The annual PRA Convention at Mentone (Indiana) this year was a bit of a puzzle. We were blessed with perfect weather (highs in the low to mid seventies), yet things were not as busy as years past. I couldn’t swear with respect to overall attendance, but the gyro count was definitely down. The flying was dominated by dealer/instructor two-seaters giving "introductory lessons" with comparatively few single-seat machines. It was, however, a great years for Bees! The beehive formed up around the GyroTech/Honey Bee tent and, at one point, we were able to get almost all the aircraft owners to pose for a picture (above). Working from the foreground to the background (right to left), there was Jim Fields with a 447-powered Honey Bee, Jim Norcia and his 503 Honey Bee, Rich Vredvelt's blue Honey Bee, Ralph Taggart standing next to the Gyrobee prototype, Rod Endsley and his Hirth-powered Gyrobee, and Brett Wendt and his gorgeous Gyrobee airframe.

If you wanted the chance to pick up building ideas, this was the place to be. Here Dan Cota (center) is showing Rod Endsley a picture of his Gyrobee airframe. That's Rod's Gyrobee in the background. Directly behind Rod is Doug Riley of Aerotec, who has done so much to assist the Gyrobee community. Doug had to leave his Gyrobee at home this year, but intends to bring it next year! Doug is talking with Brett Wendt next to Brendt's Gyrobee airframe.

If anyone had doubts about the performance capabilities of a well-designed ultralight gyro, Jim Fields put them to rest with a fine series of flight demonstrations of the GyroTech Honey Bee. He flew both the 447 company ship and Jim Norcia's 503 machine throughout the weekend. Jim Norcia's machine was equipped with a prototype of the new recoil prerotator (shown above). The prototype unit weighs about 6 pounds, but GyroTech expects to trim another pound by the time the system goes into production.

Richard Vredvelt's new Honey Bee is finished in a deep blue. A sharp-looking machine that stands out among all the yellow and black of classic Honey Bees.

Jim Stephenson, head-honcho at Aero Sports Connection, gave a great talk on the ASC wing structure and what it all means to the advancement of ultralight gyroplanes.