Vortech Shadow
{{Short description|American homebuilt autogyro}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Shadow | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Autogyro | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Vortech | designer=Tyler Flight, Inc. | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=In production (2014) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=4 | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Vortech Shadow is an American autogyro that was designed by Tyler Flight, Inc. and produced by Vortech of Fallston, Maryland. The aircraft is supplied as a kit and also in the form of plans for amateur construction. Vortech also supplies rotor blades for the design.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 Vortech Shadow was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear, plus a tail caster. The acceptable power range is {{convert|150|to|230|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. The standard engine used is the four cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition {{convert|150|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-320 powerplant in pusher configuration.
The aircraft fuselage is made from tubing and composites. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of {{convert|29|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|750|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|1290|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|540|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|12|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is {{convert|468|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a {{convert|150|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|100|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|25|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 250 hours.
Operational history
By 1998, the company reported that four kits had been sold, completed, and were flying.
In January 2015, no examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=SHADOW&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|access-date = 27 January 2015|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 27 January 2015}}
Specifications (Shadow)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=
|length ft=13
|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=750
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=1290
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|12|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming O-320
|eng1 type=four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=150
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=wooden fixed pitch
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|rot number=1
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=29
|rot dia in=0
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=660
|rot area note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=100
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=70
|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=
|range nmi=150
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1500
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=2.0
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
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}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.vortechonline.com/shadow/}}
{{Vortech aircraft}}
Category:1990s United States sport aircraft