From Autogiro To Gyroplane
A HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE
ON THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF AN AVIATION HISTORY
April 25 to 26, 2003
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY ...In celebration of the 80th anniversary of Juan de la Cierva's first flight and the 75th anniversary of Harold Pitcairn's first American flight, the Hofstra University Cultural Center is presenting the conference From Autogiro to Gyroplane, April 25 and 26, 2003. The conference is being presented in cooperation with the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center, the Popular Rotorcraft Association, the Cradle of Aviation Museum, the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Pitcairn PA-18
Autogiro (NC12678) at Wings Field, Ambler, PA (circa 1929).
Photo courtesy of Stephen Pitcairn.
This will be the first university conference to focus on this forgotten but fascinating facet of aviation history. The conference will address the past, present and future of this unique technology that took America and Europe by storm in the 1920s and 1930s and then all but disappeared with the advent of the helicopter. Yet is was the technology developed by de la Cierva, Pitcairn and others that was the proving ground for the innovations that made the helicopter possible. The technology of autogiration has survived in the form of the gyrocopter, the "flying lawnchair" of Russian immigrant Dr. Igor Bensen in the 1950s and 1960s, which reemerged at the end of the 20th century in new forms and marketing possibilities.
James G. “Jim” Ray
taking off from the Capitol Building in Washington (circa 1931).
Photo courtesy of Stephen Pitcairn.
For the first time, this conference will bring together
the flying pioneers, innovative designers, historic figures and current
international industry leaders to discuss the history and future of this
unique and often overlooked part of the aviation industry. Participants
include Pitcairn Aviation historian Carl Gunther on "Rediscovering
Harold Pitcairn;" Jay Groen of Groen Brothers Aviation and Jay Carter
of CarterCopters on the future of the industry; Jean Fourchade from France
on safety and engineering; Martin Hollmann on the development of the
ultralight and the future of gyroplane design; Jukka Tervamäki on his
work with Igor Bensen in 1958 and gyro design in Finland; and Juan de la
Cierva speaking about his uncle and comparing the lives of Juan de la
Cierva and Harold Pitcairn.
Little Wing (Tractor)
Autogyro. Photo courtesy of Ron Heron.
The conference will also feature a museum exhibition on the Autogiro and gyroplane during the months of April and May 2003 in the David Filderman Gallery, located on the ninth floor of Hofstra's Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library. This display will include models of historic and modern gyroplanes that will then go to the Aviation Model Collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Hofstra Professor and Conference Director Dr. Bruce Charnov is actively planning for flying demonstrations during the conference. He has completed writing a book for Quorum Books, tentatively titled Gyroplane * The Amazing Survival of an Aviation Technology.
For more information call the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669.
Copyright © 2003 Aviation History Online Museum. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 25, 2003