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Gyroplane aerodynamic vs. direct control in pitch?

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cluttonfred

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Setting aside the more complex, helicopter-like systems with swash plates or servo flaps, there seem to be two common ways to control a gyro: direct control by tilting the axis of the main rotor shaft (which you could also consider a sort of weight shift) and ordinary aerodynamic control surfaces.

Aerodynamic lateral (roll) control was never very satisfactory at low speed so the little wings with ailerons of the early gyros soon disappeared. With a single torqueless main rotor, there is no easy way to provide directional yaw control via the rotor, so that has always been via conventional aerodynamic rudders rudders.

That leaves pitch. With the modern tendency toward big horizontal stabs on gyros for stability and to resist pilot-induced oscillation, would there be any particular advantages to going with a big elevator on the stab, perhaps with very limited downward travel and quite a bit of upward travel, rather than controlling pitch via fore-and-aft tilting of the main rotor shaft?

Cheers,

Matthew
 
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