Raven Explorer I
{{Short description|American autogyro}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Explorer I | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Autogyro | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Raven Rotorcraft | designer= | first flight= | introduced=1990s | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=At least one | developed from= | variants with their own articles=Raven Explorer II }} |
The Raven Explorer I is an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Raven Rotorcraft of Boulder Colorado and later El Prado, New Mexico, introduced in the 1990s. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit, for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 327. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}
The Explorer I is no longer available as the company has moved to develop the two-seat Raven Rotor-Plane.{{cite web|url = http://www.raven-rotor.com/html/rotocraft.html|title = The Shape of Things to Come|accessdate = 3 April 2015|author = Raven Rotorcraft|date = }}
Design and development
The Explorer I was designed as a low-cost utilitarian autogyro. It complies with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield and conventional landing gear. A cockpit fairing was a factory option. The acceptable power range is {{convert|45|to|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engine used is the twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition {{convert|45|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} 2si 460 engine in tractor configuration. The cabin width is {{convert|28|in|cm|0|abbr=on}}.
The aircraft fuselage is made from a combination of welded 4130 steel tube and bolted-together aluminum tubing. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of {{convert|23|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|564|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|310|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|5|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot and baggage is {{convert|280|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a {{convert|45|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|250|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|50|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 100 hours.
Specifications (Explorer I)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=15
|length in=0
|length note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=254
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=564
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|5|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=2si 460
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=45
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=composite, ground adjustable
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|rot number=1
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=23
|rot dia in=0
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=415
|rot area note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=65
|max speed kts=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=100
|range nmi=
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|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=12000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
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|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=1.4
|disk loading note=
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}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.raven-rotor.com/html/rotocraft.html}}
- [http://www.raven-rotor.com/assets/images/5.5.jpg Photo of a Raven Explorer I]
{{Raven Rotorcraft aircraft}}
Category:1990s United States sport aircraft
Category:1990s United States ultralight aircraft