Vortech G-1
{{Short description|American homebuilt helicopter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=G-1 | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Helicopter | national origin=United States | designer= | first flight= | introduced=1970s | retired= | status=Plans available | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=3 (2005) | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Vortech G-1, also called the Compcop G-1, is an American helicopter that was designed in the 1970s. Plans for amateur construction were originally supplied by Compcop and today are provided by Vortech.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page F-7. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}{{cite web|url = http://www.vortechonline.com/g1/|title = Build the World's Tiniest Homebuilt Helicopter|access-date = 11 April 2012|last = Vortech|date = n.d.}}Downey, Julia: 2005 Trikes 'Chutes and Rotorcraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 22, Number 2, February 2005, page 60. Belvoir Publications. {{ISSN|0891-1851}}
Design and development
The aircraft was designed long before the adoption of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}, but nonetheless complies with them. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|150|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and is billed as the "World's Tiniest Homebuilt Helicopter" by the plans supplier. It features a single main rotor and tail rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear with main wheels and nose skid and a twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 447 aircraft engine or Kawasaki 440 snowmobile engine. The {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 can also be used.
The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing. Its main rotor is {{convert|12|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} in diameter. Fuel capacity is {{convert|5|u.s.gal}}.
The plans supplier notes this warning:
{{quotation|Vortech offers the G-1 plans as a curiosity for those interested in homebuilt helicopters because of its intriguing size and simplicity; however, Vortech has no direct experience with either the design or flight of this model and so cannot and does not endorse this as a proven aircraft. While people have reported building and flying this model, it appears that most of those flying versions were variations or enhancements of the original design. }}
Specifications (G-1)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Cliche, Vortech and Kitplanes
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|width m=
|width ft=5
|width in=8
|width note=
|height m=
|height ft=5
|height in=6
|height note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=150
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=420
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|5|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 447
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke single-ignition aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=40
|eng1 shp=
|rot number=
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=12
|rot dia in=0
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=113
|rot area note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=80
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=45
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=60
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=10000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=900
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=3.72
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
{{aircontent
|see also=
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}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.vortechonline.com/g1/}}
{{Vortech aircraft}}
Category:1970s United States ultralight aircraft
Category:1970s United States helicopters