Raven Rotorcraft Explained

Raven Rotorcraft
Type:Privately held company
Foundation:1990s
Hq Location City:El Prado, New Mexico
Hq Location Country:United States
Industry:Aerospace
Products:Kit aircraft

Raven Rotorcraft (also called Raven Redrives and Raven Rotorcraft & Redrives, Inc.) is an American aircraft manufacturer based in El Prado, New Mexico and formerly of Boulder Colorado. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of autogyros in the form of kits for amateur construction and reduction drives for three and four cylinder Geo Metro and Honda automotive engines for aircraft use.[1] [2]

The company produced a very simple single-seat autogyro design in the 1990s, the Raven Explorer I for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules. This was followed by the Raven Explorer II two-seater for the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft category. By the 2010s these were both out of production. The company is engaged in developing a new winged autogyro, designated the Raven Rotor-Plane, for the cargo, search and rescue and aerial survey roles.[1] [3]

The company also produces complete aircraft engines for installation in homebuilt aircraft, such as the Raven 1000 UL, 1300 SVS Turbo and 1600 SV.[4]

Aircraft

+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"Summary of aircraft built by Raven Rotorcraft
Model nameFirst flightNumber builtType
Raven Explorer I1990sAt least oneSingle seat autogyro
Raven Explorer II1990sTwo seat autogyro
Raven Rotor-PlanependingnoneTwo seat winged autogyro

Notes and References

  1. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, pages 77 and 327-328. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998.
  2. Web site: Welcome to Raven Rotorcraft and Redrives. 3 April 2015. Raven Rotorcraft.
  3. Web site: The Shape of Things to Come. 3 April 2015. Raven Rotorcraft.
  4. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, pages 242-243. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X