Photograph:
Australian registered Amax Eagle TT G-133 (Unknown)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Single or two-seat sport gyrocopter
Power Plant:
One 82 kw (110 hp) Subaru EA-81 four-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled converted motor vehicle engine
Specifications:
- Length: 3.05 m (10 ft)
- Main rotor diameter: 7.92 m (26 ft)
- Main rotor area: 49.3 m² (531 sq ft)
- Max speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Cruising speed: 113 km/h (70 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,267 m (14,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 457 m/min (1,500 ft/min)
- Range: 483 km (300 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 45 litres (10 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 186 kg (410 lb)
- Payload: 167 kg (368 lb)
- Loaded weight: 386 kg (850 lb)
History:
The Amax Eagle was produced by Amax Engineering of Donvale, VIC and was made available to amateur builders in kit form in the 1990s. It was produced in two basic models, a single-seater known as the Eagle and a two-seater known as the Double Eagle. The single-seater was known as the TT, which indicated the “Tall Tail” model with a raised undercarriage, permitting the engine to be placed on the vertical centre of gravity.
The machine was derived from the Eagle LT which initially had a low undercarriage, being designed to meet amateur-construction rules, and could be fitted with engines in the 63 kw to 86 kw (85 hp to 115 hp) range. It had a single main rotor, an open cockpit without a windshield and a tricycle undercarriage, most aircraft built being fitted with the converted Subaru EA-81 engine in a pusher configuration. Construction was of welded 4130 steel tube with some aluminium parts, being fitted with a two-blade rotor.
The Double Eagle seated two in tandem which could be fitted with engines ranging from 82 kw to 112 kw (110 hp to 150 hp) engines, most having the Amax converted Subaru EA-82, EJ-20 and EJ-22 engines of 1800 cc to 2200 cc, driving a Warp Drive carbon fibre ground- adjustable propeller, the main rotor being an Aerodyne aluminium unit.
At least two examples of the TT were registered in New Zealand, these being ZK-RAN² (c/n AMAX 1396TT) which first flew on 5 February 1998 and was operated by South Canterbury Aviation. It later operated from Timaru and eventually moved to Wakefield in May 2005. It was withdrawn from service at Wakefield in mid-2014. The second machine became ZK-RCZ (c/n 901) in December 1999 and operated in the Palmerston area until withdrawn from service in July 2008.
Examples of all models have been registered in Australia under ASRA autogyro regulations, including G-133 and G-0267 in Western Australia.