Gyroplane pioneer Bill Parsons developed his first tandem-seat trainer in 1985 from a Bensen B-8M Gyrocopter. He was responding to numerous accidents in learning to fly single-seat gyrocopters. The Museum’s example is his original trainer NWP54, which was used to train over 600 pilots.
Learning to fly a gyroplane is quite demanding. Before the development of this aircraft, learning to fly on a dual-control aircraft (such as a McCulloch J-2) was an expensive option. Thus flight training might have included being towed to altitude on a rope behind a truck, followed by free-flight autorotation down. However, free-flight and powered flight require different pilot responses, hence the accidents and the value of training on the Parsons Super Mac II.
Information Source: From Autogyro to Gyroplane by Bruce H. Charnov
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| Acquisition Source | H.F. Smith Donation |