FD-Composites ArrowCopter
FD-Composites · Austria · first flew 2008 · light aircraft
The ArrowCopter is a series of Austrian autogyros with an enclosed tandem cockpit and a pusher engine. The AC20 was supplied as a complete, factory-built aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat tandem enclosed cockpit with a bubble canopy
- Single main rotor of 8.5 m diameter and short stub wings
- Main wheels mounted on the tips of the stub wings, with a pusher Rotax 914 engine
A streamlined autogyro with a carbon-fibre pod fuselage, a bubble canopy, tricycle gear and stub wings carrying the main wheels.
Specifications
- The FD-Composites ArrowCopter has a length of 5.8 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 195 km/h (121 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed to the British BCAR Section T rules. The AC 10 flew for the first time on 20 November 2008, the first production examples appeared in 2011 and AC 20 production began in 2012.
Variants
The AC10 was the initial version with a maximum take-off mass of 560 kg, and the AC20 was the production version.
Where you'll see it
At least 40 had been produced by 2015, going to customers in nine countries. FD-Composites filed for insolvency in September 2018 and its assets were later bought by Sichuan Dahua in 2019 and Gryphen Aircraft Industries by 2025.
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