Here are some extracts from the Rotorcraft Conference (starting on 21 Sept 98) where Geoff Taber (Columbus, OH)) describes some of his early flight testing of his Gyrobee. Geoff is an experienced ultralight pilot who had also previously flown a SportCopter Lightning.

• I took the Bee around the patch for the very first time today. It flies great! Climb is good, handling is nimble but not too close coupled. I've got my control inputs ratioed to use as much stick motion as possible for excursion of the head.
• I did not go over 50 mph as I was wearing the wrong glasses and my eyes would water, but the flying was delightful at 35 and 40. Didn't take much power (5300-5700 rpm Rotax 503SC) to keep altitude during maneuvers around the airport. Kick it up over 5900 and up up up ........It flies great
• Boy I didn't realize who much I missed flying a gyro (I've had my Lightning disassembled since April), my MX Quicksilver fixed wing ultralight handles like a boat in comparison. The Gyrobee flies great.
• The lighter gross weight and disk loading improves the glide ratio somewhat, I did a few idle power landings and the approach was not as thrilling as my Vancraft, still gyros glide like rocks, but this one is a little tamer.
• Did I mention my Gyrobee flies great?.........
• The more I fly this Gyro, the more I like it, takeoffs are getting a lot calmer and easier, the in flight control responses are wonderful........
• So when the engine quit on me tonight, it was no big deal. I was just finishing a circle and starting to line up with the north end of the runway again when it pooped out, maybe 120'agl. Piece of cake! I keep the stick forward to maintain about 40 mph for the brief trip down and started easing back as we flew into ground effect. A little bounce, but a pretty good engine off landing.
• Boy was I happy! The idea of engine-outs scare me some, so it was very reassuring to pull this off well. I've had 2 others in the Lightning, one good, one bad, both with evil power lines and barbed wire fences to deal with. The Gyrobee does indeed float a little more, giving more time and distance to deal with things. There was still plenty of rudder without the prop blast.....
• Minimum flight speed is going to be very slow, I had it down to were I was keeping altitude and couldn't tell if the disk was still floating in the Hall tube (less than10 mph) and I still had lots of throttle left. I'll bet I can probably beat Ralph's 9mph specification. The little extra power and lighter pilot weight ought to help.
• On the other end, I got it up to 55mph for the first time, briefly. I'll do more of this next time out, but it was getting dark and I had to put it away.
• The MutantBee climbs like crazy, it is an express elevator. Once I break ground it hits 200 feet in about 10 seconds. It seems to climb best just under 35......
• 40mph is a sweet and gentle cruising speed. Latter this week I may take a little cross country to a friends strip about 4 miles away......
• Now that I am getting used to flying at altitude and going a little farther from the strip, I am impressed by the pitch stability. Even in gusty conditions the gyro never does anything sudden in pitch, just floats up or down like a frisbee in a breeze. Actually I have trouble maintaining a constant cruise altitude, seems like it is always climbing either a lot or a little unless you really get off the power. Even weak thermals will give you a big boost.