Hinchman H-1 Racer

H-1 Racer
Role	Single-seat Autogyro
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Hinchman Aircraft Company
Designer	Hank Hinchman
First flight	1987
Number built	3 (1998)

The Hinchman H-1 Racer is a 1980s American single-seat autogyro designed by Hank Hincham with plans or a kit available from Hincham Aircraft Company for amateur construction.^[1]^[2]

By 1998 the kit and plans were being offered by Winners Circle Engineering Inc. of Monrovia, Indiana.^[2]

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat enclosed cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, hydraulic disk brakes and a self-aligning nosewheel, plus a tail caster. The acceptable power range is 47 to 120 hp (35 to 89 kW) and the standard engine used is a twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 engine in pusher configuration. The cabin width is 22 in (56 cm).^[2]

The aircraft fuselage structure is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing has a full aerodynamic, bullet-shaped, composite cockpit fairing that adds 12 lb (5.4 kg) to the aircraft's empty weight. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 25.0 ft (7.6 m) and an optional pre-rotator. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 380 lb (170 kg) and a gross weight of 630 lb (290 kg), giving a useful load of 250 lb (110 kg). With full fuel of 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal) the payload for the pilot and baggage is 220 lb (100 kg).^[2]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 50 hp (37 kW) engine is 500 ft (152 m) and the landing roll is 10 ft (3 m).^[2]

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 150 hours.^[2]

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that 100 plans and kits had been sold and three aircraft were completed and flying.^[2]

In April 2015 one example was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration to the designer.^[3]

Specifications

Data from Taylor^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Height: 7 ft 11 in (2.41 m)
Empty weight: 300 lb (136 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 550 lb (249 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 503 , 50 hp (37 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 25 ft (7.6 m)

Performance

Maximum speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn)
Cruise speed: 65 mph (105 km/h, 56 kn)
Range: 65 mi (105 km, 56 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Taylor 1996, p. 349
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 335. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
^ Federal Aviation Administration (6 April 2015). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 6 April 2015.^{[permanent dead link]}

Bibliography

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/97. London, England: Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-198-1.

[Taylor-1] Taylor 1996, p. 349

[Aerocrafter-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 335. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1

[FAAReg-3] Federal Aviation Administration (6 April 2015). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 6 April 2015.^{[permanent dead link]}

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