Farrington Twinstar

Twinstar
Role Autogyro
National origin United States
Manufacturer Farrington Aircraft
Status Production completed (2000)
Number built 12 (2015)
Unit cost
US$10,995 (kit, 1998)

The Farrington Twinstar is an American two-seat autogyro that was designed and produced by Farrington Aircraft of Paducah, Kentucky, a company owned by Don Farrington. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Design and development

The aircraft 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 windshield, tricycle landing gear without wheel pants, plus a tail caster. The tail consists of two vertical stabilizers and rudders. The acceptable power range is 120 to 180 hp (89 to 134 kW) and the standard engine used is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320 in pusher configuration. The cabin width is 24 in (61 cm).[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from a combination of welded steel and bolted-together aluminum tubing, with a fiberglass cockpit fairing. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 30 ft (9.1 m). The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 700 lb (320 kg) and a gross weight of 1,200 lb (540 kg), giving a useful load of 500 lb (230 kg). With full fuel of 20 U.S. gallons (76 L; 17 imp gal) the payload for the pilot, passengers and baggage is 380 lb (170 kg).[1]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 150 hp (112 kW) engine is 200 ft (61 m) and the landing roll is 50 ft (15 m).[1]

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 200 hours.[1]

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that 25 kits had been sold and five aircraft were completed and flying.[1]

In March 2015 six examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of 12 had been registered at one time.[2]

Specifications (Twinstar)

Data from Purdy[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Length: 13 ft (4.0 m)
  • Empty weight: 480 lb (218 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 20 U.S. gallons (76 L; 17 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
  • Main rotor diameter: 30 ft (9.1 m)
  • Main rotor area: 706 sq ft (65.6 m2)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 90 mph (145 km/h; 78 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 65 mph (105 km/h; 56 kn)
  • Range: 130 mi (113 nmi; 209 km)
  • Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
  • Disk loading: 1.7 lb/sq ft (8.3 kg/m2)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 323. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  2. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (27 March 2015). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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