| Air Command | |
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HW100 - 45000
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Air Command International Air Command International, Inc. Company type - Privately held company Industry - Aerospace Founder - Dennis Fetters Headquarters - River Falls, Wisconsin, United States Products - Autogyro kit aircraft Website - aircommand.com Air Command International, Inc. is an American aircraft manufacturer originally based in Wylie, Texas, later in Caddo Mills, Texas and now in River Falls, Wisconsin. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of autogyros in the form of kits for amateur construction for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles and the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft categories. The company was founded by Dennis Fetters, who later went on to start the troubled Revolution Helicopter Corporation in Excelsior Springs, Missouri and Fetters Aerospace in China. The Air Command Commander was introduced by the company in 1984 for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category. Follow-up models included the single-seat Air Command Commander Elite, the single seat Air Command Commander Sport and Air Command Single Place, plus the two-seat Air Command Commander 147A, two seat Air Command Commander Side-By-Side, two seat Air Command Commander Tandem and two seat Air Command Tandem, all for the US homebuilt aircraft category. All original Air Command kits used McCutchen Skywheels rotor blades, although other rotors have been flown by individual kit builders. Aircraft Summary of aircraft built by Air Command International Model name - First flight - Number built - Type Air Command Commander - 1984 - 2000+ - Single seat autogyro Air Command Commander 147A - _ - at least one - Two seat autogyro Air Command Commander Elite - _ - at least 10 - Single seat autogyro Air Command Commander Side-By-Side - _ - 20 - Two seat autogyro Air Command Commander Sport - _ - at least one - Single seat autogyro Air Command Commander Tandem - _ - at least two - Two seat autogyro Air Command Tandem - _ - _ - Two seat autogyro Air Command Single Place - _ - _ - Single seat autogyro Air Command Commander Commander Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International First flight - 1984 Status - Production completed Number built - over 2,000 Variants - Air Command Commander Elite / Air Command Commander Tandem The Air Command Commander is an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Air Command International, with its first flight in 1984. Production was completed by 2003. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. Design and development The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 252 lb (114 kg). It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together 6061-T6 aluminum tubing that is supplied anodized and pre-drilled. Its 23 ft (7.0 m) diameter rotor comes completely assembled. The aircraft takes 40 hours to assemble from the factory kit. Original factory options included a cockpit fairing, wheels brakes, wheel pants, rotor brake and a main rotor pre-rotator, although the installation of any of these options will raise the empty weight above US FAR 103 limits for ultralight vehicles. The aircraft can be readily loaded on a simple trailer for ground transportation. Reviewer Andre Cliche said of the aircraft: The Commander 447 is a highly maneuverable stick - and-rudder machine that can give lots of excitement to those pilots who like to explore their flying skills. Like all gyros, it can be trailered easily and the preflight setup time is said to be 15 minutes. Variants - Commander 447 Main version equipped with a single 40 hp (30 kW) twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke single-ignition Rotax 447 engine. Specifications (Commander 447) - Data from Cliche General characteristics Crew: one Length: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) Width: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Height: 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) Empty weight: 252 lb (114 kg) Gross weight: 552 lb (250 kg) Fuel capacity: 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 447 twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke single-ignition aircraft engine, 40 hp (30 kW) Main rotor diameter: 23 ft 1 in (7.04 m) Propellers: 3-bladed composite, ground adjustable, 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 63 mph (101 km/h, 55 kn) Cruise speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn) Range: 200 mi (320 km, 170 nmi) Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s) Air Command Commander 147A Commander 147A Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - Production completed Number built - one The Air Command Commander 147A was an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Air Command International when it was located in Wylie, Texas. Now out of production, the aircraft was intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction. The only example known to have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was the factory prototype, which was destroyed in a fatal test flight crash in Caddo Mills, Texas in July 1998. Design and development The Commander 147A was designed to comply with the US homebuilt aircraft rules. It featured a Skywheels single main rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, plus a small tail caster and a Mazda 13B Wankel engine 160 hp (119 kW) engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft fuselage was made from bolted-together aluminum tubing with a fiberglass fairing. Its two-bladed rotor had a diameter of 31.00 ft (9.4 m). The aircraft had a standard empty weight of 700 lb (318 kg) and a gross weight of 1,500 lb (680 kg), giving a useful load of 800 lb (363 kg). Factory options included a long-range fuel tank, electric trim and a main rotor pre-rotator. Operational history The factory prototype, serial number 001, registration number N147GY, suffered a loss of rotor RPM while maneuvering over a runway at Caddo Mills Municipal Airport during a factory test flight on 15 July 1998. The rotor blades struck the tail boom, and the aircraft descended and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. A post-crash fire consumed the main wreckage, and the pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed. The accident was attributed to "the pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm while maneuvering, which resulted in the main rotor blades contacting the tail section of the gyroplane". By May 2018, no examples were registered in the United States, with only N147GY listed as having been registered at one time; it is listed as "destroyed". Specifications (Commander 147A) - Data from Purdy General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: one passenger Length: 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m) Empty weight: 700 lb (318 kg) Gross weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Mazda 13B Wankel engine automotive engine, 160 hp (120 kW) Main rotor diameter: 31 ft 0 in (9.45 m) Main rotor area: 754 sq ft (70.0 m2) Propellers: 2-bladed Warp Drive Inc ground adjustable pitch, 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn) Cruise speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn) Disk loading: 1.98 lb/sq ft (9.7 kg/m2) Air Command Commander Elite Commander Elite Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - Production completed Developed from - Air Command Commander The Air Command Commander Elite is an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Air Command International of Caddo Mills, Texas. When it was available, the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a conversion kit for the earlier Air Command Commander. As of 2012, the design is no longer advertised for sale by the company. Design and development The Commander Elite improves on the original Commander in that it has raised landing gear that positions the engine thrustline vertically at the center of gravity, eliminating changes in pitch with throttle changes. The gyroplane was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built rules. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear, and a twin cylinder, two-stroke, liquid-cooled, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft's 23 ft (7.0 m) diameter Rotordyne rotor has a chord of 8 in (20.3 cm). The rudder and tailplane are made from carbon fiber. The Commander Elite has a typical empty weight of 270 lb (122 kg) and a gross weight of 570 lb (259 kg), giving a useful load of 300 lb (140 kg). Operational history By December 2012, ten examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration. Specifications (Commander Elite) - Data from Bayerl General characteristics Crew: one Empty weight: 269 lb (122 kg) Gross weight: 569 lb (258 kg) Fuel capacity: 9 U.S. gallons (34 L; 7.5 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 64 hp (48 kW) Main rotor diameter: 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m) Propellers: 3-bladed composite Performance Maximum speed: 75 mph (120 km/h, 65 kn) Cruise speed: 55 mph (88 km/h, 48 kn) Disk loading: 1.4 lb/sq ft (6.7 kg/m2) Air Command Commander Side-By-Side Commander Side-By-Side Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - In production (2012) Developed from - Air Command Commander The Air Command Commander Side-By-Side is an American autogyro designed and produced by Air Command International of Caddo Mills, Texas. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction. Design and development The Commander Side-By-Side provides an unusual gyroplane design in that it has side-by-side configuration seating. The gyroplane was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 115 hp (86 kW) Subaru EJ22 automotive conversion engine in pusher configuration driving the propeller though a Gilmer belt reduction drive. The aircraft's 29 ft (8.8 m) diameter Rotordyne rotor has a chord of 8 in (20.3 cm). The Side-By-Side has an empty weight of 485 lb (220 kg) and a gross weight of 926 lb (420 kg), giving a useful load of 441 lb (200 kg). Optional equipment available includes a folding mast, hydraulic wheel brakes and an electric trim system. Specifications (Commander Side-By-Side) - Data from Bayerl General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: one passenger Empty weight: 485 lb (220 kg) Gross weight: 926 lb (420 kg) Fuel capacity: 10 U.S. gallons (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Subaru EJ22 four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke automotive conversion, 115 hp (86 kW) Main rotor diameter: 29 ft 0 in (8.85 m) Propellers: 3-bladed composite Performance Maximum speed: 99 mph (160 km/h, 86 kn) Cruise speed: 75 mph (120 km/h, 65 kn) Air Command Commander Sport Commander Sport Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - Production completed Number built - At least one Developed from - Air Command Commander The Air Command Commander Sport is an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Air Command International of Wylie, Texas. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. Design and development The Commander Sport was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit with a small cockpit fairing with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with a steerable nose wheel and wheel pants, plus a tail caster. The standard engine supplied was the twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine in pusher configuration. The 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 and 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 engines were factory options. The aircraft fuselage is made from metal tubing, while the fairing is fiberglass. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 23.00 ft (7.0 m). The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 275 lb (125 kg) and a gross weight of 750 lb (340 kg), giving a useful load of 475 lb (215 kg). With full fuel of 9 U.S. gallons (34 L; 7.5 imp gal) the payload for the pilot and baggage is 421 lb (191 kg). The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 64 hp (48 kW) engine is 100 ft (30 m) and the landing roll is 5 ft (2 m). Original factory kit options were a pre-rotator, cockpit fairing, wheels pants and long range fuel tank. The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 30 hours and put completion time as 3–4 days work. Specifications (Commander Sport) - Data from Purdy General characteristics Crew: one Length: 10.66 ft (3.25 m) Empty weight: 275 lb (125 kg) Gross weight: 750 lb (340 kg) Fuel capacity: 9 U.S. gallons (34 L; 7.5 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 64 hp (48 kW) Main rotor diameter: 23.00 ft (7.01 m) Main rotor area: 415 sq ft (38.6 m2) Propellers: 3-bladed ground adjustable, composite Performance Maximum speed: 95 mph (153 km/h, 83 kn) Cruise speed: 65 mph (105 km/h, 56 kn) Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m) Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s) Disk loading: 1.80 lb/sq ft (8.8 kg/m2) Air Command Commander Tandem Commander Tandem Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - Production completed Number built - At least two Developed from - Air Command Commander Variants - Air Command Tandem The Air Command Commander Tandem is an American autogyro that was designed and produced by Air Command International of Wylie, Texas. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. The design was later developed into the longer-landing gear equipped and heavier gross weight Air Command Tandem that remained in production in 2014. Design and development The Commander Tandem was developed from the single-seat Air Command Commander and was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in tandem open cockpit with a small cockpit fairing with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, plus a tail caster and a twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine or Mazda powerplant in pusher configuration. The aircraft fuselage is made from metal tubing. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 25 ft (7.6 m). The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 330 lb (150 kg) and a gross weight of 790 lb (358 kg), giving a useful load of 460 lb (209 kg). Operational history In June 2014 no examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of two had been registered at one time. Specifications (Commander Tandem) - Data from Purdy General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: one passenger Length: 15.41 ft (4.70 m) Empty weight: 330 lb (150 kg) Gross weight: 790 lb (358 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 64 hp (48 kW) Main rotor diameter: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m) Main rotor area: 490 sq ft (46 m2) Propellers: 3-bladed ground adjustable, composite Performance Maximum speed: 90 mph (140 km/h, 78 kn) Cruise speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn) Disk loading: 1.6 lb/sq ft (7.8 kg/m2) Air Command Tandem Commander Tandem Role - Autogyro National origin - United States Manufacturer - Air Command International Status - In production (2012) Developed from - Air Command Commander / Air Command Commander Tandem The Air Command Tandem is an American autogyro designed and produced by Air Command International of Caddo Mills, Texas. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a ready-to-fly aircraft. Design and development The Tandem kit was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-place tandem seating open cockpit with a fairing and a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 115 hp (86 kW) Subaru EJ22 automotive conversion or 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke aircraft engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft's 28 ft (8.5 m) diameter Rotordyne rotor has a chord of 8 in (20.3 cm). The Tandem has an empty weight of 489 lb (222 kg) and a gross weight of 908 lb (412 kg), giving a useful load of 418 lb (190 kg). Specifications (Tandem) - Data from Bayerl General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: one passenger Empty weight: 489 lb (222 kg) Gross weight: 908 lb (412 kg) Fuel capacity: 9 U.S. gallons (34 L; 7.5 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS four cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 100 hp (75 kW) Main rotor diameter: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m) Propellers: 3-bladed composite Performance Maximum speed: 109 mph (176 km/h, 95 kn) Cruise speed: 84 mph (135 km/h, 73 kn) |