FD-Composites ArrowCopter
The ArrowCopter is a series of Austrian autogyros, designed and produced by FD-Composites GmbH of Zeillern. The ArrowCopter AC20 series is supplied as complete, factory built ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1][2]
Design and development
The ArrowCopter was designed to comply with British BCAR Section T rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats in tandem configuration enclosed cockpit with a bubble canopy, stub wings, tricycle landing gear and a four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 engine in pusher configuration. The 100 hp (75 kW) normally aspirated Rotax 912S and a 118 hp (88 kW) BMW boxer engine with a reduction drive were reported as being under consideration in 2011 as alternate powerplants.[1]
The aircraft fuselage is made from an autoclave-cured carbon fibre/kevlar sandwich and mounts an 8.50 m (27.9 ft) diameter rotor. The main landing gear wheels are mounted on the tips of the short wings. The AC 10 has an empty weight of 250 kg (550 lb) and a gross weight of 450 kg (990 lb), giving a useful load of 200 kg (440 lb).[1]
Operational history
By January 2013 one example of the ArrowCopter AC10 had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[3]
Variants
- FD-Composites ArrowCopter AC10
- Initial version with a maximum takeoff mass of 560 kg (1,230 lb)[1]
- FD-Composites ArrowCopter AC20
- Production version with an empty mass of approximately 350 kg (770 lb) and a MTOM of 560 kg (1,230 lb)[4]
Specifications (AC20)
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: one passenger
- Length: 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in)
- Width: 2.455 m (8 ft 1 in)
- Height: 2.881 m (9 ft 5 in)
- Empty weight: 350 kg (772 lb)
- Gross weight: 560 kg (1,235 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 560 kg (1,235 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 72 litres (16 imp gal; 19 US gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, turbocharged four stroke aircraft engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
- Main rotor diameter: 8.50 m (27 ft 11 in)
- Propellers: 2-bladed FD-Composites
Performance
- Maximum speed: 195 km/h (121 mph; 105 kn)
- Cruising speed: 165 km/h (103 mph; 89 kn)
- Vmin: 30 km/h (16 kn; 19 mph))
- Never exceed speed: 195 km/h (121 mph; 105 kn)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 180. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ↑ FD-Composites (undated). "Contact Manufacturer & Distribution". Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (2 January 2013). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "ArrowCopter technical details". www.arrow-copter.com. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
External links
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