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Fed up of 4 wheel kits? Fancy something new?
Howlor - 8/8/08 at 06:09 PM

I bet you double check your nuts are tight after finishing this. I hope they don't have an achillies heel such as fatigue damaged wing stays!

Linky

Simon - 8/8/08 at 06:19 PM

Great, £14 grand plus same again for licence

ATB

Simon

David Jenkins - 8/8/08 at 06:19 PM

Looks like a very nice kit - a bargain for somebody.

However, there's a lot more than being a chopper pilot to worry about - there's a whole raft of airworthiness regulations and inspections to go through before it will be allowed to leave the ground.

I don't know if it's comes within the PFA (Popular Flying Association) remit - it's probably the only way that an amateur builder would stand a chance of getting it in the air. I know that they do cover some rotary-wing aircraft.

Even then, the standards are ultra-high and the inspectors stick to them rigidly (although they will offer guidance to get the thing built properly). My brother's a PFA inspector for small fixed-wing aircraft - and he's a bl**dy tough task-master! (ex. RAF officer who spent most of his career in roles with direct control of aircraft engineering).

[Edited on 8/8/08 by David Jenkins]

Paul TigerB6 - 8/8/08 at 06:24 PM

I'd rather have the other one as per "A Chopper Is Born" which i have been watching on Sky TV this week

Look at my big chopper

David Jenkins - 8/8/08 at 06:28 PM

There is NO WAY that Mark Evans built and registered that helicopter as an amateur builder! All the people standing around and helping him were from a helicopter maintenance company, and I wouldn't be surprised if they got it through inspections and registration as well.

[Edited on 8/8/08 by David Jenkins]

tegwin - 8/8/08 at 06:37 PM

Awsome looking thing...

But would I want to fly a helicopter with a 2 stroke engine...NOOO thanks..

Il stick with the R-22....

Simon - 8/8/08 at 07:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
But would I want to fly a helicopter with a 2 stroke engine...NOOO thanks..


When I was microlighting I was given a Rotax manual to read. On the front it said (along the lines of!).

Not approved for aircraft use as liable to stop working all of a sudden!

ATB

Simon

edspurrier - 8/8/08 at 08:05 PM

Helicopters are unnatural. They only fly because Earth repels them. Aeroplanes are meant to have fixed wings.

r1_pete - 8/8/08 at 08:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by edspurrier
Helicopters are unnatural. They only fly because Earth repels them. Aeroplanes are meant to have fixed wings.


A definition of flying:- "Throwing yourself on the ground, and missing!"

Dangle_kt - 8/8/08 at 08:51 PM

gyrocopters look like fun, you can build them yourself and seemingly much less difficult to get a licence - plus if the engine stops, you dont plumet to your death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfBpQix1P1Y

saigonij - 8/8/08 at 09:09 PM

the older guy from CBS was building a helicopter. think he has his licence now too

David Jenkins - 8/8/08 at 09:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by edspurrier
Helicopters are unnatural. They only fly because Earth repels them. Aeroplanes are meant to have fixed wings.


The classic description is "10,000 spare parts flying in loose formation"

[Edited on 8/8/08 by David Jenkins]

matt_claydon - 9/8/08 at 10:23 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
gyrocopters look like fun, you can build them yourself and seemingly much less difficult to get a licence - plus if the engine stops, you dont plumet to your death.


You don't in a helicopter either, you 'Autorotate'. A chopper with a failed engine is exactly the same as an autogyro with a failed engine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation

mistergrumpy - 9/8/08 at 10:34 AM

Incidentally, I saw a Lynx try to race a Merlin to take off in Iraq. The Merlin easily beat it but the Lynx got underneath and got blown back down. It went down quickly and managed to chop its own tail to pieces with the rotor This got overlooked though and I got a bo77ocking for crashing a landy God bless the forces and their "no blame" culture!!