Layzell Merlin

Merlin
Role Autogyro
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Layzell Gyroplanes
Designer Jim Montgomery
Status Production completed (2011)
Unit cost
£12,761 (2011)

The Layzell Merlin is a British autogyro that was designed by Scottish designer Jim Montgomery and produced by Layzell Gyroplanes of Quedgeley, Gloucester. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

The type remained in production by Layzell through 2011, although by July 2012 the company website had been removed from the internet.[1][2]

Design and development

The Merlin features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit with a fairing and a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a twin cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together square aluminum tubing. Its 7.01 m (23.0 ft) diameter Rotor Flight Dynamics rotor has a chord of 18 cm (7.1 in). The aircraft has an empty weight of 145 kg (320 lb) and a gross weight of 295 kg (650 lb), giving a useful load of 150 kg (331 lb).[1]

After taking over Montgomery's design, company owner Gary Layzell expressed an interest in further developing the Merlin, but initially produced it unchanged.[1]

Operational history

By January 2013, 28 examples had been registered in the United Kingdom with the CAA as Montgomerie-Bensen B8MR.[3]

Specifications (Merlin GTS)

Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Empty weight: 145 kg (320 lb)
  • Gross weight: 295 kg (650 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 50 litres (11 imp gal; 13 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 48 kW (64 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 7.01 m (23 ft 0 in)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed composite

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 182. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ↑ Layzell Gyroplanes (n.d.). "Gyro Kits". Archived from the original on 17 November 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) (5 January 2013). "GINFO Search Results Summary". Retrieved 5 January 2013.
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