During flight testing of a new gyro prototype just before the New Year, Carter Aviation Technologies test pilot George Mitchell executed several vertical takeoffs. The aircraft was able to jump more than 150 feet straight up into the air, according to Mitchell.
“It was phenomenal,” he said, “but it took a little getting used to. It’s not something you do with the average gyro. The ‘g’ meter showed 2.25 Gs on takeoff.”
The vertical takeoffs were made possible by a new rotor system developed by Jay Carter for the gyro.
The recent tests culminated a series of tests intended to prove the capability of several new Carter technological developments. The new gyro prototype is called the CarterGyro Demonstrator/Trainer (CGD/T) or CarterGyro. It incorporates Carter’s patented landing gear, which has a 14-inch stroke able to absorb a landing impact of up to 6.0 Gs. While under full control, the aircraft can drop in vertically from any altitude, safely, according to Carter officials.
The CarterGyro also uses Carter’s patented, hollow-blade, composite propeller and a 26-foot Carter rotor.
To improve safety and simplify operation, Carter developed a mechanical rotor pitch controller. Initially, it holds the rotor pitch flat to minimize horsepower required for takeoff. When the pilot is ready for takeoff he engages the controller and from that point on, through high-speed flight, vertical landing, shut down and the next vertical takeoff, rotor pitch control is completely automatic, according to Carter.
“The rotor design allows for a tremendous amount of energy to be stored — about three times the energy per pound of gross weight of any other rotor system,” he said. “By developing an automatic control we have made it simple and safe to manage that energy.” A patent for the controller is pending, he said.
“We now have a vehicle that can safely take off from your driveway, fly 200 miles, and then safely land and take off from a truck stop to refuel, or a restaurant to eat, or a hotel where you can spend the night,” Carter said. “The CGD/T is a mini-Personal Air Vehicle. It is a glimpse of what our fully enclosed, 2+2 prototype will be capable of when it is introduced later this year.”
Carter plans to use the CGD/T to demonstrate the capabilities of his technology and to preview the new Personal Air Vehicle, now scheduled for flight-testing in mid-2007.
For more information: