AR-2 Side by Side Gyroplane coming starting mid 2023

Abid

AR-1 gyro manufacturer
Joined
Oct 31, 2011
Messages
6,257
Location
Tampa, FL
Aircraft
AR-1
Total Flight Time
4000+ 560 gyroplanes. Sport CFI Gyro and Trikes. Pilot Airplane
Hi All
I wanted to make this announcement here that the AR-2 side by side gyroplane from SilverLight Aviation will be released mid 2023
It is a composite aircraft whose mission is simplicity of a gyroplane with better cruise with baggage like you will find in LSA airplanes like RV12 to allow cross country touring for 2. Fuel capacity is slated to be 30 US gallons. The wing span is just shy of 14 feet, 3 place adjustment on rudder and 3 positions for the seats. The body and cockpit is composite monocoque and the mast is metal. The twin boom tubes right now are slated to be round metal tubes as well. It has a cruciform tail.
The standard engine is going to be Rotax 915iS with fixed pitch ground adjustable propeller to meet LSA requirements for Sport Pilots. We are also starting talks with some other engine suppliers, but all the engines will be dedicated aircraft engines not alternate engines or even things like Edge Performance engines or Yamaha conversions. We believe aircraft should use engines designed for aircraft committed to by the manufacturer of the engine.

The idea is to be able to fly with doors on or off with some limitations on speed with doors off.
It is a departure from current production gyroplanes. The design is copyrighted and patent pending.

The development is funded by owner investors not via loan and we are not taking orders for it yet. We would however be interested in developing a potential early adopter list. To make sure the list contains people who are truly serious, we will ask for $100 deposit. Not much but enough to get off the tire kickers and leave the ones who are somewhat serious. This list will get the initial price which is slated to be $150k with standard options which include
915iS engine
Ground Adjustable composite prop
Garmin G3X 10 inch or a Dynon HDx 10 inch screen
Transponder
Radio/Com
ADSB
Differential brakes and castoring nose wheel
46 inch wide cabin
Gyroplane Warning System (GWS)
Detachable doors

Option will include
Autopilot
Hard mount points for cameras and equipment underneath the wing spar
Interior Finish package
Tinted Glass
Different upgraded paints
Single Lever in-flight adjusting propeller for 915iS (currently gyroplane private rated pilots only)


If interested in getting on the early adopter's list, please e-mail [email protected] and use subject line "AR-2 Early Adopters List - (Your Name)"

When the prototype has gone through enough flight testing, we will be then asking for real deposits for production for delivery spots in 2023.
For existing AR-1 customers, we will give preference if they want to sell their AR-1 and buy an AR-2
 

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Abid, just checking:

Is this forecast to an EAB or other certification?

EAB and later on when FAA gets the rule out SLSA and ELSA. But all orders require Builder's Assist taken at factory
Not interested in spending $20 mil to get standard certification under Part 27. No business justification for that
Primary Category cert is a joke and not recognized anywhere else and does not allow commercial ops so has no advantage over SLSA
 
Can's wait to see a flying prototype...

Would you have anything to see around Bensen Days? I would love to swing by the factory to take a peek...
 
Can's wait to see a flying prototype...

Would you have anything to see around Bensen Days? I would love to swing by the factory to take a peek...

I will let you know Peter but I am hoping to have a prototype done by April 2023 so flight test program can start. As I say, small adjustments and changes take an aircraft from zero to hero. Thus there is no substitute for a strict flight test program from a perceptive pilot who diligently and with discipline records feedback from a prescribed test flight script.
 
That looks sweet too!
Good job Abid!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Hi Abid,
Have you been able to estimate any possible rotor offload yet, or is the wing lift negligible?
Jim
 
Will it swallow $4m?

May be if I was designing a 6 seat Turbo prop airplane going 250 knots true airspeed. No designing something and first prototype of this is just under $600k. I have learned to bootstrap fairly well in my LSA career
 
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Hi Abid,
Have you been able to estimate any possible rotor offload yet, or is the wing lift negligible?
Jim
22 - 25% is the estimate but I am looking to change certain things (like using different airfoil section at the tips instead of washout and putting more angle/delta sweep in the wing to increase yaw stability) and that may be effect this. Mostly aiming for it to be effective at higher speed so L/D curve may indicate less benefit from the winglet as parasitic drag instead of induced drag may rule more. If I can balance the airfoil section to where I can match the target gyro cruise speed such that is is close in range to airfoil L/Dmax, winglets would be very useful to maximize efficiency as well as for yaw stability. Sweep back will increase that also but makes wing a little less efficient. Always compromises
 
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22 - 25% is the estimate but I am looking to change certain things (like using different airfoil section at the tips instead of washout and putting more angle/delta sweep in the wing to increase yaw stability) and that may be effect this. Mostly aiming for it to be effective at higher speed so L/D curve may indicate less benefit from the winglet as parasitic drag instead of induced drag may rule more. If I can balance the airfoil section to where I can match the target gyro cruise speed such that is is close in range to airfoil L/Dmax, winglets would be very useful to maximize efficiency as well as for yaw stability. Sweep back will increase that also but makes wing a little less efficient. Always compromises
Yes, but will it have cupholders???? If anyone can bring it to market, I trust Abid will make it and deliver on time.
 
22 - 25% is the estimate but I am looking to change certain things (like using different airfoil section at the tips instead of washout ...
Abid, would you elaborate on this statement?
Washout or airfoil changes are concepts that I associate with airplanes, helicopters, and windmills.
I don't know your complete plan for this airfoil, but if you are optimizing for higher speeds; why would you not use a constant AoA and airfoil?
Washout allows ailerons to be effective just a little bit longer into the stall; I doubt you have ailerons or other airfoil altering devices.
For a gyroplane, there could be flight regimes where the wing is stalled (vertical descents, landing flare, etc) and the rotor carries the entire load; what does it buy you to have that narrow AoA band where the tips are not stalled?
How much rotor RPM will be decreased in cruise by the wing?
I do like your wing and twin boom design.
 
Abid, would you elaborate on this statement?
Washout or airfoil changes are concepts that I associate with airplanes, helicopters, and windmills.
I don't know your complete plan for this airfoil, but if you are optimizing for higher speeds; why would you not use a constant AoA and airfoil?
Washout allows ailerons to be effective just a little bit longer into the stall; I doubt you have ailerons or other airfoil altering devices.
For a gyroplane, there could be flight regimes where the wing is stalled (vertical descents, landing flare, etc) and the rotor carries the entire load; what does it buy you to have that narrow AoA band where the tips are not stalled?
How much rotor RPM will be decreased in cruise by the wing?
I do like your wing and twin boom design.

So there is a wing in this Gyroplane to enhance efficiency or to allow to fly a bit faster at same fuel burn.

Even though you have a rotor which doesn’t stall. You still do not want stop stalling scenario coming in to land. You can do a Hershey bar wing which naturally stalls at root first or if you have taper in the wing platform or sweep you have to use washout or different airfoil section at the tip to achieve root stalling smoothly going out evenly. The wing span is significant enough that tip stall may be noticeable. Anyway it doesn’t take much to not have it so why not. The challenge is that you don’t want an airfoil and wing running stalled out at 60 knots and becoming effective above that speed. It creates a lot of drag stalled out. So you want it stall to be at a lower speed than any expected normal cruise. Say below 40. That is when you are likely flaring. Certainly don’t want any surprises in handling there. .
 
Yes, but will it have cupholders???? If anyone can bring it to market, I trust Abid will make it and deliver on time.

I need to get those added and also a step on either side to get in. It is pretty close to center line thrust to try and keep efficiency higher.
 
Yes, but will it have cupholders???? If anyone can bring it to market, I trust Abid will make it and deliver on time.

I don't know about on time. I work on PST. Pakistani American Standard Time. Just ask some Brit Londoners how that works. You never show up to a Pakistani wedding invite on time. They just may be setting up tables and will look at you funny.
But seriously in these days of post Covid supply chains and skilled labor shortage is determining the execution of time. For almost 8 months in 2020/21 I could not even get canopy glass anywhere in the US. Who would have ever thought. Garmin is redesigning their EFIS etc. With different chips just to be able to keep up.
 
EAB and later on when FAA gets the rule out SLSA and ELSA. But all orders require Builder's Assist taken at factory
Not interested in spending $20 mil to get standard certification under Part 27. No business justification for that
Primary Category cert is a joke and not recognized anywhere else and does not allow commercial ops so has no advantage over SLSA
SLSA would be wonderful, as my eventual goal is to be a flight instructor. And that is certainly an interesting design. I've not seen a modern gyro with wings before.
 
As phase 2 of development it would be nice to have foldable wings for easier storage... We, gyro pilots, are spoiled by the way we can fit multipla machines in the same hangar... Maybe, do interchangeable win tips for various types of flying... ;)
 
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