ADI Sportster
Aircraft Designs Inc · United States · first flew 1974 · light aircraft
The ADI Sportster is a two-seat gyroplane marketed in plans form for homebuilding by Aircraft Designs Inc since 1974. It was the first homebuilt gyrocopter design able to carry a passenger.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 3.66 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat gyroplane with a single 8.5 m rotor
- Pusher-mounted Lycoming O-320 four-cylinder engine
- Airframe built from bolted and riveted dural aluminium sheet
Look for a small gyroplane with a 28 ft rotor and an aluminium airframe. Its length is 3.66 m.
Specifications
- The ADI Sportster has a length of 3.66 m (12 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.53 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 140 km/h (87 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The design first flew in 1974. It is built from bolted and riveted dural aluminium sheet, and its rotor blades use an NACA 8H12 airfoil.
Variants
The Sportster was sold as a single design in plan form for amateur construction, powered by a 150 hp Lycoming O-320.
Where you'll see it
About 65 had been built by 2005. It carries a pilot and one passenger.
Related aircraft
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