Photograph:
Unregistered ELA ELA-10 Eclipse at Goolwa, SA in September 2018 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Spain
Description:
Two-seat light sport gyrocopter
Power Plant:
One 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914 turbocharged four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Main rotor diameter: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
- Main rotor area: 57 m² (610 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 190 km/h (120 mph)
- Max speed: 190 km/h (99 mph)
- Cruising speed 150 km/h to 165 km/h: (95 mph to 105 mph)
- Fuel capacity: 87 litres (19 Imp gals)
- Endurance: 5 to 7 hours
- Range: 640 km (400 miles)
- Take-off distance: 100 m (330 ft)
- Landing distance 0 m to 20 m: (0 ft to 65 ft)
- Baggage capacity: 65 litres
- Useful load: 237 kg (520 lb)
- Loaded weight: 530 kg (1,168 lb)
Empty weight: 283 kg (625 lb)
History:
The ELA ELA-10 Eclipse was one of a range of high-performance gyrocopters produced by ELA Aviacion of Cordoba in Spain. Models included the ELA-07, ELA-08, ELA-09 Junior, and the top of the range ELA-10 Eclipse. It seated two in tandem in an enclosed cockpit, the canopy being able to be removed and replaced by a front windscreen. It was described as the second in a new generation of innovative gyroplanes.
Construction was of chrome molybdenum 4130 steel frame with a carbon fibre cockpit, fairings and tail unit. It had a carbon fibre three-blade propeller, pneumatic pre-rotator, pneumatic trim and rotor brake, hydraulic wheel brakes and parking brake, cockpit heating, LED landing lights, strobe on the mast, an oil thermostat, stainless steel exhaust system and a friction clutch for the engine.
First examples imported to Australia arrived during 2017 for the importer Fleurieu Gyroplanes of Finniss, SA and have been based at Goolwa, SA.