Bulldog autogyro at Aero2015

[fly_tornado]

this is different

 

 

 

 

 

[SDQDI]

AT LAST a pic of a gyro with "proper" wheels:thumb up:

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Looks straight out of a Indiana Jones movie.

 

 

[winsor68]

http://www.bulldogautogyro.com/technology.php

[SDQDI]

Interesting reading winsor.

 

I couldn't spot a MTOW figure but with 150 horses it should perform reasonably good.

 

The seats ooze a look of luxury:score 010: Although they also hint that it belongs to a highish price bracket.

 

All in all I'm impressed (did I mention the nice looking wheels:blah blah:)

 

 

[Downunder]

Wonder if you can "run-up" the rotor?

 

Is this compulsory on gyro's?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Although they also hint that it belongs to a highish price bracket.

When adverts mention connections to "Formula 1 construction" and keywords such as "craftsmanship" ect, you know not to ask the price.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

looks expensve notice the carbon fibre windscreen frame and leather paneling

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

It's almost there... just need to remove the entire rear fuselage and extend it, then add a couple of wings.

 

 

[old man emu]

Do my eyes deceive? That ASI looks like it has a green band to at least 140 Kts.

 

It is indeed a thing of beauty to the eye.

 

OME

 

 

[Marty_d]

It certainly is beautiful. They've done a good job of incorporating all the signals of British luxury - the racing green, timber dash, leather interior the same colour as the chairs in the gentleman's clubs, hand-stitched leather joystick reminiscient of a Spitfire's, even the model/company rep strolling around in aristocrat hunting gear. The look of the website is very 1930's too, all Art Deco style. (Yes before any smartass gets on my case, I know there were no websites around in the 1930's...)

 

Anyway all very well done and I can see them selling a few to "Toad of Toad Hall" types, but given there's no mention of price anywhere I think it'd be beyond your average aspirational pilot's budget.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Do my eyes deceive? That ASI looks like it has a green band to at least 140 Kts.It is indeed a thing of beauty to the eye.

 

OME

It actually looks to be green up to 160 ...........wow

 

 

[Marty_d]

Another site gives the price as around 80,000 GBP ex VAT. Don't know where they got it from.

 

Not sure if VAT is payable on export goods but if it is, that's 96,000 GBP ($185,000) before it leaves the factory. Add your shipping and import costs and you probably won't get much change out of a quarter million. Think I'd prefer a Spitfire for that.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Here is the older "Pitbull", I do not know if related or not.

 

 

 

Seems to me the Bulldog's large low mass surface area, due to the large rotor supporting boom, aft of the main gear, may provide a large lever arm in crosswinds while taking off and landing making things a bit tricky?

 

 

[Maritime_Ev]

Beautiful looking aircraft, but it's kinda strange that the there's not a single pic on their website of it in flight... It does actually fly does it?

 

 

[Marty_d]

Here is the older "Pitbull", I do not know if related or not.

 

That's what I don't like about it. It's obvious that they have everything going through that rear boom purely for looks. From an engineering viewpoint it'd be much stronger to have a strut either side of the cockpit, forming a triangle (or triangular pyramid) at the rotor attachment.

 

But I suppose then it wouldn't have that immediate "wow" factor.

 

 

[Russ]

Wonder if you can "run-up" the rotor?Is this compulsory on gyro's?

" running up "..... Not a compulsory requirement.....Oz, anyway.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Beautiful looking aircraft, but it's kinda strange that the there's not a single pic on their website of it in flight... It does actually fly does it?

Probably a fiberglass mockup and they are waiting for the first order to pay for the first real craft. Not a method I agree with but common.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

It's a smart move Bex, display the aircraft before you start flight testing it. If the aircraft is damaged in testing you still can salvage something from your project.

 

 

[old man emu]

Don't you think that underneath those fairings over the boom there would be some sort of boom, possibly somewhat pyrimidoidal in shape but with curved longitudinal members joined by short straight connectors. Since it is a two seater, with a 125kg engine, would you guess its MTOW at something in the 600 - 750 kg range? If so, then the rotor boom would probably be engineered to handle loads of 1500 - 2000 kg. I think an internally braced boom could do that.

 

From a report in AERO magazine:

 

However, the Bulldog’s rotor is mounted on a cantilever boom that also serves as fin and incorporates the rudder. As this sets the rotor hub well away from the engine, the run-up system has been made hydraulic.

 

The same article says that the autogyro is due to fly later this year.

 

Apparently, the price suggested comes in under the expected price of a well equipped autogyro. Apparently the company's manufacturing facility has not been completed as of mid-April 2015. Rumour has it that four have been ordered. Probably a niche market, but I'd love to nick into it!

 

OME

 

 

[facthunter]

Could have some x-wind directional control problems I would think. Lots of bending loads in what amounts to being a cantilever from the rotor axis, back and then forward in the fuselage structure. Form before function?. I think so. The original Cierva spanish design is purer. Maybe a tricycle U/C would aid the ground handling which I think will be interesting. Nev

 

 

[Marty_d]

Don't you think that underneath those fairings over the boom there would be some sort of boom, possibly somewhat pyrimidoidal in shape but with curved longitudinal members joined by short straight connectors.

Of course, but as per the picture below, the first structure is far stronger than the second. Or in aviation terms, the first structure can be built a lot lighter for equivalent strength than the second can.

 

 

 

[SDQDI]

The trouble with that Marty is that the people (pilot/pax) are directly under the rotor so you would have to have it supported at the sides which would greatly reduce visibility. I think it looks nice (I'm not a gyro sort of guy though) and if nothing else at least looks quality. I don't see too much of a problem with the riser if they have crunched all the right numbers. I think the visibility out of it would be beautiful.

 

 

[Marty_d]

The trouble with that Marty is that the people (pilot/pax) are directly under the rotor so you would have to have it supported at the sides which would greatly reduce visibility. I think it looks nice (I'm not a gyro sort of guy though) and if nothing else at least looks quality. I don't see too much of a problem with the riser if they have crunched all the right numbers. I think the visibility out of it would be beautiful.

I agree it looks gorgeous, that's not the issue. Also don't think that the side struts would reduce visibility much as they could be positioned between the cockpit openings. My point is that they've gone with the looks at the expense of either strength or weight, as Nev says, they've gone with form over function.

 

 

[Russ]

Being a gyro enthusiast for near on 40 yrs, reading some "comments " here, i'd be interested to know the expertise, gyro related, to some statements here.

 

Just for the record.........xwinds are a non issue. Composites done correctly are near on infinite. ( flexing etc without degradation is excellent ) composite rotor blades have been used now for 20 plus yrs, still going strong......

 

And..........they flex.....constantly. Coupled with lead lag forces, they don't just spin around.

 

There is serious stuff going on regarding all composite rotorcraft, it has some folks licking their lips in anticipation.

 

"Records" of endurance etc etc are mostly held by " little wing" tail dragger gyros, example of one is hangered YCAB.

 

Factory built gyros.......turn key, machines are almost the norm now. All imported. Metals such as titanium are now used as " the airframe " in some models.

 

Most imports cruise all day around 80kts, Rotax the choice of engine. Gyros now, to yester yrs, is comparing apples to oranges.