N178V — Sport Copter Vortex II Trainer ($23,500 obo)

SportCopter

Active Member
Joined
May 13, 2014
Messages
173
Location
Scappoose
Aircraft
Vortex M912, SportCopter II, Vortex 582, M2
FOR SALE — N178V — Sport Copter Vortex II Trainer (1725 hours)
$23,500 obo (Subaru 2.2l needs rebuilding)


Designed by Jim Vanek, this was Sport Copter's tandem-seat open-frame training gyro for several years. It is very forgiving to land, and can take a purposely crabbed touchdown up to 20 degrees.

Currently nonairworthy because the installed engine is blown in one cylinder (piston, or con rod, we don't know). We'd considering rebuilding it, but decided not to bother since we'll be using our new side-by-side M2 as our next trainer. A spare EJ2.5 is included (which, to our best recollection, has merely a lifter issue). Other than its nonrunning engine, we'd still be flying our Vortex II. (It last flew in Spring 2019.)

Its many valuable components (Sport Copter rotorhead, Sport Rotors, M912 tail, geared redrive, hydraulic prerotator, etc.) are worth in total more than our asking price. (We're not parting it out.)

● Subaru 2.2l block with 2.5l heads (fuel-injected)
● geared reduction drive
● hydraulic prerotator (smooth actuation, spins to 300 rrpm)
● rotorhead: Sport Copter (6061-T6 towers gold anodized, teeter flap stops)
● 8.5"x30' Sport Rotors (with <1000 hours flight time, and 1000+ hours remaining)
● nosewheel: fully castering urethane-bushed nosewheel
● main gear suspension: urethane-bushed
● Vortex M912 tail (with larger outboard vertical stabs than in photos)
● dual: intercom, throttle/prerotator/flight controls, differential toe brakes
● avionics: Microair radio
● seats: aerospace foam, 4-point harness belts
● Odyssey battery
● fuel tank: 11 gallon rotamolded cross-linked HDPE

See below pdf for more photos.
This unique Sport Copter gyro (and spare engine) will be sold "As-Is, Where-Is" without any warranty, express or implied.
FOB Scappoose, Oregon (hangared at KSPB).

A one-of-a-kind 2-place Sport Copter! $23,500 obo.

Sport Copter, Inc.
34012 Skyway Drive
Scappoose, OR 97056
[email protected] 503.543.7000
 

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Last edited:
Thank you, Paul, glad to read that!

Somebody decent with engines could probably get N178V running over a weekend. We haven't yet placed an ad with Barnstormers, but will soon.
 
N178V has sold, with our thanks to the buyer and this forum!
 
For all you Sport Copter enthusiasts, you’ll be happy to know the Vortex II trainer is going to a good home. My Dad & I have shared a SC Vortex for several years and we love it. I remember telling Trenna years ago that I wanted a Vortex II so I could share the gyro experience with others and now we own the only one!!

I bought a 2-place RAF with the Sparrowhawk conversion 2 years ago and it’s nice for cruising around in comfort in the winter, but ultimately, I’m an open cockpit crank and bank kind of gyro pilot.

It will be awhile before I can get it back to Texas and flying again. My Dad already had a 2-3 month trip to the pacific NW and British Columbia planned for this summer in my RV to escape the Texas heat. Now he’ll take along a trailer to bring the Vortex II back from Oregon.

I’ll let you know when it’s back to airworthy status and flying again.

Eric

P.S. Sorry for the delay. We are overrun with wild hogs in Texas and I got a chance to go wild hog hunting on a buddy’s ranch in an R44 helicopter. I highly recommend it!
 
I loved flying that rig! got a whole bunch of hours in it. As for the hogs, .475 Linebaugh for handgun and .450 Marlin for a rifle, no heli needed.
 
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