At our February 7th chapter meeting, Norm Isler took the floor and told a story that started at Oshkosh and ended with 100 hours logged in an aircraft he built himself. For those who weren’t there, here’s how it went.
At EAA AirVenture 2024, Norm and his wife Elise weren’t just browsing the gyroplane rows. They were on a mission. Norm had flown gyros before and knew what he was looking for. What he didn’t know yet was which one — or that he’d be building it himself before the year was out.
Three Countries, One Decision
Norm made the rounds of every gyroplane manufacturer on the field. Magni, out of Italy, had both side-by-side and tandem models on display. AutoGyro, from Germany, brought the same range of configurations. Then there was ELA, a Spanish manufacturer whose current kit offering comes in a tandem seating configuration only: the Eclipse Evo.
A gyroplane — sometimes called a gyrocopter — is a rotorcraft that uses a free-spinning rotor for lift and a conventional propeller for thrust. Unlike a helicopter, the rotor isn’t powered in flight; it spins from the airflow as the aircraft moves forward, producing a remarkably stable, forgiving flight characteristic and the ability to land in very short distances.
All three companies build impressive machines. Each had strong selling points: body design, rotor blade material, panel options, price. But Norm had logged more flight time in the ELA than either of the others — and when it came to builder support, ELA made an offer the others couldn’t match. Their delivery coordinator, Tony, is an A&P mechanic based in Okeechobee, Florida. Thirty miles from our home field. The promised hands-on build support, combined with that kind of proximity, won them over.
They ordered a brand-new 2024 ELA Eclipse Evo, equipped with a Rotax 916is engine — 160 horsepower on a machine with a maximum takeoff weight of only 1,245 pounds. The kit was on its way.
Unloading by Flashlight
The container arrived in Okeechobee in early January 2025. It arrived after dark.
Norm and Elise were there anyway. What followed was an improvised operation — unloading by headlight, flashlight, and feel. The next morning started early: moving parts into the shop, laying everything out, inventorying the whole kit. That was most of day one.
Then the real work began.
Under Tony’s instruction and direction, Norm spent the next six weeks working long days in the shop. Tony wasn’t just a resource to call when something went wrong — he guided the build from the ground up. The good news: everything went together as it should.
On February 21, 2025, the local DAR — a Designated Airworthiness Representative authorized by the FAA to inspect and certify experimental aircraft — came out to evaluate the work. After a thorough inspection, he pronounced the collection of parts an aircraft.
First Flight
Norm was still working toward his gyroplane rating at that point, so Phase One flight testing — the required initial test flights for all newly certificated experimental aircraft — was performed by an experienced ELA pilot. Once the machine was approved for flight and the test flight complete, he completed his training and flew his first solo in his own machine.
There are milestones in aviation that stay with you. Flying solo for the first time in an aircraft you built yourself is one of the rarest.
100 Hours and Still Climbing
Just over a year since that DAR inspection, Norm has logged approximately 100 hours of flight time in the Eclipse Evo. He recently completed his second oil change and his first annual condition inspection — making sure to do it alongside Tony, the same mentor who guided him through the build, to learn it right the first time.
The machine is every bit as much fun as he’d hoped. And Norm would like more company in the pattern. As he puts it: “We need more gyro pilots flying in the USA!”
Come Find Us at Sun ’n Fun
If Norm’s story has you curious about gyroplane flying, experimental aircraft, or what a kit build actually looks like from start to finish, come find us. Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo runs April 14–19 in Lakeland, Florida, one of the largest aviation gatherings in the country and practically in our own backyard. If gyrocopters are of special interest, Bensen Days, a fly-in geared just to gyros, will be at the Wauchula Airport April 8 – 11. Both are great places to see gyros on the ramp, talk to builders, and ask every question you’ve been saving up.
We’d love to see you there.
Norm Isler is our chapter Vice President and Elise our chapter Secretary.
