The American Air Jet American is an American homebuilt tip jet helicopter designed and built by American Air Jet of Woodland Park, Colorado for amateur construction from kits.^[1]

Design and development

The American is either a tandem two-seat or single seat helicopter first flown in July 1988. It has an aluminium alloy enclosed cockpit with a twin skid landing gear and non-moving tail surfaces. The American has a twin-blade single rotor made from glassfibre and no tail rotor, on the prototype a 280 hp (209 kW) Wankel rotary engine drives a centrifugal compressor that provides air to thrust jets on the tips of the blades.^[1]

Specifications (Prototype)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1989-90^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
• Height: 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
• Empty weight: 980 lb (445 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,600 lb (726 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wankel rotary engine , 208 hp (109 kW)
• Main rotor diameter: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 90 mph (145 km/h, 78 kn)
• Cruise speed: 70 mph (113 km/h, 61 kn)
• Range: 300 mi (483 km, 260 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,050 m)