Titanium Explorer
{{Short description|Australian autogyro}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name= Explorer | image= | caption= }} {{Infobox aircraft type | type=Autogyro | national origin=Australia | manufacturer=Titanium Auto Gyro | designer= Neil Sheather and Andrew Pepper | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=In production (2017) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Titanium Explorer is an Australian autogyro designed by Neil Sheather and Andrew Pepper and produced by Titanium Auto Gyro (TAG Aviation Pty Limited) of Attunga, New South Wales. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly, although development of a kit for amateur construction was underway in 2015.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 200. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Design and development
Development of the design was started in 2009 as a result of noted deficiencies in imported autogyro designs for Australian conditions.{{cite web|url = http://www.tagaviation.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=4|title = About Us|accessdate = 23 November 2017|author=TAG Aviation|work = www.tagaviation.com.au|year=2013}}
The Explorer features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in tandem open cockpit, each with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, plus a tail caster and a four-cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912 or {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} turbocharged Rotax 914 engine in pusher configuration.
The aircraft fuselage box-section frame is made from titanium, while the cockpit fairing is made from carbon fiber reinforced polymer and fibreglass composites. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of {{convert|8.38|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} and a chord of {{convert|22|cm|in|1|abbr=on}}. The design is noted for its rugged suspension, designed for Australian outback conditions.
The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|240|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|575|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|335|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|85|L}} the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is {{convert|274|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.
Specifications (Explorer)
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|capacity=one passenger
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|empty weight kg=240
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|gross weight kg=575
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|fuel capacity={{convert|85|L}}
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|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 914
|eng1 type=four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke turbocharged aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=115
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=composite
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|rot dia m=8.38
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|rot area sqm=55
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|max speed kmh=185
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|cruise speed kmh=150
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|disk loading kg/m2=10.5
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See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.tagaviation.com.au/}}