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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
If you like to fly but can't quite afford to buy your own aircraft, well a Utah company has just the thing. High Country Aire, located in Ogden, is a brand new dealership selling the first-of-its-kind affordable, Rotary Air Force gyroplane.
So, what is a gyroplane? Well, when you first see one, you might think it's a helicopter because of the large rotor. But gyroplanes are actually quite different. The rotor on a gyroplane spins around freely from the movement of upward air. The rotor on a helicopter forces air downward. Gyroplanes are driven by a propeller fixed behind the engine, and the aircraft gets its lift from the large rotor which acts somewhat like the wing of an airplane.
Best of all, gyroplanes are in many ways safer than both helicopters and airplanes. A pilot can shut off the engine and the aircraft will gently glide down to a soft landing. In fact, the Rotary Air Force two-person gyroplane will glide forward 4,000 feet for every 1,000 feet that it descends.
But it isn't just safety that makes these gyroplanes so appealing. They're very affordable. Corry Clarke, president and co-owner of High Country Aire, told me the Rotary Air Force gyroplanes begin at $22,500. A top-of-the-line model doesn't cost more than $35,000. Just about anybody can learn to fly one, given the proper training and certification. They're also inexpensive to operate and easy to transport and store.
As a hobby, the gyroplanes are fun to fly. But they can also be used for a number of practical reasons--things such as crop dusting and wildlife and livestock control. High Country Aire, which serves as the dealership for the western United States, already has a backlog of orders from enthusiasts, corporate clients and even foreign governments.
Initially, Corry saw the Rotary Air Force gyroplane as a great recreational aircraft. But after witnessing the demand for these amazing machines, he says, "The sky's the limit." To learn more about the gyroplanes, log on to highcountryair.com.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
