Air Copter A3C

The Air Copter A3C is a French autogyro, designed and produced by Air Copter of Lherm, Haute-Garonne. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

"A3C" redirects here. For the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre (A3C), see Lot Fourteen.
A3C
Role Autogyro
National origin France
Manufacturer Air Copter
Status In production (2011)

Design and development

The A3C was designed to comply with amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seat side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition, turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 or a normally-aspirated 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912S engine mounted in pusher configuration.[1]

Air Copter is well known as a designer and manufacturer of gyroplane rotor blades and other dynamic components and they also make their own components for the A3C. The aircraft's 8.40 m (27.6 ft) diameter rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in) and employs a NACA 8H12 airfoil. The main rotor has a pre-rotator to shorten take-off distance. The aircraft has an empty weight of 250 kg (550 lb) and a gross weight of 450 kg (990 lb), giving a useful load of 200 kg (440 lb).[1][2]

Specifications (A3C)

Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Airfoil: NACA 8H12
  • Empty weight: 250 kg (551 lb)
  • Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 34 litres (7.5 imp gal; 9.0 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, turbocharged, four stroke aircraft engine, 86 kW (115 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed composite

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)

References
  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 174. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. Jane's Information Group (3 November 2011). "Air Copter - Air Copter Sarl (France), Aircraft - Manufacturer". Retrieved 26 December 2012.
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