Pitcairn PA-22
Autogiro Company of America · United States · first flew 1933 · light aircraft
The 1933 experimental Pitcairn PA-22 was one of the first wingless autogyros. It was controlled by tilting the rotor rather than by conventional control surfaces.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tailplane mounted above the fuselage with twin fins inboard of its rounded tips |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wingless autogyro with a three-blade rotor 9.8 m in diameter on a pylon above the cockpit
- Nose-mounted Pobjoy Cataract radial driving a two-blade propeller
- Tailplane mounted above the fuselage with twin fins inboard of its rounded tips
A wingless two-seat autogyro with a flat-sided glazed cabin, a pylon-mounted three-blade rotor that can be folded on the ground, and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Pitcairn PA-22 has a length of 5.49 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.8 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 169 km/h (105 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was the first US autogyro to dispense with ailerons, elevators and rudders, and was flown by moving the rotor plane with a long hanging stick. It first flew in April 1933 and was demonstrated in public in Washington, D.C. on 8 November 1934.
Variants
The lone example was much modified; the rudders on its fins were removed once direct control had proved itself. The roadable Autogiro AC-35 was a related design.
Where you'll see it
It remained an experimental aircraft and did not enter production.
Related aircraft
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