ceirva c30

[Doug Riley]

Igor Bensen (not "Benson") did not invent the pusher gyro.

Cierva submitted a drawing of a pusher as part of one of his patent applications.

The Buhl company produced a successful pusher gyro using a Cierva-Pitcairn rotor system, under a U.S. sub-license. It had a huge HS centered in the propwash. Its crew cabin was quite high. Its vertical tail spanned the prop circle and used above-the-prop bracing like a Dominator or Barnett.

Interestingly, the Buhl Pusher also used aerodynamic controls, not direct cyclic pitch. It had slender wings with ailerons for roll control, and that big H-stab had elevators for pitch control.

Bensen had flown a Cierva-style tractor gyro belonging to his employer quite a bit before he adapted his version of the Hafner Rotachute (a WWII gyroglider) to power. I imagine he chose pusher power because it allowed him to use the gyroglider frame with almost no modification, while a tractor demands a more airplane-like fuselage.

[markham]

clint martindale advised me to get instruction in a traditional gyrocopter and to finish up my fixed wing tail wheel instruction and between the two he says the transition is easy
and as for the full size kellet other than the cost of the radial engine I don't think it would be do out of sight price wise to build one but then i have my own machine shop,and tig welding up a fusalage is cake to.

[WHY]

HI John

Sounds like you would be in prime shape to build one, but as you say about the engine. I don't know what one of the older small radial engines like a 220 Continental would costs. I'm not sure if the new Rotec 9 cylinder 150 hp radial would have enough hp for a larger tractor like a that.

Tony

PS The rotor head and system would be the sleeper to find

[mercert]

Doug,
no place in my post did i say Igor Bensen "invented" the pusher! I stated he "introduced HIS" gyrocopter!
and EXCUUUUSE ME for misspelling Bensen!

John here is a picture of my Tractor i just spent the last 2 1/2 years building. as soon as my clutch is complete i can start testing and get it inspected and start flying it.

keep the dream alive of building a tractor, no matter which design you choose.

Tim