Sport Copter in Australia

[IanM]

Hi Birdy/Peter,Sounds like to have a pure mustering machine it would be better to option up the Lightning (base model) rather than the Vortex which comes standard with the cabin and a folding mast.

[Greg Mitchell]

Ian,I rang and left a message.....if you want trailer space, contact Allan W, asap.Mitch.

[asra]

Hi Ian, I think the length would depend a bit on each pilots preferences and how much lift they"ve got. Most likely it will be 26 and 27 foot blades. You would need to get some out there flying, see whats most popular then have a couple of options. I think the blades are usually a bit bigger for mustering to have more float at low speed. Im fitting a different motor to my machine to try but the most popular would be the 912s then the subaru. Maybe acouple of options on the motor as well.

[adrian_clince]

hi ianadrian here, i was impressed by the sport copter rotors , i fly on 26 ft 7 inch cord larkins with a 3 foot hub bar, i dont do any mustering as yet, maybe a bit down the track, but i like to throw the gyro around abit ,but i had the thought weather sportcopter was making 26 foot ,7inch cord, im looking in the direction of going away from the 8 bolts and adjustible pitch blade, is it possible of getting them to make up some sorta package? cheers adrian

[Brian]

RE blade length, Rosco has a standard he works to unless the buyer chooses otherwise and thats 26"s ft"ers for a 912 gyro and 27"s for a suby. 26 ft AK"s are Birdys weapons of choice and he has flown more different variety " of gyros and blades than most. Another thing is weight of pilot.My gyro is a Rosco with a pod, Suby 2.2, lots of stuff in the dash and a solid pilot [70 litres of fuel] and 27ft 6 in Patroneys are excellent as are AK"s 27"s with at least 1.5* pitch. Anything less just doesnt cut it.I have heard varying reports of sport copter blades so I"m looking forward to having a fly on them at some stage.

[IanM]

Thanks again guys for your imput.Jim Vanek of Sport Copter considers that 25ft x 8" blades with the lead/lag hub bar would be the ideal rotors on a mustering machine powers by a 912.

[birdy]

I asked about engine preferences because I thought there may have been some votes for the 914. I flew a single seat rosco machine once that had a 914, and theres no way known you need that much soot.I know im only a stick figure, but the bloke that owned it was 120kg, and he couldnt hold the tap open for long either. And it only had 26"AKs.As for blade size, it depends on alota things.Your flyn style, avarage DAs, power to weight of the machine, to name a couple.I have a 26" AK set for the ferel in winter and 27"ers for summer.29"ers struggle for air wen its hot, and the 27s are too sluggish in winter.

[bones]

As for blade size, it depends on alota things.Your flyn style, avarage DAs, power to weight of the machine, to name a couple.I have a 26" AK set for the ferel in winter and 27"ers for summer.29"ers struggle for air wen its hot, and the 27s are too sluggish in winter.I second that, i have been flying 27" ak but the air is soo thin up here now, i puttin my 28" on tomorrow, just no fun needing 5k just to keep s/l

[IanM]

Hi Bones,What machine are you putting the 28s on?Cheers,Ian

[bones]

My single seat machine

[IanM]

Thanks Bones,

[bones]

Thanks Bones,

[IanM]

Bones,Sorry about that.

[Brian]

Bones,Sorry about that.

[asra]

Hello Ian, I run 28" Aks at 1.5 degrees that turn at 295 rpm. I bought them for the summer but ended up using them both summer and winter. They use a lot less power at low airspeed and will keep me in the air on a low level, low speed down wind turn. The only drawback with them is that it is two hands on the stick and a lot of rudder for fast turns. The 26" AKs at 1 degree pitch were turning at 345 rpm and were a lot quicker to turn but they needed a bit more power to keep them going. A bit more pitch on the 26 footers and they may have made the better blade. Full fuel AUW about 320 kg 1000"asl. The other thing that is importent in a mustering blade is inertia to lift ratio. If a blade is light it will be good to throw around but will also respond very quickly to wind gusts and thermals wich can get very tiring after seven to eight hours gridding a paddock with a lot of thermals and wirly winds going.I have sent an email to sport copter asking about blade weight but as yet I havent recieved a reply. One blade off the 26" Aks weighs about 15 kg. I would estimate the fabricated sport copter blade to weigh 9-10 kg so it would need about 1.5 kg of tip weight to give the same inertia. This is also why I asked about the variable pitch as this will alter the lift to inertia ratio. On a fine pitch setting the blades will have minimal response to wind gusts and thermals and would be ideal for flying out to and returning from a job, but would absorb a lot of horsepower at low airspeed.A medium pitch could be used for the average mustering job, and a course setting that will respond very quickly for the likes of mustering feral goats or scrub cattle where the job may only take a few hours but is full on.