Canso42 wrote:
Me again, Bald Eagle. Are any of the other restored autogiros airworthy, even if they aren't flown? How many examples exist?
Following Andrew's remarks - I've been and am working on a couple of early rotary wing books. We've just published one on Autogiros which should act as a pretty comprehensive round out on the concept, and also on W.W.II Allied Rotorcraft to go with a previously published on on German Rotorcraft.
There are a couple of Pitcairns that were donated to the EAA Museum as airworthy, but don't fly, while Kermit Week's Avro Rota was restored to taxining condition with the Shuttleworth Collection. After Rolf van Bar in Sweeden stopped operating C-30s, I think in the 1950s or 60s, I think that was about it for those pre- '45 generation giros.
The Spanish built a replica Cierva C-30 which they flew for a period, but it's grounded now.
I'd like to see more, and another Pitcairn is under restoration as we write, but there are some marginal control regimes in flight and some nasty characteristics too, limiting enthusiasm for them otherwise.
There's about a dozen Avro Rotas / C-30s in preservation, a handful of miscellaneous American types such as the Pitcairns, lots of the German U-Boat 'Kite', and a handful of other types from Britain, France etc.
Book details:
Autogiro, Rotary Wings Before the Helicopter, Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume
http://mmpbooks.biz/mmp/books.php?book_id=109Rotorcraft of The III Reich, Ryszard Witkowski
http://mmpbooks.biz/mmp/books.php?book_id=56Allied Rotorcraft of the WW2 period, Ryszard Witkowski
http://mmpbooks.biz/mmp/books.php?book_id=110HTH!
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