Sportcopter 2-any have one built and flying? Reviews?

""I'll see if I can talk to Jim today to get some more info on sc2 status and Bay Area dealer etc. ""


Please share what info you can - Sport Copter are very poor at PR news releases - no news for several years on the website.
 
Well, I found out about quite a few things although I was asked to not reveal much to the forum/public right now as they are hoping to announce stuff themselves when they are good and ready. The thing is, they seem to be really taking their time making sure everything is as close to perfect as possible so it can do the most for the longest with major reliability. I can sure appreciate that as some companies seem to do the opposite (diNelly) where they have been touting their superiority for years now and not even a maiden flight to show for it.
I can say that they have worked most of the kinks out (although they're not really kinks as that would imply problems but more like refinements) and are building momentum to go into major production.
Some of these design features are really smart and creative. I can't wait to see the finished products.
Josh
 
Every time I have been at the Sport Copter factory, they are working on new developments and also refinements to existing machines. Last Summer, they were developing a motor mount for the Honda Fit engine. I was there to install the numerous upgrades they developed for the Vortex M912 gyro. They are shipping complete Vortex M912 machines to Australia, so there were people putting those together. New projects under development are hidden from sight, but indications are that there are people working on them when time permits. Jim Vanek has a fertile mind and is never short of ideas to develop. He has learned to never announce new projects until they are ready.
 
Jim Vanek has a fertile mind and is never short of ideas to develop. He has learned to never announce new projects until they are ready.

My hangar neighbor might disagree with you, not about Jim's fertile mind.

My neighbor has had a SCII on order for 6-7 years? with a substantial down payment and nothing to show for it but some pictures. He is not a happy camper.

The latest SCII licensed (mentioned above) shows Jim Vanek as the builder, so it must be his.
Marv has the only SCII that I am aware of, in private hands, but it was one of Jim's prototypes.

Having said this, another friend of mine has flown in an SCII and gives it high praises.

I don't want to disparage Sport Copter, I think they are fine people. I just hope that prospective customers ask the right questions before parting with their cash.
 
SCII at Oshkosh 2007.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    136.4 KB · Views: 5
My hangar neighbor might disagree with you, not about Jim's fertile mind.

My neighbor has had a SCII on order for 6-7 years? with a substantial down payment and nothing to show for it but some pictures. He is not a happy camper.

The latest SCII licensed (mentioned above) shows Jim Vanek as the builder, so it must be his.
Marv has the only SCII that I am aware of, in private hands, but it was one of Jim's prototypes.

Having said this, another friend of mine has flown in an SCII and gives it high praises.

I don't want to disparage Sport Copter, I think they are fine people. I just hope that prospective customers ask the right questions before parting with their cash.

I remember very similar complaints being made back when the Vortex was in development. People putting down money and then waiting years to get a machine. Today, no one questions the quality and value of the Vortex. If history is any indication, I expect a similar result for the SC-II. Having said that, it does seem those initial investers should see something by now but that too is consistent with history. Then again, I am not privey to the details in these cases so it's not my intent to judge here.

Just sayin'!
 
It's like waiting for a bus - you wait an age and then two come along together !

Another SC II just registered - this second example is just 4 weeks after s/n SC008 appeared.

Registered on the 19th Feb 2014 was N339SC

Spotcopter II construction number SC007.

Both show as built by and owned by Jim V.


Steve
 
Good Luck-

Good Luck-

Instead of putting down money on one of Jim Vaneck's machines buy a bridge from me!!!!!-------need to check the record---then decide------Joe
 
Instead of putting down money on one of Jim Vaneck's machines buy a bridge from me!!!!!-------need to check the record---then decide------Joe

Any of you that have made a trip to the Oregon factory recently knows "stuff" is in the works. Jim is not big on announcing "stuff" until it is perfect as he can make it. He knows he overcommitted (and underpriced the product)on the original Vortex production run, and that is part of learning and watching your business grow quickly. I have a SportCopter , and know all about the "6 months" answer due to delays in the original blade production design, and got one of the first sets made. That being said, Jim made sure I got a second set later on and swapped the first ones out at no charge, because he wanted his customers t0o have the best he could offer. He is a fair guy, but does not use a calendar very much. He is a pilot first and business guy second. Pilots make sure things are completely safe first, time delays are worried about secondly. He is constantely engineering , then flying and refining the changes. He is a consummate pilot first, loves our sport, and wants to produce a larger gyro that appeals to a wider market than currently is out there. That means safe engines, great rotorblades, docile handling and nice styling that does not hurt handling. The up close fit and finish of what he is creating exceeds the best in the world. This is not a backyard project, I have not had time while in Oregon to catch a flight in the new SC2, but will try to do so soon. I have had a lot of time to look the model over, and Vanek is really sweating the details to make it better.

If your buddy has requested a refund, then let him come on here and say how poorly he was treated himself. Second hand complaints by people that are not involved in the financial transaction are just cheap shots. Does your friend really want his money back? Do the people that put money down on Honda Jets want their money back yet? I bet very few. My SportCopter has been happily flying since 1999. Vanek cares about his customers, and have never felt I was treated poorly. The initial delay in getting the new Blades was frustrating. I was building at the time, so it really did not cost me more than 30 days delay. In the world of kit gyroplanes, that is nothing. I can tell you now that any Vortex part is well stocked, and so will any production item be once it is marketed. Playing your business cards close to you can be advantageous. I know what he has going on, and the gyro market is in for a nice new machine soon…..maybe 6 months or so…….LOL….time will tell, but he is going to deliver a exceptional product.


Scott Heger, Laguna Niguel,Ca N86SH
 
Last edited:
I second what Scott has said. In my own experience, I have also received upgrades to a design that was not quite up to Jim's standards. For example, the wheel alignment tab where the turn-buckle is attached got bent during the rough field operations that I regularly get involved in, which applied a lot of force to the main wheels. I called Sport Copter and mentioned that they had a weak link, but I could fixed it myself by welding a reinforcement onto this tab, Jim Vanek informed me that he would ship me a complete new gear leg with his improvement to this part since someone else had already bent theirs and he had made changes in their manufacturing. No charge, and I just shipped my gear leg back to him. If I would have had to fix this, I would have ground off the powder coating and there would have been "chicken poop" welds marring his perfect gear leg. He was smart to send a new leg. My type of flying is an extreme test of Sport Copter products and anything that I have bent, Jim has replaced with a new stronger part, which is now a part of their Vortex kits.
 
Last edited:
Those who sneer at Jim Vanek's "long gestation" of a "rare machine" haven't the right perspective and certainly lack relevant facts.

SCII was designed for an LE contract. When that department lost their funding, Jim had to then market the SCII to a niche civilian market.
Few gyro owners have the $225,000, yet FW pilots routinely spend such for a CarbonCub.

The long development period had mostly to do with unforeseen changes of engines, first from a Subaru EJ2.5 whose mfg. lied about the dino output, then to a possible Wankel, and finally to an IO-360 by LyCon. This 235hp engine with 10:1 compression makes great power, but nobody had ever tried to cool such a motor in slow pusher airframe. The engineering obstacles to that were extremely high (how about a 40kt climb on a 117 deg day without busting 400 CHTs?), but Vanek solved them over time.

Sure, the SCII is a rare machine, and so are high-end luxury Italian automobiles.
The SCII is absolutely unique; there is nothing like it in its class.
Nobody else produces anything remotely like it.

Here's a video of the SCII being looped and rolled.

I've flown one (N767LW), and it was like a spacious and solid Mercedes-Benz sport-touring sedan.
The wide glass cockpit (with FLIR camera, land at night in total darkness) was astounding.

Such a rare bird also provided a fount of new gyro features which are finding their way into new Sport Copter models.

As far as "
Sport Copter are very poor at PR news releases - no news for several years on the website," I understand that will dramatically change for 2018.
Sport Copter will have much to herald this year. They will be at Oshkosh 2018, so drop by and see.

Regards, Kolibri
 
Last edited:
Was Sport Copter at Oshkosh in 2016 or 2017? I hear they have been working on a new set of products, but I've also heard that story for some time. I'd sincerely love to see them at Oshkosh in 2018, and hope they bring some competition to AutoGyro.
 
chrisk;n1129779 said:
Was Sport Copter at Oshkosh in 2016 or 2017? I hear they have been working on a new set of products, but I've also heard that story for some time. I'd sincerely love to see them at Oshkosh in 2018, and hope they bring some competition to AutoGyro.

Jim had scheduled with PRA to come to Mentone last year and do loops and rolls bringing his new tandem with him.
However it wasn't finished.

We have re-scheduled him for this years convention to do the same routines and he may offer a very few tickets to go as a passenger to experience the maneuvers first hand.

If he is finished he will be at PRA's fly-in convention in Mentone In. from 7/31-2018 to 8/4/2018.
 
I'm torn on the SC II. Ugly with that tall stance and low tail, but the shock absorbing gear is really cool. Totally unnecessary for runway landings, but it could save your butt if you lose the engine over an area without a lot of large fields to land. With that suspension, you could probably slow down to 10-20 knots, and go to the ground in a moderate vertical descent with no flare if there was no space, and probably walk away with no damage to the aircraft. I'm surprised that they post the climb rate as 1,000ft/min with 220HP. I would have expected better than that. I wish I could test fly one....
 
rdalcanto;n1129854 said:
I'm torn on the SC II. Ugly with that tall stance and low tail, but the shock absorbing gear is really cool. Totally unnecessary for runway landings, but it could save your butt if you lose the engine over an area without a lot of large fields to land. With that suspension, you could probably slow down to 10-20 knots, and go to the ground in a moderate vertical descent with no flare if there was no space, and probably walk away with no damage to the aircraft. I'm surprised that they post the climb rate as 1,000ft/min with 220HP. I would have expected better than that. I wish I could test fly one....

You select an aircraft based on how and where you are going to fly.
Best advice is plan your basic routes check density altitude along the route on the hottest days of year for useful load and the engine selection. Then go test fly all the aircraft that meet your mission needs.
 
rdalcanto;n1129854 said:
I'm torn on the SC II. Ugly with that tall stance and low tail, but the shock absorbing gear is really cool. Totally unnecessary for runway landings, but it could save your butt if you lose the engine over an area without a lot of large fields to land. With that suspension, you could probably slow down to 10-20 knots, and go to the ground in a moderate vertical descent with no flare if there was no space, and probably walk away with no damage to the aircraft. I'm surprised that they post the climb rate as 1,000ft/min with 220HP. I would have expected better than that. I wish I could test fly one....

In an emergency landing you should know how to land with Zero roll. Its the takeoff where suspension would be needed. The zero roll landing requires a good flare not no flare. Am I missing something?
 
fara;n1129864 said:
In an emergency landing you should know how to land with Zero roll. Its the takeoff where suspension would be needed. The zero roll landing requires a good flare not no flare. Am I missing something?
Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm not talking about a normal landing without obstacles.
A normal landing with a flare requires forward speed, which takes up space. You can't do that into a small field the size of a tennis court surrounded by tall trees. But you could slow down to 20 knots, and do a vertical descent into a tiny space. The problem with that is you would not have any airspeed to flare, so you would be coming down at 500-1000 feet/min into the ground. A standard gyro would break the landing gear, and maybe your back. The SCII looks like it could gobble up that vertical energy.
 
Or, you could adjust your route so that a tennis court surrounded by trees wasn't your best or only option...
 
Top