FAA Private Pilot - Gyroplane (PRG) study plan

Draw the four forces acting on a gyroplane in autorotation and label how rotor thrust, drag, and load factor change with airspeed, explaining why a gyroplane cannot stall its wing and why it can still stall its rotor.

Explain rotor flapping, coning, dissymmetry of lift, and retreating-blade stall in your own words, then describe how forward airspeed limits and rotor RPM limits differ from fixed-wing V speeds.

Compute weight and balance for a two-seat gyroplane given an empty weight, empty moment, pilot, passenger, fuel, and baggage, and state whether the result falls inside the CG envelope.

Calculate density altitude from pressure altitude and temperature and explain how it degrades rotor efficiency, takeoff distance, and climb rate on a gyroplane.

Build a one-page personal V speed and limitation card for your training gyroplane covering rotor RPM range, never-exceed speed, and best climb and glide speeds.

Describe the sequence and control inputs for a vertical descent and a power-off autorotative landing, and state the rotor RPM and airspeed targets you would hold at each stage.

Explain the aerodynamic conditions that produce a power pushover and a torque roll, and identify the pilot actions that prevent each.

Outline the recovery procedure for low rotor RPM, including the tradeoff between airspeed, attitude, and rotor energy, and explain why aft cyclic is dangerous during recovery.

Explain why a gyroplane cannot be flared like an airplane and how the roundout and touchdown differ, including the risk of ballooning after a fast flare.

List the preflight briefing items you would give a passenger covering rotor hazards, control touch, and emergency egress.

Map the regulatory requirements for private pilot gyroplane privileges, recent flight experience, and medical eligibility, and state which operations require an additional rating or endorsement.

Explain the currency and proficiency rules that apply to carrying passengers and how a flight review or instrument proficiency check resets them.

Diagram a standard traffic pattern for a gyroplane at a nontowered airport, marking entry legs, altitudes, and the points where gyroplane approach speeds differ from airplane speeds.

Describe right-of-way rules and how a gyroplane's slower final approach and steeper descent affect spacing behind airplanes.

Explain runway and taxiway incursion risks specific to gyroplanes, including rotor clearance near hangars and the effect of a low rotor on visibility.

Classify airspace classes A through G by dimensions, entry requirements, and equipment, and identify which classes a VFR gyroplane can use without a clearance.

Explain special use airspace, temporary flight restrictions, and the transponder and ADS-B requirements that apply to gyroplanes in each class.

Read a sectional chart and identify the symbols for Class E surface extensions, Class G ceilings, and controlled airspace floors around a nontowered airport.

Plan a two-leg cross-country using a sectional chart, computing true course, wind correction angle, groundspeed, and fuel burn for a gyroplane cruising at 75 knots.

Write and read back a standard position report and a request for flight following using correct phraseology.

Decode a METAR and TAF for a planned flight and state whether the conditions meet your personal minimums for a gyroplane.

Explain how wind gradient, gusts, and thermals affect a light gyroplane more than a heavier airplane, and describe the conditions that warrant cancelling a flight.

Interpret a prog chart and a winds-and-temperatures aloft forecast to estimate the wind at your planned cruise altitude.

Explain how high density altitude and wind interact to change takeoff and landing distances, and compute a takeoff distance for a hot-day scenario.

Identify the weather products and briefing sources you would use before a cross-country and the order you would consult them.

Describe the function of the rotor head, teeter bolt, prerotator, and control system, and explain what a preflight inspection must verify on each.

List the maintenance and inspection items a pilot is responsible for checking before flight, including rotor blade condition, hub bar security, and control freedom.

Explain common gyroplane failure modes such as prerotator failure, control binding, and rotor blade delamination, and state the in-flight action for each.

Describe a forced landing site selection process for a gyroplane, including the use of a steep descent and the minimum altitude for committing to a site.

Explain how to conduct a post-maintenance functional check and what discrepancies require grounding the aircraft.

Apply a decision-making model to three realistic scenarios involving weather deterioration, passenger pressure, and fuel reserve, and write the decision you would make at each decision point.

Identify hazardous attitudes and antidotes and match each to a gyroplane-specific scenario.

Explain how fatigue, hypoxia, and dehydration affect pilot performance and how you would mitigate each on a cross-country flight.

Review the regulatory knowledge you missed on practice questions and write a correction for each error.

Explain the role of the IMSAFE checklist and how you would use it before a flight.

Take a full-length timed practice test and score it by domain to identify remaining weak areas.

Re-study your two lowest-scoring domains and write a one-page summary of each.

Review all emergency procedure cards and inspection checklists you built during the plan.

Practice oral-exam style answers for aerodynamics, weight and balance, and emergency procedures with a study partner.

Confirm your written test appointment and review the testing center and identification requirements.