Photograph:
A production Skyhook c 1982 (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Single-seat light sporting gyrocopter
Power Plant:
One 60 kw (80 hp) [2200-cc] Volkswagen four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- (Skyhook Mk III)
- Rotor diameter: 7.0 m (23 ft)
- Length overall: 3.4 m (11 ft)
- Height: 2.1 m (6 ft 8 in)
- Tail span: 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)
- Wheel track: 1.7 m (5 ft 5 in)
- Propeller diameter: 1.3 m (4 ft 4 in)
- Rotor disc area: 38.6 m² (415.5 sq ft)
- Max speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 348 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 122 m (400 ft)
- Landing run with brakes: 5 m (15 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 43 litres (9.5 Imp gals)
- Range at 113 km/h (70 mph): 450 km (280 miles)
- Empty weight: 161 kg (354 lb)
- Loaded weight: 271 kg (597 lb)
History:
The Skyhook was a homebuilt gyrocopter designed and built by Ted Minty of Turramurra, NSW in the 1970s, the prototype flying for the first time on 1 January 1978. It was a fully-enclosed machine seating one person and powered by a converted Volkswagen engine which produced 164 kg (360 lb) of static thrust at 3,600-rpm driving a propeller constructed from Queensland maple. It was entered into a competition held by the American Rotorcraft Association and was chosen by that Association to appear on the cover of Rotorcraft magazine. Details of the machine appeared in Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft and enquiries were received from around the world.
The machine received some development and eventually got to the stage of the Skyhook Auto Gyro Mk III. It was fitted with a fibreglass body weighing 6.8 kg (15lb) and had a customised fiberglass seat. The designer stated the machine was a personalised gyroplane or aerial motor-cycle useful for recreational flying, scenery seeking, property surveying cattle, mustering, shark patrols, infantry surveillance etc.
The machine was eventually marketed in kit form in three different models, these variants being the Mk I with a Rotax 503 engine with an open framework; the Mk II with a Volkswagen engine and a partially enclosed cabin; and the Mk III also with a Volkswagen engine and a fully enclosed cockpit. Ultimately it was developed to the Australian Autogyro Skyhook, which is dealt with elsewhere.