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Ken Wallis Autogyro Pioneer Dies At 97
First time accepted submitter gb7djk writes "Wing Commander Ken Wallis the developer and promoter of small autogyros died peacefully today 4th September, aged 97, at his home in Norfolk. Ken is mainly remembered for 'Little Nellie', the tooled up autogyro that took on some helicopters in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. He made the breakthrough discovery of the offset rotor head that made autogyros stable as well as many other aviation inventions. More info here and a video of him flying one of his creations (at the age of 95)."
What was the cause of death?
I love the video of a 95 year old man hand cranking a prop with no safety guard. Rash behavior like that will kill you before you reach 100, I bet!
In the 1982 version of Annie, Annie and Daddy Warbucks land an autogyro on the White House lawn. And, Doc Savage and his friends often used them, especially at night because they were so quiet, and could land on roofs and take off again.
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I do love the sandwich, but I still prefer the handmade ones.
...without which we would not have the Bruce Spence character in The Road Warrior!
Yes, I'd like to send this letter to the Prussian Consulate in Siam by aero mail. Am I too late for the 4:30 autogyro?
Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
I knew Ken when I worked at Weslake Developments in Rye, East Sussex, an engineering R&D company that designed and tested engines for the UK automotive and aviation industries (I was the firm's Costing Engineer at the time); he was one of the directors of the firm. He was always a calm and reasonable voice in often head debates over the future of the company. His accomplishments gave him a platform that got people to listen but it was his warmth and understanding, both of technical issues and the people involved, that made him so respected and such an asset to the company. His flair for the dramatic was never far away...he'd journey from Lydd Airport (principally owned by Richard Branson who knew Ken well) piloting a skeletal Autogyro, of his own design and that he had built, landing it in a field behind the business park where Weslake Developments was housed. I've many happy memories from that time and value them greatly...I'll surely miss him.
Yeah - because all of the new tech just sprang into existence via parthenogenesis, right? None of it has its roots in old school tech, after all. Then again, I can see where you wouldn't be impressed with a heavier-than-air flying machine that can transport a person significant distances at reasonably high speeds, or the kind of man who could invent one. I think, however, you will be in something of a minority around here.
Luddite.
Trolls just aren't what they used to be. Sad, really...
Sad? The guy was 97 years old. We should all be so lucky to die at that age.
Hey, Professor Penn, fuck off.
Don't worry, Soylent Green has that covered. aka O'care 2.1
That's N Amerika and Europe. In Asia they still get tired by such expensive and burdensome rules.
Is it pronounced - auto-jeer-oh, like the sandwich?
Modern Gyros are are anything but "old-school tech"...
...list goes on...
Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5qhOsCUNX0
Calidus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AptB9l-ajSA
Cavalon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS2ibF-eWTo
Magni M24: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlaumLGZk50#t=1m30
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While the grammar and spelling are correct, this is not much of a comment.
It is old-school UID but not that impressive. While it is sad that you are lame, learning this bit of information does not warrant a slashdot post. I am sorry to say this, but ho hum.
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I can't find it, but I once saw a graph showing efficiency for autogyros, planes, and helicopters. Planes are tremendously more efficient than autogyros for distance. I can't remember exactly how helicopters faired--based on speed, distance, etc--but in any event autogyros can't hover so they're not replacements for helicopters.
Basically, autogyros don't really fit into modern commercial needs. All the super sophisticated models are hybrids, but that makes them complex, and thus their utility is debatable.
There are niches where autogyros make sense, but they're not commercially viable niches. Anybody working on a commercial autogyro is burning money.
Tanaka: I have much curiosity, Bond-san. What is Little Nellie?
OO7: Oh, she's a wonderful girl. Very small, quite fast. Can do anything. Just your type.
Tanaka: A toy helicopter?
Q: No, it's certainly not a toy! You'll see. We've made one or two improvements since you used her last. I'll give you the drill.
Tanaka: This can only be for children! Don't use it, Bond-san. Take my helicopter instead!
Q: Right. Now pay attention, OO7. Two machine guns, fixed.
OO7: Synchronized to what?
Q: 100 yards. We're using incendiaraies and high explosives. Two rocket launchers, forward-firing on either side.
OO7: Fine.
Q: Now, these fire heat-seeking air-to-air missiles. 60 a minute.
OO7: Good.
Q: Flame guns. Two of 'em. Firing astern.
OO7: What range?
Q: 80 yards. Two smoke ejectors next door to them. Aerial mines. Now remember, use them only when directly above target. That's about the lot, I think. You know the rest, don't you?
OO7: Yes.
Q: Cine camera.
OO7: Tanaka, listen in on 410 megacycles.
Tanaka: Good luck, Bond-san.
OO7: I'll contact you when I get over the island.
Tanaka: Okay.
Aki: Be careful, Bond-san!
The article says he made the "discovery of the offset rotor head". Was it lying in a field somewhere, and he tripped over it? Perhaps it was discovered growing on a tree in the Amazon Jungle? Or maybe the author is shortchanging Mr. Wallis by failing to use the correct word, "invented". Sadly, his invention not only made him no money, since he could not profit from patenting it (as he was in the RAF at the time, and any patent would belong to the crown), it doesn't even bare his name.
but in any event autogyros can't hover so they're not replacements for helicopters.
While it can't hover like a helicopter you can get it to fly really slowly into a really strong headwind (as with all other planes). It's almost like as if you're hovering.
Spin on you crazy diamond.
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than myself will come along and correct you about autogyros being obsolete.
I'll get them started: they're simpler/cheaper and are arguably more reliable than helicopters in case of mechanical failure. Any lingering safety concerns are largely a result of pilots used to other craft not understanding the handling characteristics of autogyros. The only major disadvantages vs. helicopters are they can't hover (though they can fly much slower than airplanes) and they can't do a vertical takeoff without tip jets or some other sort of specialized launcher. Important features, sure, but not always worth the attendant disadvantages.
This was the pioneer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_la_Cierva
Having flown one of these machines this year, I think these machines give you the best powered flying experience ever. Thank you, Ken Wallis, for contributing to the development of the awsome technology that combines the best of the airplane and the helicopter in one amazing machine.