Photograph:
Star Aviation Lonestar VH-AMU (c/n LS-50) at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon, VIC (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport helicopter
Power Plant:
One 82 kw (110 hp) Hirth F-30 EP2 four-cylinder upright in-line air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Rotor diameter: 6.09 m (20 ft)
- Length: 4.06 m (13 ft 4 in)
- Height: 2.15 m (7 ft 8 in)
- Rotor disc area: 29.17 m² (314 sq ft)
- Max speed: 153 km/h (95 mph)
- Cruising speed: 105 km/h (65 mph)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 2,743 m (9,000 ft)
- Range: 169 km (105 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 33.7 litres (7.4 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 195 kg (430 lb)
- Loaded weight: 406 kg (895 lb)
History:
The Lonestar was a single-seat basic utility helicopter of all-metal construction marketed by Star Aviation Inc of New Braunfels in Texas, USA and was fitted with an 82 kw (110 hp) Hirth engine driving, via a chain, a composite main rotor. Supplied in kit form, the type was designed to be cheap to build and operate, and was entirely bolted together rather than welded. The undercarriage was two skids, and the pilot sat in the open air with no cockpit cabin or fairing installed. The fuselage was a basic beam on which the pilot’s seat was installed, along with the engine, the latter being installed vertically so no gearbox was required. Fuel capacity was 33.7 litres (7.4 Imp gals). A 49 kw (66 hp) Rotax 582 upright, in-line, two-cylinder engine could also be installed.
First example of the type registered in this region was VH-AMU6 (c/n LS-50) on 30 March 1999. This machine was imported by the Australian distributor for the type in Queensland and, rather than being a kit, was complete, having previously been registered as N50LS in the United States.