Bensen B-8
Bensen Aircraft · United States · first flew 1955 · light aircraft
The Bensen B-8 Gyrocopter is a minimalist single-seat autogyro designed by Igor Bensen and sold as a homebuilder kit, making personal rotorcraft available to amateur constructors for the first time at affordable cost. Its open tubular frame and simplicity became iconic in the kit gyroplane world.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 3.43 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Open-frame homebuilt gyrocopter
- Single seat with exposed pilot position
- Pusher propeller behind pilot
Unmistakable by its open tubular keel frame, unpowered rotor above the pilot, pusher propeller, and absence of any fuselage enclosure.
Specifications
- The Bensen B-8 has a length of 3.43 m (11 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.1 m (20 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 137 km/h (85 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Igor Bensen, a former Sikorsky engineer, designed the B-8 in the mid-1950s and flew it in 1955, going on to found Bensen Aircraft Corporation to sell kits. The design proved enormously popular and spawned a cottage industry of gyroplane development that persists today. Thousands were built by homebuilders across the United States and internationally.
Variants
The B-8M added a McCulloch engine; the B-8W and B-8MW introduced two-seat capability; the design inspired countless derivatives worldwide.
Where you'll see it
Flown worldwide by private builders; the B-8 community remains active at gyroplane fly-ins and sport aviation events.
Related aircraft
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