Gyroplane Flying

(May 1, 2021) Our podcast guest is Beth Stanton. For a number of years, Beth has been the Innovation column author for EAA Sport Aviation Magazine. She writes about current and emerging trends and technologies in aviation. Skywheels rotor blade systems were featured in her May 2021 column. Meet Beth and find out what she sees as emerging trends in aviation.

(March 13, 2021) In this podcast, meet Lisa Turner who reviews the top five mistakes that experimental builders make and how to avoid them. Lisa has been involved in Aviation since 2006.  She's done work as an FAA-designated airworthiness representative, also referred to as a DAR, home-built counselor, A/P, and authored a few books.  If you are an EAA member, you also know she writes a monthly column for Sport Aviation Magazine. Lisa’s passion for aviation is real and igniting.  She’s most passionate about small homebuilt aircraft.   I know you’ll find this discussion informative and helpful. If you're an Air Command gyroplane owner, make sure to download the > 12-month condition inspection guide.

(February 20, 2021) Phil Harwood is chairman of the International Association of Professional Gyroplane Training which produces an online training program called Gyropedia.  A few weeks ago, it was announced Gyropedia was selected by Air Command as its primary flight training program. According to podcast host, Joe Covelli, "The foundation of a great instructional program is its curriculum". Since 2013, Gyropedia logged into its system over 72,000 gyroplane flight hours. The flight training instructional program began as a worldwide standardization to lower gyroplane insurance costs. As Air Command brings its rotorcraft models back into production later this year, it is essential to use the best training resources to benefit both instructors and student pilots alike. A stable performing gyroplane is only as safe as the pilots who fly them.

(January 30, 2021) In this podcast meet Al Thompson, Quality Assurance Manager at Blackhawk Aerospace Composites.  Al describes the AS9100 aerospace standard they subscribe to for Blackhawk's quality assurance (QA) manufacturing program. Why should AS9100 certification be important to you when building a gyroplane kit or flying rotor blades? Listen to find out why.

Air Command and Skywheels partnered with Blackhawk Aerospace Composites to manufacture rotor blade systems and gyroplane kit parts. Having a partner like Blackhawk, who subscribes to an AS9100 aerospace quality assurance standard to manufacture and check parts, is very important to Air Command and Skywheels and their commitment to customers about quality assurance when building and flying their gyroplane or rotor blade products.

(January 12, 2021) Jim Lezie owned Skywheels Rotor Systems from 2001 to 2018. He is a seasoned veteran of rotorcraft.  Jim’s been around rotors for years as a pilot in both the California Air National Guard and a military service member.  When ABC Network News was looking for expert comment on the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash in 2020, they called and interviewed Jim Lezie.

Jim was extensively involved with new owner Joe Covelli in the Skywheels transition, and ultimately bringing the product back into manufacturing and on the market again. In this podcast, Jim offers a great perspective on Skywheels and its stable and reliable performance. You will enjoy listening to his comments and perspective.

(December 22, 2020) In September, Skywheels Rotor Systems completed flight tests. Test pilot Greg Bradley put the new blades through their paces and goes over flight maneuvers and data acquired. Receive firsthand information about new rotor blade performance and flight characteristics.

(December 7, 2020)  Jim McCutchen began manufacturing McCutchen Skywheels rotor blades in 1985.  Following a successful run until 2001, his company manufactured 6,000 rotor blades.  To put that into perspective, if you placed the rotor blades end-to-end, they would stretch 17-miles long.  That's a lot of rotor blades.  During his time of ownership, Jim did considerable research and testing.  Our podcast begins with an update from Skywheels President Joe Covelli.  Joe details his goal in bringing Skywheels back on the market and manufactured again to match the original McCutchen Skywheels rotor blades for their safety and performance characteristics.  The goal was met in the summer and fall of 2020 during test flights by two pilots who confirmed the new rotor blade sets had the same flight performance characteristics as the originals.

(October 5, 2020) Air Command and Skywheels President Joe Covelli reviews September's successful completion of Skywheels rotor blade testing and the recently announced partnership with Blackhawk Aerospace Composites, Inc.  In looking forward to the next few months, the focus returns to completing the gyroplane kit drawings and pricing.

(June 27, 2020) New sets of Skywheels Rotor Blade Systems are being manufactured again and deliveries will begin soon. Now, the company is turning its full attention back to gyroplane kit production and reintroducing the Commander Elite models.

In addition, Air Command and Skywheels President Joe Covelli is working with a team of design engineers, consultants, manufacturing partners, suppliers, and a newly formed group, the Air Command Advisory Board. The entire team is working together to refresh and bring back to market one of the original titans in gyroplane flying, Air Command Gyroplanes paired with Skywheels Rotor Blade Systems.

(March 13, 2018) In September 2017, Harold Smith sold Air Command International to Joe Covelli. The company specializes in manufacturing gyroplane rotorcraft sold worldwide as build-to-fly kits. As part of the transaction, the company’s headquarters, to include operations and manufacturing, were moved to River Falls, Wisconsin (near Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Harold, an aeronautical engineer, and his son Doug successfully operated Air Command from the airport in Caddo Mills, Texas for nearly 25 years.

According to Joe, “We look forward to continuing the great tradition of Air Command in manufacturing production gyroplane kits, parts, and accessories for customers worldwide”.

Currently, there are over 2,500 Air Command single and two-seat gyroplanes flying worldwide. The company’s first flight was in 1984. The website is www.aircommand.com.