This has got to be the most common question of all and, by the way it is usually asked, it is clear the questioner thinks a gyro will simply fall out of the sky! Far from it.

Remember that the rotor system is not powered by the engine. An engine failure in a helicopter is extremely serious, for the pilot must immediately get the blades into autorotation. A gyroplane doesn't have that problem, since the blades are in continuous autorotation at all times. If the engine fails, the aircraft continues to fly, although it is now a glider and it will come down!

The main difference between a typical fixed-wing and a gyro concerns the angle of the glide. Most fixed-wing machines will have a glide angle of about 5-6:1, compared to 2-3:1 in the gyroplane. The gyroplane's approach will thus be considerably steeper, which tends to mean you must pick your landing spot "down there" rather than "out there". The task of the pilot is to manage airspeed and set up the approach to the chosen landing area - the same problem faced by a fixed-wing pilot.

The steeper approach angle of the gyro is more than compensated by two factors - the fact that the gyro can get into a field that would be too small for a fixed-wing and the fact that it can execute a touch-down at essentially zero ground speed. This means you can safely land a gyro on a surface that would tear up a fixed-wing machine!

I have all sorts of engine-out experience in a number of ultralights and, without question, I am more comfortable in the gyro!