The Gyro-Kopp-Ters Midnight Hawk is an American autogyro, designed by Bob and Arden Kopp and produced by their company, Gyro-Kopp-Ters of Lake City, Florida. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1][2]
| Midnight Hawk | |
|---|---|
| Role | Autogyro |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Gyro-Kopp-Ters |
| Designer | Bob and Arden Kopp |
| Status | In production (2015) |
Design and development
editThe Midnight Hawk features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 90 hp (67 kW) Subaru EA-82 automotive conversion engine in pusher configuration. The engine is available with a belt reduction drive or as a direct drive version.[1][2]
The aircraft mounts a 25 ft (7.6 m) diameter Dragon Wings main rotor made by Rotor Flight Dynamics, with a chord of 7 in (17.8 cm). Standard equipment fitted includes a hydraulic pre-rotator. The propeller used is a three-bladed Powerfin composite, ground adjustable with a 5 ft (1.5 m) diameter. The aircraft has an empty weight of 510 lb (231 kg) and a gross weight of 810 lb (367 kg), giving a useful load of 300 lb (136 kg).[1][3]
The company estimates the assembly time from the supplied kit as 60 hours.[3]
Operational history
editBy November 2017 four examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[4]
Specifications (Midnight Hawk)
editData from Bayerl and Gyro-Kopp-Ters[1][3]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 12 ft 1 in (3.68 m)
- Width: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
- Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
- Empty weight: 510 lb (231 kg)
- Gross weight: 810 lb (367 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 16 U.S. gallons (61 L; 13 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Subaru EA-82 four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke automotive engine, 90 hp (67 kW)
- Main rotor diameter: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Powerfin composite, ground adjustable, 5 ft (1.5 m) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn)
- Cruise speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)
- Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.0 m/s)
References
edit- ^ a b c d Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 180. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ a b Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 195. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ a b c Gyro-Kopp-Ters (January 2, 2009). "Specifications". Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
- ^ Federal Aviation Administration (November 18, 2017). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved November 18, 2017.[permanent dead link]
External links
edit- Official website
- Official photos Archived November 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine