FAQ'S (1)

About Magni Gyro:
Vittorio Magni has been building and designing autogyros in Milan, Italy for over thirty years.
He was one of the first builders and fliers of the Bensen gyro in Europe. Vittorio had a successful career in the Italian aviation industry for over thirty years before starting his own autogyro company in 1986. Originally known as VPM, in 1996 the company changed its name to Magni Gyro and re-organized with a plan to provide an extended range of autogyro models throughout the world.

Vittorio has applied his extensive experience in aircraft production and machine processes into the current family business. Vittorio's sons, Pietro and Luca, as well as other family members and dedicated employees, currently comprise the Magni Gyro company. The Magni factory is located in the suburbs of Milan, Italy, among the concentration of Italian aviation industries from which Vittorio draws on the expertise of abundant aeronautical engineering and craft resources. Among those local companies is Agusta Helicopter, the largest helicopter manufacturer outside of the U.S., and from which Vittorio draws his tremendous skills and experience as a long-time employee of Agusta. That experience and availability of expert resources in the local community is the basis for not only the quality of the Magni machines, but also for the efficiency and quality of the production facilities and tooling, and for the quality way in which Magni Gyro approaches the sport of autogyro aviation.

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The Magni Philosophy:
Vittorio passionately believes, as do many of us, that the autogyro has the potential to be the safest, and most useful and popular aircraft available to sport aviation. Vittorio and Pietro and Luca believe that potential can be fully achieved only through diligent attention to all aspects of gyro activity - including training, close community relations and customer support, reliability of design and ease of maintenance, and safe and forgiving flight characteristics. These are the foundation priorities of Magni Gyro and of the whole Magni family. Their success to date is exemplified by the numerous machines of various models flying throughout Europe and Africa with an excellent safety record. This is the record of which Vittorio is most proud, and is the continued goal of the Magni family and organization.

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The Training Philosophy:
As we all appreciate, thorough training and experience is the cornerstone of safe participation in the sport of aviation. That training includes and should extend beyond pilot proficiency, machine and aeronautical knowledge, decision making, and safety attitude. Vittorio believes and insists from his dealers, that all Magni fliers be trained and approved by Magni qualified instructors in a 2-place Magni machine. Vittorio insists that all Magni dealers develop a close relationship with not only that Magni customer, but also with that flier's family, so as to develop a relationship that emphasizes continued attention to safety and safe practices. Vittorio believes that the requirements and responsibilities of the sport of aviation be understood, appreciated and supported by flier and close family alike. In that way, the standards of safety are most likely to be achieved and maintained. All purchasers of Magni autogyros will be required, as a condition of the sale, to be trained and approved by a Magni approved flight instructor for flight in their Magni autogyro. All training will be in a Magni 2-place machine so as to most effectively assure pilot competency in their own Magni machine. The M-16 Trainer was specifically designed to provide similarity in flight characteristics to the other Magni models.

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The Mechanical Design Philosophy:
The line of Magni autogyros has been developed with the goal of mechanical and structural over-design so as to require little attention or expertise to maintain. Vittorio Magni believes that an integral factor in the safety of Magni autogyros is the continued mechanical integrity of the machine. Vittorio understands that not all gyro pilots and owners are either mechanical experts or diligent mechanics, and as such has applied a goal that the Magni autogyros be reliable and robust enough so as to tolerate considerable neglect and abuse.  Magni USA and Magni Gyro in Italy intend, however, to provide continued support for their aircraft and to assure that every customer has the skills and diligence to properly attend to its maintenance needs.

All airframe components are designed and analyzed, per modern aircraft standards, to exceed the 
mechanical requirements for that component. Most metal parts are CAD designed and analyzed, and precision fabricated in a dedicated CNC shop employing the latest equipment and technology (see 
FACTORY). All airframes are complete, single piece 4130 steel structures, including masts, seat frames and engine mounts, welded on factory jigs by skilled craftsmen. Wiring components are aviation industry standard. Factory expertise and tooling has been developed for production of strong and durable fiberglass components, including rotors, fuselage pods, fuel tanks and seats, and stabilizer
components.

Currently all Magni autogyro models utilize time-proven Rotax engines. The factory utilizes the expertise of the Italian Rotax service facility (located on-field at the Magni test and training facility) to design the installation of the Rotax engines on each model. Vittorio believes the quality engine installation is paramount to the engine reliability Magni has so far demonstrated. As such, Magni insists that all engine installations be done by, or reviewed closely by, the factory or a trained representative. Only proven installations of the proper Rotax engine are approved on Magni machines. As a testimony to the emphasis on maintainability and reliability, Magni provides electronic engine monitoring on all models - standard, not an option!

Crash worthiness and pilot protection are an essential element of the structural design. The welded steel frames and masts have so far protected the occupants from serious injury in the few unfortunate mishaps in Magni machines.

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The Flight Characteristics Philosophy:
Similar to the mechanical design philosophy, Vittorio places highest priority on forgiving and 
straight-forward flying characteristics of all the Magni autogyro models. Vittorio's attention to flight 
qualities began with his first experiences with the Bensen gyro in the late 1960's. From the beginning of 
his experimentation, Vittorio recognized the deficiencies in stability and handling of the Bensen-type 
design. Years of experimentation, iteration after iteration, flight test after flight test, has developed a 
unique appreciation and understanding for all the interrelated aerodynamic and dynamic factors involved. 

Vittorio's goal, and especially that of his somewhat perfectionist sons, has been to achieve airplane-like 
handling stability and control, while preserving the unique maneuverability and performance features of 
the autogyro.

Fundamental to achieving these goals is the attention to rotor and airframe inertia, airframe and fuselage 
aerodynamics, stabilizer effectiveness, thrustlines and controls. Vittorio believes it is essential to not only appropriately address these factors, but it is essential to establish the correct harmony between these many factors, and to prove that harmony through repeated and thorough flight testing throughout the development process.

As a testimony to the attention to Magni dedication to flight and operational safety, it is telling to 
recognize other handling and performance features built into every Magni autogyro model. Prerotators 
have long been recognized as a significant safety factor in gyro operation. All Magni models employ 
robust mechanical prerotators capable of pre-rotation far in excess of 200 RPM. This prerotator is 
standard equipment - not an option! The same is true for the mechanical DRUM rotor break on all 
models. The hydraulic wheel brakes on all models. The stable and robust rudder-coupled nose wheel 
steering on all models - standard, not an option! Certainly, these standard features require an investment by the owner in the purchase price, but Vittorio's dedication to safety precludes optional non-inclusion of these items on each Magni model.

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USA Distributor:
Magni USA, L.L.C.
Greg Gremminger
17225 Pleasant View Dr. ~ Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
(573) 883-3541 ~ (573) 883-2866 (fax)
gyrogreg@ldd.net

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