American Air Jet American

The American Air Jet American is an American homebuilt tip jet helicopter designed and built by American Air Jet of Woodland Park, Colorado for amateur construction from kits.^[1]

American
Role	Homebuilt helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	American Air Jet
First flight	1988

Design and development

The American is either a tandem two-seat or single seat helicopter first flown in July 1988. It has an aluminium alloy enclosed cockpit with a twin skid landing gear and non-moving tail surfaces. The American has a twin-blade single rotor made from glassfibre and no tail rotor, on the prototype a 280 hp (209 kW) Wankel rotary engine drives a centrifugal compressor that provides air to thrust jets on the tips of the blades.^[1]

Specifications (Prototype)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1989-90^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
• Height: 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
• Empty weight: 980 lb (445 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,600 lb (726 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wankel rotary engine , 208 hp (109 kW)
• Main rotor diameter: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 90 mph (145 km/h, 78 kn)
• Cruise speed: 70 mph (113 km/h, 61 kn)
• Range: 300 mi (483 km, 260 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,050 m)

See also

Related lists

• List of rotorcraft