I learned to fly these where they were being built in Lake Havasu Az. Then flew one cross country to a dealer in Newport RI where I tought the feds how to fly one so they could give me a flight test to get my rating. Great fun to fly.

Hi Bob Creighton,

How did your offer to the Philly Museum go, were they interested in taking it?

If not, Classic Rotors (www.rotors.org) may be interested. We are a non profit Vintage Rotorcraft Museum, the only Rotorcraft Museum that restores and fly's vintage helos. We have a pristine J2, it belonged to a friend of mine, who was killed a couple years back in a helo accident. We were able to get it out of probate, but the court system lost the log books, so what was once flyable, is now just one of our display birds (pity).

Anyway, if you still are looking to donate your J2 to a museum, please contact me back or contact Mark DiCiero at mark@rotors.org.

Thanks
Dale

I have a J-2 that my A/P is rebuilding for me . I have been told that there may only be about 6 flying in the States. I may sell this one . I do not have time for it. It will be repainted and all updated. Would like to hear from J-2 friends. I know a few that have helped me.

I actually havea J-2 in my yard. I rescued it from destruction at a local auction and have looking for away to see it restored. I have recently solicited the Helicopter museum in Philly to take it as a donation. If for whatever reason they are not interested perhaps someone else would like to purchae it? Missing the engine and rotors. In need o a lotof restoration.

Any one know of any J2 FOR SALE NEEDING REPAIRS OR JUST STORED AWAY

hi richard t there one in new zealand and it is up for sale with a number of spare parts and yes it is still flying just looks like new i would love to buy it but i do not have money just yet ray

I am a Canadian pilot. In the spring of 1973, at Winnipeg,Manitoba, there were two McCulloch gyroplanes sitting on the ramp. A Canadian dealership was marketing them. I was interested but then, I was interested in anything that flew. As I recall, the aircraft were four-seaters but in retrospect, I might be mistaken on that. Later in life I remembered these machines and wondered whatever might have happened to them. I never did see another one again and I never did fly one. At the time I was training for my commercial licence and instrument ticket. I eventually ended up in the helicopter industry. If anyone knows anything of these two machines, I would be interested to hear.

I recently acquired perhaps the nicest J-2 in the world and would appreciate knowledgeable comments regarding its flight characteristics. I'm hell bent to fly this machine but do not want to kill myself or tear it up. I have some helicopter time and lots of fixed wing experience in many types of aircraft. Comments and advice from a qualified pilot is appreciated.

Bill Evans' comments bring back memories. In 1971 I was a young fixed-wing CFI working for Bel-Air Aviation at Long Beach CA, the first dealer and school for the J-2. I had no prior rotor experience but was being trained to fly and instruct in the J-2.

I had soloed the J-2 a few weeks earlier, and on 5/5/71 my boss and instructor Ken McGuire and I flew N4303G from Long Beach to Compton for more practice. We touched down in a light crosswind, and despite the slow speed I lost directional control and the aircraft rolled over on the runway (photo at http://www.geocities.com/grumman365ps/19710505.jpg -- yours truly on the left). It was the third J-2 landing rollover accident in three months, which as I recall was almost half the fleet built to that time.

FAA ordered modification to the J-2's nosegear, and that summer the company flew me out to the factory at Lake Havasu where I flew with Bill Evans in a modified J-2.

I echo Bill's comments about the J-2's shortcomings. But it was fun to fly and I'm grateful for the opportunity to fly it and to fly with good people and wonderful pilots like Bill Evans, Ken McGuire, Jim Reichert and Bill Collins.

I went to work for McCuloch Aircraft in 1969 and at the time the company was located in El Segundo,CA. At that time the J-2 was just undergoing it's final FAA certification and later on the entire operation was moved to Lake Havasu City, AZ. I was there for two years until they moved back to Gardena,CA and it then became Aero Resources. During my time in LHC I was doing the Flight Training and later became an FAA designated pilot examiner for Gyroplanes. I also was doing Production Flight Test and Experimental flight test for the company. I stayed on with the company until 1974 when they finally closed their doors. This was at the Van Nuy, CA airport.
I think my total time in the J-2 was around 2200 hours. I flew the J-2 at the Paris Air Show and all over France. Also crossed the English Channel and did some flying in England as well. All and all it was a really fun aircraft to fly but had so many limitations when it came to performace. One of the biggest problems was the noise it produced. This really plagued the engineering department and nothing seemed to help. We had to wear special David Clark headsets and still the noise level in the cockpit was deafening. We did experiment with a 200 HP Lycoming engine and also a 3 bladed constant speed Hartzell prop. These improvement helped a little but in the end, it still did not have the desired performance. It had a very limited range with a lot of unuseable fuel left. The required distance for takeoffs was far more than acceptable. We were able to land in off airport locations but with the wood props it was usually an invitation to some major damage. The landing gear struts would some times remain extended or be uneven and this will make landing sometimes very exciting if you didn't expect it.
We did develop several techniques that would enhance both the take and landing performance but was never able to get them certified. My background is mostly in Helicopters and also the usual collection of fixed wing ratings.
I now live in Lake Havasu City, AZ. I retired in 2001 and moved in the early part of 2001. On occassion I do run into some folks that remember or have heard of the J-2 Gyroplane, but for the most part it has been forgotten.
Regards............Bill Evans

We always hear how various new aircraft will revolutionize flying, make it easier, cheaper, etc. It has never been true. Even the new LSA category is a rich person's sport. Private aviation remains the playground of the rich. It always will, too. J-2s were supposed to change the world as we knew it. Gyros are still highly unstable, dangerous aircraft. Commercial airliners and ground ol' greenhouse gas belchin'cars are our best mode of transportation. They will remain so far into the future. Any news to the contrary is hype.

At least one. Located Twin County Airport Hillsville Va. KHLX

In response to Richard T: I flew one, N4363G s/n 073, in the U.S. throughout the 1990's, and sold it to a gentleman in New Zealand. A record search shows that it has been sold there once again and is currently registered as ZK-RCK.

The PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM in Tucson, Arizona has a very nice McCulloch J-2 on display in Hangar One.

www.airgyro.com If you like this one take a peek at this gyro plane way flippin amazing. Its called The Sport Copter 2 and looks way better im totally getting one.

It seems that there are at least 46 (of the 83 originally built) that are still registered in the US:

http://www.planedesire.com/aircraft/desire/mcculloch/j_2/registered.html

i am wanting to build a custom gyroplane,based on the j-2.
who do i contact?.thank you

Are there any J-2s still flying in the USA, Europe or Australia/New Zealand? Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you

My father owned this aircraft and I have logged flight time myself in this plane back in 1974. I am now 51 years old and retired from the Air Force as a Helicopter Mechanic. Looking for a job