When James Bond needed to get his job done in You Only Live Twice he ordered the little-known autogyro code-named Little Nellie. In it, he not only completed his mission but outmanoeuvred four enemy helicopters!

In the 1920s and early Thirties the very first autogyros were successfully flying, when helicopters were still taking their first steps upwards. Indeed, for a while, the autogyro was the preferred rotorcraft, but its rapid improvement helped the development of the helicopter and ultimately made it obsolete. To date, however, autogyros enjoy popularity amongst flying enthusiasts, mainly due to the potential for some amazing and, alas, often fatal, manoeuvres.

This is where Greek aerospace engineer Vassilis Spathopoulos steps into history. As part of a Glasgow University research project he spent five years delving into the flight dynamics of a light autogyro in order to explore how safe this rotorcraft could actually become. Here's what he has to say on his venture:

What is an autogyro?
The autogyro, or gyroplane, was the first aircraft to use a rotary wing and not a fixed one, like the aeroplane. It is considered to be the immediate predecessor to the helicopter. In the 4th century BC the Chinese came up with the idea of generating lift from a constantly rotating wing: they made a toy, basically a stick with feathers attached to it, which could fly when spun rapidly between the hands and released. In 1483 Leonardo da Vinci was actually the first to conceive of this idea as a viable means of achieving flight. He designed a 'screw shape device', which he envisaged could sustain vertical flight if turned fast enough. The autogyro was the first aircraft to materialise Leonardo's idea when in 1923, thanks to Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva, it made its first successful flight.

How does it fly?
It flies using the principle of autorotation; the main rotor is inclined towards the air which turns the rotor much like a windmill turns. So, unlike the helicopter, the autogyro doesn't need an engine to power its main rotor.

What led you to Scotland to work on the autogyro?
I went to Scotland for the weather! No, seriously my mother is Scottish and I have relatives there. This was one reason I went to study there in 1991. At the time there was no possibility of studying aerospace engineering in Greece. This has changed recently, with Patras University becoming the first Greek institute to offer a degree in aeronautical engineering and a range of related subjects being taught in certain departments of the National Technical University of Athens. Personally, I specialised in flight dynamics, which looks at the stability and response of aircrafts to pilot input; and although I knew very little about autogyros, Glasgow University offered me a position as a PhD student to carry out a flight dynamics analysis on an aircraft of this type.

What exactly is the research project?
Between 1989 and 1991, the autogyro fatal accident rate in the UK was 6 per 1,000 flying hours, whereas the overall general aviation rate during 1990 was 0.015 per 1,000 flying hours. This prompted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fund a joint study with Glasgow University on the stability and control characteristics of autogyros. The aim of the research was basically to test the aircraft and the validity of a computer model. It was found that the main factor affecting the stability and safety of autogyros has to do with how high the centre of gravity position is on the aircraft. The CAA will actually be taking this finding into account in future certification of the aircraft. Also, from now on, a computer can be used to simulate manoeuvres and configuration changes, which would otherwise jeopardise the pilots safety.

Why is the autogyro becoming popular again?
Well, it's the ideal aircraft for having fun! It is cheap to acquire and maintain and relatively easy to fly; in the UK you can get a full license in 40-hour-worth of lessons. The main interest in it lies in the US and the UK. The Groen Brothers and the Carter Copters have been working on more advanced, high-performance models by incorporating modern technology, such as turbine engines.

Are there many other Greeks involved with autogyros?
Very few, actually. As far as I'm aware, there is only one guy at the Aero Club of Athens who follows this unique hobby.

What is the future of the autogyro?
It would be great to give it a more useful role to play probably in the civilian rather than the military arena. City traffic being a daily issue, a cheap aircraft, with very limited take-off and landing requirements, could save us a lot of hassle. Imagine, for example, rather than being stranded at Pireas port for half a day, you could jump onto your autogyro and arrive in Santorini a couple of hours later! Another potential use is for observation: forest-fire observation is something that definitely comes to mind when thinking of Greece.

What are your plans for the future?
My aim is to continue in academia here in Greece and, if given the chance, to further pursue my research in autogyros. In the meantime, I have my military service to complete.