Historical Helicycle

[gyroplanes]

I just found this picture of the first Helicycle.

I'll bet most people don't know the amazing Turbine Helicycle was once powered by 3 piston engines.

[gyro]

Tom, I got a 8mm video of it flying up in Oshkosh when they first came out. I dont have a 8mm camera no more but I'm trying to find a used one on EBay so I can get this footage converted and put on U-tube.

[Andrewka]

That even looks like B.J. Schram.

[hillberg]

Yep that B.J. and the first, Saw Him at Oshkosh 1995. The mini 500 was there too.

[akoschier]

BJ's convertible helicopter - claimed it would do 125 MPH.
More a marketing ploy in this configuration than anything else as he told me when we talked about it when he did my check-out. At the time he was using the Rotax engines and the pushers were I believe Xenoa's.
avk

[Monarchist]

The first time I talked to BJ about the pusher I said BJ, speaking to you as a helicopter pilot, this will hurt sales of the Helicycle, because it now looks like a contraption rather than a real helicopter. Don't get me wrong, he did a nice job installing them, but I think helis like Rotorway are successful because they look like helicopters, not science projects.

And of course they're gone now, and I daresay the Helicycle is the best kit helicopter on the market, bar none.

-John

[Arnie Madsen]

I believe BJ was just experimenting with his version of a compound helicopter here. The Helicycle was already developed and flying (piston engine) . He used identical pusher engines on the stub wings and had modified one engine to run in the opposite direction than the other to eliminate torque issues.

I think this compound heli is the one BJ hit power lines with. He survived but the machine did not.

[hillberg]

He did exberiments on an elete also, compound with wing.