TC Gyroplane Pilot Permit (GYROP) cheat sheet

Canadian Aviation Regulations Part IV governs pilot licensing; a Gyroplane Pilot Permit requires a minimum of 45 hours total flight time, including 20 hours dual instruction and 10 hours solo.

A gyroplane pilot must hold a valid Category 3 medical certificate to exercise the privileges of the permit; a Category 4 medical is acceptable only for recreational purposes with specific passenger restrictions.

The pilot-in-command is responsible for the airworthiness and safe operation of the aircraft, including ensuring the aircraft journey log and technical records are current before flight.

Passengers may be carried only if the pilot holds the appropriate rating and has completed the required recent experience: 5 takeoffs and landings within the preceding 6 months.

Daylight currency: a pilot must have completed 5 takeoffs and 5 landings in the preceding 90 days to carry passengers; night currency requires 5 night takeoffs and landings.

Aircraft registration marks must be displayed on the gyroplane; the certificate of registration and certificate of airworthiness (or flight permit) must be carried on board.

Minimum fuel reserve for VFR day flight is 30 minutes of flight time at normal cruising speed; for night VFR it is 45 minutes.

Pilot logbooks must record dual, solo, and pilot-in-command time separately; entries must be signed by the pilot and, for dual instruction, by the instructor.

Class C airspace requires a transponder and two-way radio; Class D requires two-way radio; Class E requires neither unless specified in the CFS.

A gyroplane must be operated under VFR with minimum visibility of 3 statute miles in controlled airspace and 1 mile in uncontrolled airspace below 1000 ft AGL.

Circuit altitude at a controlled aerodrome is normally 1000 ft AGL; join the circuit on the downwind leg at 45 degrees to the runway threshold unless ATC directs otherwise.

Mandatory frequency (MF) aerodromes require radio calls on the published frequency: before entering the circuit, on downwind, on final, and after clearing the runway.

The ATIS broadcast provides current weather, runway in use, and altimeter setting; a pilot must obtain ATIS before contacting ground or tower at a controlled aerodrome.

Right-of-way rules: an aircraft on final approach has priority; a lower aircraft has priority over a higher one; overtaking aircraft must pass on the right.

A gyroplane must not operate within the built-up area of a city or town below 1000 ft AGL except for takeoff, landing, or with permission from the appropriate authority.

Special VFR clearance may be requested in controlled airspace when VFR minima are not met; it requires 1 mile visibility and clear of cloud.

Takeoff distance increases with density altitude; a 10°C rise in temperature or a 1000 ft increase in elevation increases ground roll by approximately 10-15%.

The rotor must be brought up to flight RPM before starting the takeoff roll; prerotator engagement should be smooth to avoid exceeding the rotor RPM limit.

Landing distance is affected by wind gradient and surface type; a 10% increase in gross weight increases landing distance by approximately 20%.

Best rate of climb speed (VY) is typically 45-55 mph; best angle of climb speed (VX) is lower, typically 40-45 mph, and is used to clear obstacles.

The gyroplane must be flown at a minimum of 1.3 times the power-off stall speed (or minimum level flight speed) on final approach; typical approach speed is 50-60 mph.

Fuel consumption should be calculated at the cruise power setting; a gyroplane typically burns 4-6 gallons per hour depending on engine and loading.

Crosswind limits are determined by pilot proficiency and aircraft type; a typical demonstrated crosswind component is 15-20 mph for light gyroplanes.

Weight and balance must be computed before each flight; exceeding the forward CG limit can reduce rotor authority and increase takeoff distance.

A gyroplane's rotor is autorotating, driven by aerodynamic forces rather than an engine; the engine drives the propeller, not the rotor.

Lift is generated by the rotor blades as they move through the air; the advancing blade sees higher relative airspeed than the retreating blade, causing flapping to equalize lift.

Dissymmetry of lift is compensated by blade flapping and lead-lag; without flapping, the advancing blade would generate excessive lift and the retreating blade insufficient lift.

Autorotation is maintained when the rotor's angle of attack remains below the stall angle; a decrease in airspeed or an increase in load factor can cause blade stall.

The rotor disc acts as a wing; induced drag decreases with airspeed, so the gyroplane has a characteristic power curve with a minimum power speed.

Gyroplanes cannot hover; they require forward airspeed to maintain autorotation and lift, unlike helicopters which can hover with powered rotors.

Rotor RPM is largely independent of airspeed in normal flight; it is governed by the balance between driving and driven regions of the rotor disc.

A vertical descent in a gyroplane is possible at low forward speed; the rotor still autorotates, but control authority is reduced and descent rate is high.

Longitudinal stability is provided by the horizontal stabilizer and the rotor's flapping characteristics; a horizontal stabilizer helps damp pitch oscillations.

The gyroplane is typically stable in pitch due to the rotor's tendency to align with the relative wind; however, a low thrust line can cause pitch instability.

Lateral stability is enhanced by rotor flapping and dihedral effect; the gyroplane tends to roll away from the direction of turn unless corrected.

Yaw control is provided by the rudder; adverse yaw is minimal in gyroplanes because roll is controlled by rotor tilt rather than ailerons.

Control forces are light in a gyroplane; over-controlling is a common error, and smooth control inputs are essential to avoid pilot-induced oscillation.

A power push-over can occur if thrust line is above the center of gravity; the nose pitches down when power is applied, requiring counter-input.

Dutch roll is a coupled oscillation in yaw and roll; it is damped by the vertical stabilizer and rudder, and can be excited by abrupt control inputs.

Stick position controls rotor disc tilt; moving the stick forward tilts the disc forward, increasing airspeed; moving it aft tilts the disc aft, reducing airspeed.

Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature; high density altitude reduces engine power and rotor efficiency, increasing takeoff distance.

Wind gradient is the change in wind speed with height; near the surface, wind speed decreases, and a gyroplane on approach may experience a sudden loss of airspeed.

Mountain waves form when stable air flows over a ridge; they can cause severe turbulence and downdrafts on the leeward side, extending several thousand feet above the ridge.

A microburst is a concentrated downdraft that can cause a sudden loss of airspeed and altitude; avoid flying near thunderstorms or virga.

Frost must be removed from rotor blades and airframe before flight; frost disrupts airflow and can reduce lift by up to 30%.

The standard lapse rate is 2°C per 1000 ft; temperature inversions can trap moisture and cause fog, reducing visibility.

Ceiling and visibility minima for VFR flight in uncontrolled airspace: 1 mile visibility and clear of cloud when below 1000 ft AGL.

Wind shear on final approach can cause a sudden increase or decrease in airspeed; a go-around should be initiated if airspeed control is lost.

Pilotage is navigation by reference to landmarks; dead reckoning uses heading, airspeed, and time to calculate position; both should be used together.

Magnetic heading equals true heading plus magnetic variation (east is least, west is best); deviation is the error caused by the aircraft's magnetic field.

A VOR radial indicates the bearing from the station; to fly to the station, the pilot should track the reciprocal of the selected radial.

Radio phraseology: 'Mayday' is used for distress, 'Pan-Pan' for urgency; both are repeated three times at the start of the call.

Position reports should include aircraft identification, position, altitude, and intentions; at MF aerodromes, report before entering the circuit and on final.

Transponder code 7700 indicates an emergency, 7600 indicates radio failure, and 7500 indicates unlawful interference.

A flight plan must be filed for cross-country flights; it should include route, altitude, estimated time en route, and fuel endurance.

Altimeter setting: set to the current altimeter setting when below the transition altitude; above it, set to standard pressure (29.92 inHg or 1013 hPa).