Photograph:
Magni M-24 Orion G-1818 (c/n 24127544) at Temora, NSW in March 2013 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Italy
Description:
Two-seat sport gyrocopter
Power Plant:
(M-24): one 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914 turbocharged four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air cooled engine
Specifications:
- Rotor diameter: 8.53 m (28 ft)
- Propeller diameter: 1.7 m (67 in)
- Overall width: 1.8 m (71 in)
- Overall length: 4.33 m (14 ft 2 in)
- Overall height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
- Max speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed: 145 km/h (90 mph)
- Stalling speed: 30 km/h (19 mph)
- Rate of climb: 290 m/min (950 ft/min)
- Absolute ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,400 ft)
- Take-off roll: 70 m (230 ft)
- Landing roll: 0 to 30 m (0 to 100 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 82 litres (18 Imp gals
- Endurance: 3.4 hr
- Range no reserve: 482 km (300 miles)
- Empty weight: 290 kg (639 lb)
- Loaded weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
History:
The Magni series of autogyros was produced by Magni Gyro di Magni Vittoria at Besnate in Italy for the world’s light sports aircraft market. The M-14-Scout 2000, known as the Millenium model, had either the Rotax 914 turbo engine of 86 kw (115-hp) or Rotax 912 ULS engine of 75 kw (100 hp) installed. It was a compact machine and was said to afford exceptional performance, two seat utility, stability, reliability and structural strength.
The M-16-2000 Tandem Trainer was aimed at the market for training gyrocopters and was a two-seater of welded steel construction with a faired but not fully enclosed cockpit. It was well known for its stability and was used widely in Europe with training schools. Power plants installed were usually the 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912S or the turbocharged Rotax 914 of 86 kw (115 hp).
Magni also produced a single-seater known as the M-18 Spartan which had a partially enclosed cabin. It was powered by a 48 kw (65 hp) Rotax 582 engine with standard dual carburettors and had a fuel capacity of 41 litres (9 Imp gals). It had a gross weight of 350 kg (771 lb), a useful load of 183 kg (403 lb) and a max speed of 169 km/h (105 mph). From it was developed a new model known as the M-20 Talon with a fully enclosed cockpit. This model has a 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912 engine, an empty weight of 205 kg (452 lb), a loaded weight of 300 kg (661 lb) and a max speed of 168 km/h (104 mph).
Another model in the series was the M-22 Voyager, a two-seater with a partially enclosed cockpit, which was optimised for cross country flights. Announced in June 2005, this was a new design based on the M-16 Trainer and featured large baggage strakes on each side of the cabin enclosure. Rear seat flight and engine controls were deleted in this model to allow for more baggage space. It was only available with the Rotax 914UL engine. Empty weight was 272 kg (600 lb) and loaded weight was 550 kg (1,212 lb). Max speed was 185 km/h (115 mph) and range with no reserves was 483 km (300 miles).
A further model was the M-24 Orion, a side-by-side two-seater with a fully enclosed cockpit, which was optimised for cross country flights. It had dual controls and had two baggage compartments, one inside the cockpit under the right seat cushion, and another placed outside on the left side of the machine. The Orion was powered by the turbocharged Rotax 914 engine. In 2018 Magni offered the M-24 Orion to customers with the new Rotax 915Is engine.
A number of examples of Magni gyrocopters have been imported to this region by the local distributor at Cowaramup in Western Australia. Examples of the Model 24 have been registered in Australasia, including ZK-MWR (c/n 24105714) and ZK-PLW (c/n 24127534) in New Zealand, and G-1818 in Australia.