Subject: Wondering about Prof. Eric Laithwaite and gyroscopes...

I hope this one isn't too trivial or off the wall for you, but I heard from 
a TV program and surfing the Web about a Professor Eric Laithwaite.  He had 
some unconventional ideas about gyroscopes and there was a demonstration he 
gave with a 50 lb. flywheel that was too heavy for him to lift.  But when 
the flywheel was spun up to build up a large angular momentum and it began 
to precess, then it was easy for him to lift it even above his head.  
Although he was brilliant at other areas of engineering, I tend to think 
that he and I are misunderstanding something about gyroscopes rather than 
an alternative explanation that he thought was implied that a precessing 
gyroscope losses weight.  So the question is: How is that explained, why is 
it so much easier to lift the heavy flywheel when it's precessing than when 
it's just motionless?  There are a few people who are trying to build 
devices that can produce lift by applying this principle.  It's an 
intriguing idea.  They're probably misguided, but I'm not sure why.  I'd be 
interested in seeing an explanation from one of you "Mad Scientists."
Thanks.

Re: Wondering about Prof. Eric Laithwaite and gyroscopes...