FD-Composites ArrowCopter explained
The
ArrowCopter is a series of
Austrian
autogyros, designed and produced by FD-Composites GmbH of
Zeillern. When it was in production the ArrowCopter AC20 series was supplied as complete, factory built, ready-to-fly-aircraft.
[1] [2] By the summer of 2018 the company website had been removed and the company had filed for insolvency protection. In October 2019 the Sichuan Dahua General Aircraft Manufacturing Company of China purchased the assets of the company.[3] [4] [5]
Design and development
The ArrowCopter was designed to comply with British BCAR Section T rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats in tandem configuration enclosed cockpit with a bubble canopy, stub wings, tricycle landing gear and a four-cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition turbocharged 1150NaN0 Rotax 914 engine in pusher configuration. The 1000NaN0 normally aspirated Rotax 912S and a 1180NaN0 BMW boxer engine with a reduction drive were reported as being under consideration in 2011 as alternate powerplants.[1]
The aircraft fuselage is made from an autoclave-cured carbon fibre/kevlar sandwich and mounts an 8.51NaN1 diameter rotor. The main landing gear wheels are mounted on the tips of the short wings. The AC 10 has an empty weight of 250kg (550lb) and a gross weight of 450kg (990lb), giving a useful load of 200kg (400lb).[1]
The AC 10 flew for the first time on 20 November 2008 and the first production examples appeared in 2011. Production of the AC 20 began in 2012. By 2015 at least 40 aircraft had been produced, going to customers in nine countries.[6]
In September 2018, FD-Composites GmbH filed for insolvency protection due to management and financial issues. In October 2019 the Sichuan Dahua General Aircraft Manufacturing Company of China completed the purchase of ArrowCopter's assets. Sichuan Dahua indicated that they intended to retain manufacturing in Austria and set up parallel manufacturing in China.[5]
Operational history
By January 2013 one example of the ArrowCopter AC10 had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[7]
Variants
- FD-Composites ArrowCopter AC10
Initial version with a maximum takeoff mass of 560kg (1,240lb)[1]
- FD-Composites ArrowCopter AC20
Production version with an empty mass of 342kg (754lb) and a MTOM of 560kg (1,240lb)[8] External links
Notes and References
- Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 180. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- Web site: Contact Manufacturer & Distribution . 3 January 2013 . FD-Composites . n.d. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130125051308/http://www.arrow-copter.com/adressen_en.html . 25 January 2013 .
- Web site: ArrowCopter – English. 2 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180402112401/http://www.arrow-copter.com/. 21 September 2018. 2018-04-02.
- Web site: ArrowCopter – English. 5 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180805184402/http://www.arrow-copter.com/. 21 September 2018. 2018-08-05.
- Web site: Sichuan Dahua acquires the ‘ArrowCopter’, the world’s fastest gyrocopter. 3 November 2021. pilotweb.aero. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20211103121215/https://www.pilotweb.aero/news/arrowcopter-chinese-purchase-6305074. 3 November 2021. live.
- Book: Gunston, Bill . Jane's All the World's Aircraft : development & production : 2016-17. 2016. IHS Global. 978-0-7106-3177-0 . 28.
- Web site: Make / Model Inquiry Results. 2 January 2013. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. 2 January 2013. 5 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013830/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=AC+10&PageNo=1. dead.
- Web site: ArrowCopter technical details . www.arrow-copter.com . 3 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130819015533/http://www.arrow-copter.com/technical-details_en.html . 19 August 2013 .
