Little Wing Autogyro

The Little Wing Autogyro is a series of conventional one and two place autogyros with a tractor engine layout using modern engines and produced by Little Wing Autogyros, Inc. of Mayflower, Arkansas.^[1][2][3][4]

Little Wing Autogyro
Role	Autogyro
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Little Wing Autogyros, Inc.
Designer	Ron Herron
First flight	1995
Introduction	1995

Development

Ron Herron was concerned about the problem of pushover fatalities in pusher gyrocopters. He set to develop a tractor layout gyrocopter that also met the FAA rules for ultralight aircraft. A Prototype LW-1 powered by a Continental O-200 engine was soon followed on by the LW-2. The design was influenced by Juan de la Cierva's autogyros. ^[5]

Operational history

Andy Keech set 29 world records in an LW-5 Autogyro.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

Variants

LW-1

Original proof of concept prototype

LW-2

Single place autogyro designed to weigh less than 254 lb (115 kg) to meet US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations

LW-3

A 70 hp (52 kW) covered version

LW-4

A two place long frame version

LW-5

A two place short frame version

Roto-Pup

Ultralight version based on the Preceptor Ultra Pup airframe.^[1][13]

Aircraft on display

• Little Wing LW-5, EAA Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.^[14]

Specifications (LW-2)

Data from Company^[15]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 18 ft (5.5 m)
• Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)
• Gross weight: 750 lb (340 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 8.5 U.S. gallons (32 L; 7.1 imp gal)
• Main rotor diameter: 23 ft (7.0 m)
• Main rotor area: 415 sq ft (38.6 m²)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Cruise speed: 65 kn (75 mph, 121 km/h)
• Disk loading: 1.8 lb/sq ft (8.8 kg/m²)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Cierva C.1
• Cierva C.2
• Cierva C.3