WOW there was a lot of interest!

The final eBay price was $1,575.00, not bad for an old piece of junk that might still one day fly!



Post Auction Update: there's always a risk in accepting bids from first-time buyers and this one never paid:



So the takehome rule here is don't trust ebay buyer Kaylajenkinskayla15


But I have to THANK the flaky Kaylajenkinskayla15 for not completing the purchase because someone else came along after the auction was over and said he had tried to bid but had a problem with ebay and would I sell it to him for $1700. There is a God.

He's picked it up and hauled it home and if he ever gets it flying again I hope to post some pictures of it. Good luck to you sir.

Teeter Bar Found!

This very important part of the aircraft was missing and unknown to me when I posted the auction but thanks to a knowledgeable eBayer who described it to me, I went looking for it and found it. The rotor blades bolt to it and are supported by it during operation. It is made of machined aluminum and as you can see it has a heavy layer of surface corrosion but appears otherwise structurally sound. The red arrow points to the edge of the deepest machining of the otherwise flat bar to make a beveled surface. This bevel imparts an angle to the rotor blades when they are bolted to it so that they have the proper aerodynamic characteristics for flight. It's a good thing I found this as it is a very important piece of the aircraft (thx Rick!).

Engine ID Details

This engine is a Subaru EA81

Engine Closeups

360 Degrees of View

Closeups

The tail was damaged in a minor collision with a car that rear-ended the trailer.



Rotor blades stored in boat, mostly aluminum but with rusted steel hub attachment points. Don't even think about using these without having them professionally examined and tested for strength and structural integrity.

DO NOT TREAT THIS AIRCRAFT WITH A CAVALIER ATTITUDE

Click on the screenshot image to enlarge it and take note of the bottom line: don't expect to survive teaching yourself. My father was a test pilot and capable of doing so but you are almost certainly going to need instruction if you don't already know how to fly one of these things.

Ebay Auction

The Ebay auction is at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150614805391

This Bensen Gyrocopter autogyro experimental aircraft is located in Bradenton, Florida 34207. I am selling it for my father as his legal guardian. This was the second one he owned, the first he built from scratch and this one he later bought from somebody else and tweaked to his specifications. He was a test pilot and mechanical engineer and knew what he was doing, but this aircraft has fallen into disrepair and been exposed to the elements for a number of years and shows it. It should only be taken on as a project by someone very knowledgeable and experienced in aircraft mechanics or willing to pay someone who is.

From what I understand the engine is very powerful for its weight and worth some significant money just by itself. I seem to recall being told it is a Mitsubishi aircraft engine but I could be wrong about that; please see the pictures posted and if I discover the make and model I will modify that information here and on eBay. I have not seen the engine run and it does not turn freely by hand from the prop hub (there is no propellor) so you should assume it will need a complete rebuild by a qualified aircraft engine mechanic. It is dirty with a lot of surface corrosion and I would not be surprised to find water in the crankcase, but it has been covered by a tarp for the last year and a half.

The rotor blades are aluminum construction with some non-stainless steel for hub connectors that also have significant surface rust. I cannot vouch for their structural integrity or safety and because you will fall out of the sky like a rock if one fails, you need to have even more professional aircraft mechanic attention devoted to them than you do the engine before you even think about taking to the sky with them.

The condition of the instruments is unknown, the tires are flat, the tail was damaged in a minor collision when a car rear-ended the trailer while it was being towed. I have no papers official or otherwise for this homebuilt aircraft and the best I will be able to provide you with is a written receipt when you purchase it. It is very likely to have flaws I have not discovered and are not visible in the photographs.

THE TRAILER DOES NOT GO WITH IT, you will need to arrange to carry it away by some method of your own devising, just don't plan to fly it home. The trailer has its own problems and is falling apart anyway. If you need help with local transportation I can give you the number of the guy who hauled it across Bradenton for me at the end of 2009 for $50.

Winning bidder must pick up the aircraft by June 15th 2011 or it will be transported to a storage lot and you will need to pay extra transport and storage costs after that date to get it out. These costs will be kept at the minimum however (some flexibility is possible and I'll work with you on this).