be flying a 2.34 ratio drive on a Revision "C" airframe. Roughly 75 pounds lighter, turning the same propeller slightly slower should produce a crazy rate of climb and a slightly slower cruise.  FYI....This particular frame will be stationed at 6,000' and a great climb will be a wonderful asset.  Either way, I am loving the Revision "C" airframes......

Wait a minute, what is that in the background....could it be another Pink Gyro? Wait 'til Bensen Days!

Take care,

PS: Have a great weekend!

Ben Hunderman Gives His Thoughts On The G2!

Jim,

Thanks again for the ride!  

It is hard to describe the experience of flying in the new Two Place HoneyBee G2.  You guys  have completely outdone yourselves on this aircraft.  I was so impressed by its rock solid nature, especially on takeoffs and climbing out. I was also impressed by how how  smooth it was  in cruise.  It really IS the ultimate machine with  power to spare and the agility of a sports car!  You don't have to fly this Gyroplane very long to fall in love with it. 

Sincerely,

Ben

John Roscoe & His Impression Of the G2 Tandem....

Sunday was a beautifully clear and crisp 32 degree Michigan winter day in Hastings specifically. The HoneyBee G2 2-place gyro sat quietly alone outside of the hangar as I parked the car for my encounter with it and in anticipation of meeting Jim for the first time. My initial impression before meeting anyone as I examined the machine was that it was the most solidly built I had seen. Sturdy, clean and well thought out crossed my mind as I grabbed it "for a shake" .. sorta like "kicking' the tires" on a new car. After a quick phone call to Jim announcing my arrival, Dave emerged from the hangar and directed me to the nearest "pit stop" (bathroom) as I had just completed a 2 1/2 hr drive from Indiana. Ya know .. "First things first" !

Soon thereafter, Jim with his friendly smile and warm greeting welcomed me to Hastings. We had a lively discussion before the flight but the next order of business was to "get warm" as an open cockpit at 75 MPH today could be a challenge. But to my surprise it was not. In addition to the long johns that I grabbed from my car and quickly put on, I was surprised to be fitted with electrically powered socks, gloves and vest all of which prove quite "toasty" as we prepared to take to the air.

Jim and I had talked by phone for the past several months. But now was time for "Let's do it" and DO IT we DID !  As we taxied to the run way I appreciated Jim's enthusiasm to teach me and specifically address issues of safety even during this "initial" phase of flight. As we gently lifted off at 35 MPH I remember how smooth it all felt. I admitted later that the during the first 20 secs into the flight I closed my eyes a few times. You see despite my 1,000 hrs as a private pilot with an instrument rating, I am STILL afraid of heights .. when out in the open .. not when enclosed. But that quickly passed.

And .. out in the open WE WERE !  First at 1500 feet then soon much lower chasing tree lines, spotting 8-10 deer and then running with a coyote along a farm field about 300 feet below. WOW what a remarkable experience. It felt like flying a motorcycle in the air ! The gyro was nimble, responsive and a delight to fly. After a quick pointer from Jim, my tendency to chase altitude was soon remedied. I especially noticed The LACK of "stick shake" that was a common experience in other gyros I had flown. Also, his demonstration of power off spot landings was fascinating in seeing how little room is needed for return to ground. It was amazing to see how quickly an hour went by.

Back in the hangar now, Jim "still at his self-admitted age of 18" meticulously and passionately described the thought about design and safety that he has incorporated in to the HoneyBee line since inception. I was delighted with the discussion as I am a curious guy. Both he and Dave made the welcome feel like "family". Leaving, I looked at the clock .. 4 hrs since I had arrived seemed like just "2" ! The memories of the day made the 2 1/2 hr return to Indiana "easy". 

HoneyBee G2, check them out you'll be glad you did !

John Roscoe

Valparaiso, Indiana

New Page On This Blog

Just an FYI....


Please check out the newest page here on the Blog.... Click here to see more!

The 2012 Winter Flying Hall Of Fame!

Good Morning! 


It has been a beautiful week for flying in Michigan. By the end of the week, there will have been six to eight guys that have flown with me. 


My purpose in writing this morning is to prepare the ones that are coming over the next couple of weeks to fly with me.  The G2 will do a great job of providing the electrical power with its 140 amp alternator to keep you warm.  We will provide you with electric gloves,  electric "over-socks" and an electric vest. You  even get your own thermostat. We are using Lynx Helmets and headsets so don't worry about bringing your headsets.  

The slightly more personal items that you may want to bring with you are: Warm boots, coats and pants.  The back seat is significantly warmer than the front seat so staying warm is much easier.  

Last night Ben and I took off out of Hastings and within five minutes Ben starting spotting deer, all over the place! We flew over to my home town of Middleville, buzzed one of his buddy's and then raced home to beat the rain that was coming. We lost....

In spite of the cold, we are having a blast flying. Want to go? Email me at Fly-A-G2@honeybeeg2.com and we will do our best to get you on the schedule!

Let's go flying!

Survey Results

Good afternoon! 

I put up a survey awhile ago that has now ended regarding "How can HBG2 help you with training?"  If you did not see the final numbers....


The respondents said: 
10% said...Yes, I want transition training to fly my G2
21% said...I want to start/finish My Sport Pilot License
21% said...I am fully licensed, just need transition training
25% said...I Just want enough training to fly an Ultralight
20% said...I want to get my Gyro/CFI and be part of what you are doing
1% said...I Need Something Else, I will email info@honeybeeg2.com

Thanks for responding, it sure helps us understand your needs...


Our Team Is Listening!

Winter Flying Anyone?

This Cat must love flying Gyros!

Welcome To Michigan....Winter Flying!!!

This Winter has been one of the warmest that I can remember in a long time although we have gotten some snow lately. The good news is that we have another week of "mild weather" coming this week; Mid 30's and only a moderate chance of more snow most days.  For those in the warmer climates, I am sure that it is hard to understand flying in this kind of weather....by Summer time our flying will include full and partial  enclosures.

Electric socks, gloves and vest let you dial up the heat!

With that said, there are a number of you coming this week to fly with me; bring warm clothes.   We have electric socks, gloves and vests; they make a huge difference.  If you grew up riding snowmobiles you will feel right at home.  It is actually quite comfortable....

The frame that you see in this picture is a Revision "B" frame with a number of upgrades: New Surrounds, Tip Rudders, New 2.21 Ratio Redrive, Panel, etc.  Our planned  photo shoot Friday was snowed out; more photos are coming! 


As to the flying qualities of this frame, it is absolutely marvelous. I will be putting up some testimonials in the next week and update the performance numbers with the 2.21 drive. For now, know that the "C" frames are absolutely beautiful, even in the snow!

Just like riding our Arctic Cat Snowmobile!

The 2.4L Monster Fan has a 140Amp Alternator to keep you warm!

Come on...Let's go flying! 

Sneak Peek at Our 2012 Standard Panel

Good Afternoon!

It is a beautiful Winter day here in Hastings, Michigan! The temperatures have been in the mid 30's and the wind has been around 15 with gusts to 26 MPH; I should be out flying in a couple of hours. For now I am at my laptop faithfully posting to the Blog.  BTW, I am glad you like the new web pages and the role of the Blog.... (Thanks to my buddy Don for his wisdom on these matters. Also, thanks to all of you for the positive feedback!)

Today I thought I would give you a quick look our 2012 Model Year, Standard Panel layout.  There will be more pictures coming as the photo shoots are completed...

Our Stand Panel is shown here with:

1. A Garmin 196 in the Standard 196/296/396/496 AIRGIZMO Mount

2. An Optional ICOM A210 COM Radio.  

NOTE: Though an ICOM is shown here, we are hitching our brand wagon to Garmin 

3. An Optional Garmin GTX 327 Transponder

4. Below the central stack is the Standard GRT Avionics EIS

5. On the left: The required Standard Whiskey Compass

6.  A Standard 3 1/8" Airspeed Indicator

7. On the Right is the Moving Mast Controls (Two Place Tandem Only)

8. In the lower center, are all the switches and fuses. 

Overall, it is a very nice and functional panel and I like it much better than the prior editions on both the Pink Single Place High Performance or the panel on the 2PT. 

As Don and I begin to settle in on the new "Options" page on the website, we are going to try  breaking out what options are available on what frames and at what those respective costs are.  In other words, the Deluxe Pod show above will not be offered for the Ultralight G2 because of the weight restrictions of Part 103.  On the other hand, it could be added to the Microlight; the mounts are there for it and even though it is a lighter frame, the aircraft would look great with it.  As you might expect, the more capable the airframe the greater the option list will be.  For instance, the SP-HP and the 2PT will offer three (possible four) different panel options including a full-IFR panel with Autopilot.  This may seem silly to some but with the addition of the Full Enclosure and Climate Control, this kind of instrumentation makes for a really good cross country aircraft. 

On this "Options" Page we will also begin to list out the various options and combinations of enclosure possibilities.  The shell is progressing steadily along and the level of expertise that is going into the final design is amazing.  Because we have taken a very modular approach to its design, you are going to be able to approach "your" enclosure ala carte....meaning that you can put on a Nose Cone and Windscreen on yours and get out of the wind. You can put on a Nose Cone, Windscreen and the Upper Fairings on yours or you can put on a Nose Cone, a Windscreen and the Lower Fairings all of which leave you with the feel of an open frame. If you want to put in the Door Columns and the Rear Bulkhead you are now ready to put on the Doors and turn up the heat...and fly year around, even in Michigan!  The real question is what do you want your HoneyBee G2 to Be?   

How about color options with custom wraps? How about custom paint? You think we have not been busy around here....think again.

For now, it is time to go flying!

Great Questions!

Good Afternoon!

A major part of my role for the HoneyBee G2 effort is email. I really do enjoy that responsibility although on some days there can be between 50-100 emails coming into jim@honeybeeg2.com (or info@honeybeeg2.com or Fly-A-G2@honeybeeg2.com)....from all over the world.  I take this part of my responsibility very serious and when a HoneyBee G2 follower asks some really good questions, I often want to share my responses with all of you.  Now that the role of the Blog is to serve as more of a diary on what's going on, let's begin that process right here and right now!

One HoneyBee G2 Fan asked....

Q1.    Can the upper mast bolts on the Ultralight and Micro be repeatedly removed to allow storage in a garage? 

A1. Nylocks are good for about three - four cycles and then the lock is really not adequate any more.  The answer gets better, please read below...

Q2. What would be the max height with the mast either removed or pivoted back on one remaining bolt "if the mast were to be partially unbolted"? 

A2. Below 8’ so that it would roll into the average garage. For those that need this type of solution, we have been working on a folding mast for the 2PT; you should see it at Bensen Days.  The Single Places (including the UL) should be ready by Mentone & Oshkosh. Any frames that are delivered between now and then can be retrofitted.

Q3. Will there be provision for oil injection in the future, especially for the Micro?

A3. Most engine manufactures do not have an oil injection system although there are some that do.  With the ROTAX 447 (not oil injected) & oil injected 503 gone, ROTAX has totally bailed out on this side of the business in favor of the 912 Series. MZ does not offer this kind of a solution for either the 201 or the 202.  It is not our current plan to create this type of product for the industry.  As many of you know, we have been working on a 4-Stroke solution for our UL and Microlight frames.  Again, we are hoping to have it ready by Summer 2012. It takes a ton of money, time and attention to do this; thank you for your patience.  It has been a long time in coming but it will be worth the wait when we have it done.

Q4.  I like you’re new website, everything is very professional!

A4. Thank you. We do take a lot of good healthy pride in what we do. We are thankful that you enjoy it! 

Take care,

Rides & Scheduling For The Spring Shows

Mark,

Thank you for writing and asking  about scheduling rides during the Spring Shows in Florida! The list has grown to a formidable level and I am looking forward to having you (and the others) go for a ride in the G2 Tandem. 

Here is the plan...on how we hope to accommodate your (and others) needs for a target time slot. Over the next couple of weeks, I will put up the list of those riding with me.  That list will ask you for your 1st/2nd/3rd choice for the days of the Shows and if you have a preference for AM or PM time slots.  I am also going to ask for your cell phone number so that we have the best chance to connect without a lot of hassle.

Once I get this information, I will begin assembling a more final "working list"...pretty simple.  If a rider misses his or her respective time slot, Louanne will do her best to get that person back into the schedule on a stand-by basis.  One think for sure is that I am very much looking forward to flying together!

Thanks for writing...

Take care!

Update On The Website & Blog Roles

Good morning to all of you! 

Most of you have read my earlier correspondence about this but some have not. The new roles for each of the web areas, Web Page and the Blog, has changed.  


Going forward our Web Page (www.honeybeeg2.com) will have most of the technical and factual information. The Blog is set to serve as the weekly medium to report the activities of what is going on with us and where are we are going next. For the G2 Community, that means where are we going to do BeeTours™ next and so on.....

One last note, the list for S-N-F Rides is growing; please write to me sooner rather than later if you want to go for a ride.

Have a great day!

Bensen Days & S-N-F Rides...

Good evening! 

I just wanted to give everyone an update on the "Rides List" for Bensen Days... For now, anyone that is added to the Rides List for Bensen Days will be put on a "stand by-waiting list" and or if you wish, be placed on the rides during "Sun-N-Fun List".   Scheduling for both weeks will be managed  with our staff on the ground in Wauchula.  If you get on that list, we will provide you with a number to call for confirmation. 

Just so you can understand our reasons, it is our plan to fly into and out of Lakeland during that show when the airport is actually "open for flying". The reason we are approaching S-N-F this way this year is because it is simply too far to bring our staff, vehicles and aircraft to have people not be able to find us in Chopper Town or be grounded because of airshows that go on and on and on all day long. We are going to Florida to fly with you! 

For now if you are planning to go to S-N-F specifically (and not to Bensen Days) and you want to schedule a ride in the HoneyBee G2 Tandem please continue to email me at Fly-A-G2@HoneyBeeG2  and I will officially, for the record, get you on the list!

Let's go flying!

BeeTours™ & FreeBee™ Fridays!

Happy Winter! 

In spite of the picture, it has been unbelievably beautiful here...so beautiful that we are getting ready to fly again. Last year I flew in weather as cold as 24 Degrees with an electric vest, electric gloves and electric shocks; that is not the case this Winter.

And now the reason for posting....on the front page of the new web site, I mentioned BeeTours™ & FreeBee™ Fridays!  This is our way of bring a show to you. Some of you are able to make it to a show but generally, most of you are not able to attend. It is for that reason that HoneyBee G2, LLC is coming to a city near you, at least one that should be closer than you are to the 2012 shows. 

To accomplish all of that, we will be bringing a Two Place Tandem/a single place in the new high bay 32' trailer pulled by the One Ton 3500 GMC Flatbed Truck we affectionately refer to as the Chick Magnet!  The BeeTours™ are designed to fit in between the Spring & Summer Show Schedules. The FreeBee™ Fridays are planned for times when we are not at the major shows or a  BeeTour™.   I will have a schedule up on the Blog (not the web page) in the next month. Thanks for staying tuned....

For now, just know that we are doing our best to get as close to as many of you as we can this year! I appreciate your patience. Thank you! 

See you soon, 

Jim