North American Rotorwerks Pitbull Ultralight Explained

The North American Rotorwerks Pitbull Ultralight is an American autogyro, designed and produced by North American Rotorwerks of Tukwila, Washington. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction, but by 2013 production had been suspended.[1] [2] [3]

Design and development

The Pitbull Ultralight was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 2540NaN0, although the aircraft has a standard empty weight of 2600NaN0. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit with a windshield, conventional landing gear and a twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition 400NaN0 Rotax 447 engine in tractor configuration. The dual ignition 500NaN0 Rotax 503 and the Subaru EA81 automotive conversion are both optional.[3]

The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together square aluminum tubing, with the engine mount made from 6061-T6 aluminium. The down-struts are made from 4130 steel tubing. Its 23.61NaN1 diameter Fleck rotor has a chord of 71NaN1 and is made from extruded aluminum. The landing gear is made from 4130 steel tubing and the tailplane is strut-braced. An electric pre-rotator is standard, while a bubble canopy for year-round flying is optional. With its empty weight of 2600NaN0 and a gross weight of 5000NaN0, the useful load is 2400NaN0.[3]

The aircraft is intended to resemble the autogyros of the 1930s and as such it uses a radial engine-style round cowling, rounded rudder, barrel-shaped fuselage and other antique styling details.

Operational history

By January 2013 five examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[4]

Variants

Pitbull Ultralight
  • Base model with 400NaN0 Rotax 447 or the 500NaN0 Rotax 503 engine. Installed power can be from 38to. Estimated construction time from the factory-supplied assembly kit is 50 hours.
    Pitbull SS
  • Higher powered model for the Experimental - amateur-built category, with 640NaN0 Rotax 582 or an 850NaN0 Subaru engine. Installed power can be from 50to. Empty weight of 2900NaN0 and a gross weight of 6100NaN0, the useful load is 3200NaN0. Estimated construction time from the factory-supplied assembly kit is 80 hours.

    Notes and References

    1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 184. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
    2. Web site: North American Rotorwerks presents the Pitbull. 12 January 2013. North American Rotorwerks. n.d..
    3. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 327. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998.
    4. Web site: Make / Model Inquiry Results. 12 January 2013. Federal Aviation Administration. 12 January 2013.

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