Gyrocopters in the spotlight after U.S. Capitol incident

WAUCHULA, Fla.- Gyrocopters are the new hot topic around the country after a Tampa mailman landed his on the U.S. Capitol lawn.

Thursday at the Wauchula Airport, gyrocopter enthusiasts from around the world gathered to fly their aircrafts.

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” said Gabor Kavaca, president of the Sunstate Wing and Rotor Club.

One of the Sunstate Wing and Rotor Club members actually knew the flying mailman identified as 61-year-old Doug Hughes.

The members of the club describe the 42nd Annual Jerry Benson event as ironic timing.

“Coming up here, nobody would ever know what these things were in the back of the truck, in the trailer. But, because of that, they said ‘his is one of those things that landed in Washington?’ I said yeah this is the same thing,” said pilot Anthony Spagnolatzy.

Kavaca says since the Capitol incident, his phone has been ringing off the hook.

“People are coming from South Africa, I just got off the phone from Barbados, I have people coming all the way from Europe, so we really actually put Wauchula on the international map,” said Kavaca.

He hopes people will be encouraged to learn more about what they call “the jet ski of the sky.”

“These are the safest aircraft out there,” said Kavaca.

They are also affordable and easy to learn to use. No license is required for an aircraft under 255 pounds but Kavaca says the majority of them are above that weight limit and do
require a license.

Members of the gyrocopter association don’t believe this isolated incident will lead to stricter regulations.