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A flying-car company which has struggled for 15 years to win acceptance for its radical gyrocopter/aeroplane technology may have finally broken through into the mainstream. It was announced this week that Carter Aviation technologies - aspiring designer of the CarterCopter Personal Air Vehicle - has partnered with successful military robot maker AAI.
Well you should have gone before we left home.
The CarterCopter is described by its inventors as a "slowed rotor/compound" (SR/C) aircraft. In essence it's an autogyro - a helicopter whose rotors aren't powered but spin freely - with added wings. At slower speeds through the air, the rotor whirls faster and supports most of the CarterCopter's weight.
Going faster, the rotor slows to reduce drag and the wings take on the burden. The machine is driven through the air by one or more normal propellers.
A normal autogyro can land vertically - in the same fashion as a helicopter "autorotating" to an emergency landing - but it can't lift off straight up like a regular chopper. The CarterCopter avoids this, however, using a cunning gadget called a pre-rotator to make a "jump takeoff".
The pre-rotator, not being required to power the rotor when it is driving air, can be quite small and light. It is engaged with the CarterCopter sitting on the ground with blades pitched flat so as to offer zero resistance. The rotors are gradually spun up to very high speed, with their weighted tips allowing a lot of energy to be stored as in a flywheel - and the undercarriage holding the fuselage oriented.
When ready, the rotor pitch is pulled in and the forward driving prop engaged. The whizzing rotor heaves the machine up into the sky and the prop shoves it forward to flying speed. The CarterCopter can't hover in mid-air, but it can "jump" to a surprising height like this, clearing 50 foot buildings without bother.
COMMENTS
Steve Evans...
hmmm Fixed winger ?.....by the way the Fairy Rotordyne was brilliant but the real interesting aircraft for the future is this baby....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDOuoG6ljZA.
Its the tip jet. It has all the advantages of a heli without the mechanical complexity and training. Look towards the end of the video if you really want to see what this beaut can do...vertical take off like a rocket !!!
Dirk Koopman.....
The PPL-G in the UK also requires you to do a landing without power....check this guy out in the states .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajM3yOojPbg...as I said most fixed wingers dont understand that the latest gyro's are ''''''safe''''' note the quotes !
@Steve Evans
No, Steve, my point was that if a gyro engine cuts out, it's just as vulnerable as a plane over the Hudson. It's really a matter of luck, what's the wind doing at the time etc, no matter how well skilled the PIC is.
No offence to any gyro ops. here intended. You folks have my admiration. And, you can also borrow my straight-jacket and padded bedroom if you like.
Of course, you could always use it in the kitchen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8KsAPoSuPI
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