Definition
A rotorcraft whose lift is produced by a rotor that is not powered by the engine but is turned by air flowing up through it as the aircraft moves forward (autorotation). Forward thrust is provided by a separate engine-driven propeller. The rotor spins freely at all times in flight.
Plain English
An aircraft that looks a bit like a small helicopter, but the overhead rotor is not driven by the engine. The engine drives a propeller that pushes or pulls the aircraft forward, and the moving air spins the rotor on its own to create lift.
Context Anchor
Seen in light-sport aircraft material as one of the aircraft types a sport pilot may operate with the proper training and privileges.
Derivation
From Greek 'gyros' meaning 'circle' or 'spin', plus 'plane' from 'airplane'. The name highlights that lift comes from a freely spinning rotor rather than fixed wings.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding gyroplanes helps pilots correctly classify the aircraft for sport-pilot privileges, operating limitations, and training requirements.
Analogy
Think of a pinwheel held out of a moving car window. The car's forward motion (the propeller's job) makes the pinwheel spin on its own (the rotor). The spin is a result of moving forward, not the cause of moving forward.
Intuition Check
A gyroplane is not simply a small helicopter. In normal flight, its overhead rotor is not powered by the engine; it keeps turning because of airflow through the rotor as the aircraft moves.
Example Sentence 1
The student transitioned from airplanes to a gyroplane and had to get used to lift coming from a freely spinning rotor instead of fixed wings.
Example Sentence 2
The gyroplane taxied onto the runway and lifted off after a short ground roll once the rotor reached operating speed.