Tractor Gyro with Rear Engine?

[gyropilot]

I just stumbled across a French prototype fully enclosed side-by-seat seating arrangement fixed wing aircraft which features a tractor propeller, but with the engine mounted behind the cockpit. A driveshaft runs between the occupants (under a tunnel).

You can see an overall picture here:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/isatis01/ulm16q.html

The main page is here:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/isatis01/

Couldn't such a concept be adapted to a gyro? It seems like it would potentially offer the best of both the tractor and pusher worlds. Someday I would like to have a fully enclosed side-by-side gyro with a tractor prop, and this concept has sparked my interest.

Maybe this tractor prop / rear engine concept has already been discussed and dismissed for use with a gyro?

Regards,

John

[RHerron]

John,

The Pitcairn AC-35 and the PA-36 were both configured like this.
The AC-35 was flown all over the country by Jim Ray and then landed in downtown Washington, DC and taxiied to the Smitsonian.
I had the honor of climbing in it and examining it all over a couple of years ago.
The biggest problem with this type of arrangement is the reliable transmission of power, torsional vibration being a factor as well as engine cooling.

[gyroblackwell]

John,

Don Shoebridge and I had discussed this idea about a ago!
Glad you posted the picture and the info. After I have completed and flown my Ultra-light tractor design, and don has flown his Hornet design. We plan on attacking just such and airframe. We both have lots of ideas to keep it light, and strong as well as dependable, and safe. I have never let negative comments stop me from creating, and I am sure not going to stop now. If you'd like to talk shop, and throw around ideas, please let me know! I would enjoy being part of a "tran-continental" design team!! :)

We can set up a netmeeting, or a chat room to share ideas, and maybe develop the next generation of gyroplane !

[quadrirotor]

OK

[gyropilot]

Gyromaxwell said:

"If you'd like to talk shop, and throw around ideas, please let me know! I would enjoy being part of a "tran-continental" design team!!"

You guys sound way ahead of me, so I don't know how much I could contribute... but I'm *definitely* interested.

Someday I want to build a 2-place gyro, and while I really want a tractor design, I also want side-by-side seating and the mostly unobstructed forward view of a pusher configuration.

Anyway... count me in! If nothing else I know I'll learn a lot from you guys.

John L.

[gyroblackwell]

I had a few minutes this morning, so I built this "mono-pod" based on the info that John Landry provided. It is just a rough model, but shows how easy it may be to develop a 2seat-side-by-side, tractor gyro with mid-engine drive.

The pointed end would be the prop spinner, and I propose that the tail be inverted much like chuck beaty's machine. the seats could be all aluminum like the seat that Ron showed us (gyrobee build) and there-fore adjustable. the fuel cells would be under each seat in an enclosed compartment. The center tunnel provides for the carbon fiber drive-shaft as well as providing the back-bone or "keel" for the gyro. The doors would slide back and forth like mini-van side doors, and can be very light. check out the slide doors on a searay anphib ultralight (fix-wing). an instrument pod mounts on top of the tunnel in easy view of both passengers.

comments?