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www.fusioncopter.eu
They say 35 hp and 220 lbs empty, 440 lbs maximum
6 liters/h in level flight
Best climb slope 395 ft/mn at 82 mph
Electrical starter
Hydraulic launcher
20.000 Euros
1. Worldwide, gyro pilots haven't been able to fly on only 35 hp. Actually, Pollini's stats come to 36.5 hp). Once up in the air, yeah, & even a bit less that that in level flight, but not enough horses for taking off & climbing out w/ rotorblade drag.
Ralph Taggert & his flying partner, Don Chubb, found the Kawasaki 440 engine's claims of 40 hp to be exaggerated, & believed it to be highly likely to be only 35 hp, by it's output & their lack of being able to fly w/ it. They reported the Rotax 447 was accurately 40 hp, & performed well for their ultralight gyro.
2. I'd believe the 220# w/out the fairing/canopy & glass or polycarbonate windscreen, & w/out the weight of a hydraulic prerotator.
3. 6 L. per hr. fuel consumption also is unheard of in a gyro. Sounds very reasonable in a very light airplane.
4. Their several videos do not show any takeoffs from a dead stop, nor the rotors being prerotated, just like Dennis Fetter's Air Command videos left that part out. Only climbing out. Any FAA Part 103 gyro doesn't/hasn't any room in the weight portion of the regs to carry the weight of a hy. pump, hoses, & fluids.
5. Price could be barely believable, but remains to be seen, as sales occur. Lowest price worldwide for a single place, flying gyroplane being sold to the publc...
I'd be concerned about the airframe aviation quality features if the weight & price hold to their stated values. Also, if the rotors are extruded, they aren't as lightweight as traditional aluminum skinned ones.
The photo taken from the ground looking up @ it overhead in flight shows a tapered keel from mast to tail. Maybe a box, (or composite) keel there?
The prop seems too small for good thrust, as well as being high thrustline. The horizontal tail appears too small to easily overcome that design flaw. Their video's music drown out the sounds of the engine, prop, & rotorblades, masking the sounds that enables gyro pilots to discern about their flying characteristics.
The three pilots shown on their Facebook page looks to be stout fellas, and not very lightweight pilots that might be able to fly on so little hp.
Their webpage shows other designs they have in the pipeline (computer designs, not actual photos). Also, they mention their development $$ are co-funded from the European Union. The Airbus of the rotorcraft world. Eurocopter Jr. Sounds like it is an unlimited pocketbook until the EU purse-strings holders get tired of sending their euros into the black hole...
Although I don't believe the accuracy of their numbers ( and, what aircraft design's numbers are entirely believable until others verify them?), I love this design, and hope it is successful!