Engineering:Air Copter A3C
| A3C | |
|---|---|
| Role | Autogyro |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Air Copter |
| Status | In production (2011) |
The Air Copter A3C is a French autogyro, designed and produced by Air Copter of Lherm, Haute-Garonne. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]
Design and development
The A3C was designed to comply with amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seat side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition, turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 or a normally-aspirated 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912S engine mounted in pusher configuration.[1]
Air Copter is well known as a designer and manufacturer of gyroplane rotor blades and other dynamic components and they also make their own components for the A3C. The aircraft's 8.40 m (27.6 ft) diameter rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in) and employs a NACA 8H12 airfoil. The main rotor has a pre-rotator to shorten take-off distance. The aircraft 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][2]
Specifications (A3C)
Data from Bayerl[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: one passenger
- Airfoil: NACA 8H12
- Empty weight: 250 kg (551 lb)
- Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 34 litres (7.5 imp gal; 9.0 US gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, turbocharged, four stroke aircraft engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
- Main rotor diameter: 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
- Propellers: 3-bladed composite
Performance
- Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
- Cruise speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
- Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 174. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ↑ Jane's Information Group (3 November 2011). "Air Copter - Air Copter Sarl (France), Aircraft - Manufacturer". http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-All-the-Worlds-Aircraft/Air-Copter--Air-Copter-Sarl-France.html.
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