0827
OTHER: Miscellaneous -
Published Stuff - Helicopters & Sport Pilot
Possible Future Compliance of UniCopter with the Sport Aircraft/Pilot Requirements:
February / 2002 ~ Helicopters will be excluded from Sports Aircraft/Pilot, because of the complexity of the craft.
The intent is to design the UniCopter so that a 1-seat and a 2-seat version will meet the Sport Aircraft weight requirement.
Many people think that it is cheaper to build a rotorcraft out of aluminum than out of composites and titanium. This is not absolutely correct.
The following table lists the majority of helicopters which have two-seats and could be considered as recreational. These helicopters have been separated into two groups; those that weigh less than the proposed Sport Pilot's maximum gross weight of 1232 pounds and those that are not weight compliant.|
Two-seat Helicopters: ~ Make & Model |
Empty Weight (lb) |
Useful Load (lb) |
Gross Weight (lb) |
E.W./UsefulLoad Ratio |
Price |
|
Sport Pilot Compliant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Masquito: M80 |
441 |
507 |
948 |
47/53 |
$50,000.00 |
|
Angel Kompress |
540 |
452 |
992 |
54/46 |
|
|
Dragonfly: 333 |
572 |
528 |
1100 |
52/48 |
$110,000.00 |
|
Ultrasport: 496 |
540 |
590 |
1130 |
48/52 |
$49,000.00 |
|
Revolution: Voyager-500 |
610 |
560 |
1170 |
52/48 |
|
|
Sport Pilot Non-compliant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robinson: R22 |
854 |
516 |
1370 |
62/38 |
$160,000.00 |
|
Safari |
920 |
500 |
1420 |
65/35 |
$68,900.00 |
|
Rotorway: R162 |
975 |
525 |
1500 |
65/35 |
$62,350.00 |
|
Brantly: B2B |
1020 |
650 |
1670 |
61/39 |
$150,000.00 |
|
Zeus |
1080 |
600 |
1680 |
64/36 |
$48,000.00 |
|
RotorMouse: EH1-02 |
900 |
900 |
1800 |
50/50 |
$80,000.00 |
|
Pawnee: Chief |
1270 |
600 |
1870 |
68/32 |
$43,500.00 |
|
Average of all helicopters |
810.2 |
577.3 |
1387.5 |
58/42 |
$82,175.00 |
|
Cost per pound (average) |
$101.43 |
$142.34 |
$59.22 |
|
|
The following information can be drawn from the above table.
The basic function of a helicopter is to lift and transport a payload (pilot, passenger, fuel, etc.). From the above table, it can be seen that the average cost of the helicopter per pound of payload is $142.34.
The average payload of a Sport Pilot compliant helicopter is 50% of its gross weight, whereas the average non-compliant helicopter's payload is only 37% of its gross weight.
The average cost of the compliant helicopter, per pound of payload is $132.20.
The average cost of the non-compliant helicopter, per pound of payload is $142.80.
This shows that building a compliant helicopter is actually cheaper, per pound of payload, then the non-compliant helicopter.
American Sportscopter may not have the 'sexiest' helicopters but they are certainly well positioned to meet the regulations in regard to the weight limitation. They are the only North American manufacture to have a single-seat helicopter in the Ultralight weight category and they are the only North American manufacture to have a two-seat helicopter in the Sport Pilot weight category.
Empty weight reduction has been claimed to be the most efficient method of improving helicopter performance ratios.
Example using the ultralight Ultrasport 254;
|
|
|
|
Empty weight |
252 lb. |
|
Useful load |
273 lb. |
|
Gross weight |
525 lb. |
|
Cost price (inc. misc. extras) |
$34,000.00 |
|
Cost per pound of useful load (34,000.00 / 273) |
$125.00 |
Ultralight Compliant Helicopters:
|
One Seat Helicopters: ~ Make & Model |
Empty Weight (lbs) |
|
Ultrasport: 254 |
254 |
|
Mosquito |
254 |
|
Rhyme BDH |
155 |
Very Miscellaneous Stuff:
|
Publication (abreviated): |
Date: |
|
|
|
Rotorcraft (PRA) |
Dec 2000 / Jan 2001 |
It appears that the North American recreational helicopter builders have some catching up to do. But isn't that one of the reasons for creating the Sports Pilot: - to allow the US to catch up?
I think that the conclusion is obvious. Those that would build recreational helicopters and desire a reasonable market share will have to move strongly into the use of light weight materials.
Posts on www.Rotorcraft.com
A weighty question.
It is claimed that the reduction of a rotorcraft's empty weight is the most efficient method of improving its performance ratios.
The Mini-500 is used as the example in this question;
The consensus is that this helicopter is under designed and under powered. The current solution in overcoming these deficiencies is that of replacing the weaker components (including the engine) with stronger ones.
Usually these stronger components are also heavier. It could be claimed that running all over the craft 'beefing up' parts is a never ending chase. It only keeps moving the problems elsewhere.Would it not make more sense to concentrate on reducing the empty weight of this craft, and thereby put less loading on the components? It will take more thought to determine what components to downsize, and by how much, but this might be less costly and also provide better performance. More importantly, it might result in a safer machine.
Only a 'half-assed thought. Would someone be willing to give a 'half-assed' reply, so that we can make a complete ass of ourselves?
____________________
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
The original posting came about when, out of boredom, I was looking at the currently available 2-seat recreational helicopters, to see which ones will come under the currently proposed Sport Pilot. Only one North American helicopter could be found - the Ultrasport 496. There are at least three European helicopters that comply.
For North American builders to get into this arena they are going to have to think 'WEIGHT', plus a few other words such as 'composite' and 'titanium'.
Information on Sports Aircraft
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Last Revised: October 28, 2002