View source for Engineering:Rotorwing-Aero 3D-RV

{{Short description|American autogyro}}
<!-- This article is a part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout. -->
{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
 | name=3D-RV
 | image=
 | caption=
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
 | type=[[Engineering:Autogyro|Autogyro]]
 | national origin={{wipe|United States}}
 | manufacturer=[[Company:Rotorwing-Aero|Rotorwing-Aero]]
 | designer=Monte Hoskins
 | first flight=1989
 | introduced=
 | retired=
 | status=Production completed 
 | primary user=
 | more users= <!--Limited to three in total; separate using <br /> -->
 | produced= <!--years in production-->
 | number built=Three (1998)
 | program cost= <!--Total program cost-->
 | unit cost= US$100.00 (plans only, 1998)
 | developed from= 
 | variants with their own articles=
}}
|}
The '''Rotorwing-Aero 3D-RV''' is an American [[Engineering:Autogyro|autogyro]] that was designed by Monte Hoskins and produced by  [[Company:Rotorwing-Aero|Rotorwing-Aero]] of Salt Lake City, Utah, introduced in 1989. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for [[Engineering:Homebuilt aircraft|amateur construction]].<ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 331. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref>

==Design and development==
The 3D-RV was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|250|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} when equipped with a Rotax 503 or Rotax 582 engine. With heavier engines it can be [[Engineering:Aircraft registration|registered]] in the US ''Experimental - Amateur-built'' category.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The 3D-RV features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, [[Engineering:Tricycle landing gear|tricycle landing gear]] with hydraulic disk brakes, plus a tail [[Finance:Caster|caster]]. The acceptable power range is {{convert|50|to|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engines used are twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 engine and the twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 582 engine, mounted in [[Engineering:Pusher configuration|pusher configuration]].<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The aircraft [[Engineering:Fuselage|fuselage]] is made from bolted-together [[Chemistry:Aluminum|aluminum]] tubing and welded 4130 steel tubing. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of {{convert|25|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} and may use either manufactured metal blades or homemade ''Gyrotor'' wooden blades. The prototype was originally flown with wooden blades of {{convert|8|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} each, with a {{convert|5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} hub bar, for a diameter of {{convert|21|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}. In this configuration the aircraft flew acceptably, but did not climb well on hot days at higher [[Earth:Density altitude|density altitude]]s. The minimum control speed is {{convert|10|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The initial propeller used was a {{convert|64|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} two bladed ground adjustable unit, but the plans specify a three-bladed ground adjustable design of {{convert|56|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} diameter.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The prototype used a conventional low landing gear design, but this was later developed into a high landing gear to set the vertical [[Center of gravity of an aircraft|center of gravity]] to the prob hub height to prevent longitudinal stability issues and bunt "push-over" accidents. The final design features a tall aluminium [[Engineering:Rudder|rudder]].<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|250|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|550|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|300|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|5|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot and baggage is {{convert|270|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off roll with a {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|1000|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied plans as 400&nbsp;hours.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

==Operational history==
By 1998 the company reported that 35 sets of plans had been sold and three aircraft were completed and flying.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

One builder reported an eight-month completion time.<ref name="Aerocrafter" /> 
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==Specifications (3D-RV) ==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Purdy<ref name="Aerocrafter" />
|prime units?=imp<!-- imp or kts first for US aircraft, and UK aircraft pre-metrification, 
met(ric) first for all others. You MUST choose a format, or no specifications will show -->
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        General characteristics
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|genhide=

|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=8
|length in=6
|length note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=250
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=550
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|5|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
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|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 912ULS
|eng1 type=four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke [[Engineering:Aircraft engine|aircraft engine]]
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=100

|prop blade number=3
|prop name=three bladed ground adjustable
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=56
|prop dia note=

|rot number=1
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=25
|rot dia in=0
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=
|rot area note=
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        Performance
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|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=75
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=50
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=80
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=8000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=800
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
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|avionics=
}}

==See also==
*[[Engineering:List of rotorcraft|List of rotorcraft]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.oocities.org/capecanaveral/launchpad/5249/rotorwing.jpg Photo of a Rotorwing-Aero 3D-RV in flight]

[[Category:Homebuilt aircraft]]

{{Sourceattribution|Rotorwing-Aero 3D-RV}}