American Sportscopter Ultrasport 254 Explained
The
American Sportscopter Ultrasport 254 is an American
helicopter that was designed and produced by
American Sportscopter and first flown in July 1993. The aircraft was produced by Light's American Sportscopter Inc from 1999. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for
amateur construction.
[1] [2] [3] Design and development
The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 2540NaN0. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 2520NaN0. It features a single main rotor, an enclosed cockpit with a windshield, skid-type landing gear and a twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition 550NaN0 Hirth 2703 engine.
The aircraft fuselage fairing is made from composites. Its 211NaN1 diameter main rotor employs an ATI 012 (VR-7 mod) airfoil at the blade root, becoming an ATI 008 (VR-7 mod) at the tip. The main and tail rotor blades are of honeycomb composite construction. The cyclic control is roof-mounted, hanging down into the cockpit, but is otherwise conventional. The 231NaN1 diameter tail rotor features a shrouded tail rotor and a tailplane with end-fins.[4]
When it was available, the aircraft could be purchased as a 150-hour assembly kit or as a 60-hour quick-build kit. No plans were available.
See also
Notes and References
- Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page F-6. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.
- Downey, Julia: 2005 Trikes 'Chutes and Rotorcraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 22, Number 2, February 2005, page 54. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- Web site: American Sportscopter International Inc (United States), Buyer's guide airframe manufacturers. 10 April 2012. Jane's Information Group. 2009. January 26, 2013. https://archive.today/20130126214514/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Helicopter-Markets-and-Systems/American-Sportscopter-International-Inc-United-States.html. dead.
- Web site: The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage. 3 January 2012. Lednicer. David. 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100420012244/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html. 20 April 2010. dead. dmy-all.
