A little bit of freedom

This is a Magni M24C Gyroplane, according to the MagniGyro website.  They are "Makers of Emotions" and I rather fancy one of their products.

It and a standard helicopter were the only aircraft out on the grass at Old Warden today, but this was pretty enough to shoot.

Gyroplanes or gyrocopters are whacky machines, relying as they do on the rotors to turn in the breeze while the aircraft is pushed along by the thrust of the propellor.  I understand that there are devices now to start the rotor turning to reduce the takeoff run (rather than waiting for the breeze to get it going fast enough to provide lift), but the things can almost hover under certain conditions.