GyroBee | |
---|---|
Role | Autogyro |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Star Bee Gyros |
Designer | Ralph E. Taggart |
First flight | 1990 |
Introduction | 1990 |
Status | Free documentation available (2013) Kits in production (2013) |
Variants | Midwest Hornet |
The Taggart GyroBee is an American autogyro that was designed by Ralph E. Taggart of Michigan State University and made available as free documentation. The aircraft is also produced in kit form by Star Bee Gyros of Worcester, Massachusetts for amateur construction.[1]
The GyroBee was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 247 lb (112 kg). It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a twin-cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 45 hp (34 kW) Zanzottera MZ 201 engine in pusher configuration.[1]
The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together 6061-T6 aluminum tubing. Its 23 ft (7.0 m) diameter Sport Copter rotor has a chord of 7 in (17.8 cm). With its empty weight of 247 lb (112 kg) and a gross weight of 550 lb (249 kg), it has a useful load of 303 lb (137 kg).[1]
Data from Bayerl[1]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era