Redback Buzzard
{{Short description|Australian homebuilt helicopter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Buzzard | image= | caption= }} {{Infobox aircraft type | type=Helicopter | national origin=Australia | manufacturer=Redback Aviation | designer= | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed (2013) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=one | developed from= Star Aviation LoneStar | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Redback Buzzard is an Australian helicopter that was designed and produced by Redback Aviation of Hoppers Crossing, Victoria. The aircraft was intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction, but only one prototype was ever completed and development ended.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 193. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X{{cite web|url = http://www.redbackaviation.com/|title = Welcome To Redback Aviation's World Of Homebuilt Helicopters|accessdate = 7 February 2013|last = Redback Aviation|date = n.d.}}
Design and development
The Buzzard was based on the second generation Star Aviation LoneStar helicopter to which Redback own the rights. The Buzzard was designed to be a minimalist helicopter, using a maximum of off-the-shelf parts and to comply with the homebuilt aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, skid-type landing gear and a Suzuki {{convert|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} four stroke engine.
The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with the tailboom built from carbon fibre. Its {{convert|6.10|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} diameter two-bladed rotor has a chord of {{convert|20|cm|in|1|abbr=on}}, with anti-torque handled by a conventional two-bladed tail rotor. The main rotor transmission uses a combination of V-belts and toothed belts. Pitch link controls are mounted inside the hollow rotor mast tube. The aircraft has an empty weight of {{convert|193|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|386|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|193|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|58.8|L}} the payload is {{convert|151|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.
The company indicates that only one prototype was built and that it was sold, ending development of the aircraft, in favour of a new design, the Redback Aviation Spider.
Specifications (version)
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|empty weight kg=192
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|gross weight kg=386
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|fuel capacity={{convert|58.5|L}}
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|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Suzuki
|eng1 type=four stroke automotive engine
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|eng1 hp=75
|rot number=1
|rot dia m=6.10
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|max speed kmh=169
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|cruise speed kmh=145
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.redbackaviation.com/}}
{{Redback aircraft}}
Category:2000s Australian sport aircraft
Category:2000s Australian helicopters