1,7.1 Stock 2-seat Autogyro Mk2 Mod 1

[Geschosskopf]

After much bloodshed and many explosions, Geschosskopf's Sand & Gravel Rocketdynamix is proud to present a stock 2-seat ultralight autogyro that not only works but is fun to fly.  It's pretty useless except for entertainment but hey, we at GS&GR have never been much for practicality.

Download:  https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1761639522

STATS:

• Crew:  0, 1, or 2 Kerbals
• Payload:  Whatever the Kerbals have in their pockets.  Can be upgraded with the light science instruments if desired.
• Gross Weight:  2.7 tons
• Max speed:  102m/s at 1000m
• Cruise speed:  50m/s up to max
• Sustained rate of climb:  10m/s
• Ceiling:  ~7000m ASL
• Takeoff Run:  ~100m
• Landing Roll:  ~20m
• Range:  ~50km.  Can get from KSC to Airfield Island and back, but not much further.

FLYING INSTRUCTIONS

• Flies pretty much like an airplane.  This is a STOL, not a VTOL.
• MUST turn on SAS.  Torque is the only means of roll control.
• Be GENTLE with the pitch control in level-ish flight, but you can get rough when banked and turning hard.  Yaw and roll aren't as picky.  Can be rolled but not looped.
• Takeoff at full throttle.  Can be yanked off the ground at 30m/s but it's easier to control if you wait and let it fly itself off the ground at about 40m/s, then just let it climb out by itself until you get above 50m/s.
• Best sustained climb is with the prograde marker at 10^.  This has very little effect on speed until you get above 4000m.  You can climb more steeply but speed falls off rapidly.  And as forward speed is what turns the rotors and generates the lift, it's best not to do that except for brief emergencies.
• Cruise in level flight by putting the prograde marker on the horizon, which will make the nose slightly low.  Can be throttled back to about 3/4 or a little less and still maintain level flight.
• Small turns and course corrections are best done with a slight bank and lots of rudder, using elevator to keep the nose at the proper attitude.  Large, tight turns are best done banked 80-90^ with lots of elevator, using rudder to maintain nose attitude.
• Descend gently by throttling back more and holding the prograde marker slightly below the horizon.  Steep descents can be made by cutting power and diving 45^ or so.  This does not increase speed and you can even slow down this way while descending if you use a tight spiral with the rudder.  Good for getting into tight spots.
• Landing requires an approach like an airplane, descending in a straight line at low speed.  Make final approach at about 40-45m/s.  Cut throttle completely before crossing the threshold, glide down to just above ground, then gently flare.  Touchdown speed is usually around 20m/s.  Apply brakes to stop.
• Can land and take off from gently rolling terrain no problem.

Overall Layout:

Enjoy!

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by Geschosskopf

[linuxgurugamer]

I can see this being of great use to get to normally inaccessible areas

[Geschosskopf]

2 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

I can see this being of great use to get to normally inaccessible areas

I'm glad you like it.  It does need a small amount of clear, more or less level ground not too far above sea level, but it can operate in cramped areas.  The main bar to practicality is the short range.  You'd have to carry it to the vicinity of the target on or in some other vehicle, which would require adding at least a Clamp-O-Tron Jr. to the autogyro.  The autogyro would probably still fly with that addition but maybe with only 1 Kerbal.  It might be better to design a larger autogyro from the get-go.