Photograph:
An American Sportscopter 496 on display at The Australian International Airshow at Avalon, VIC (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport helicopter
Power Plant:
One 71-kw (95-hp) Gobler-Hirth F-30 dual-carburettor, two-cylinder, horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Rotor diameter: 7.01 m (23 ft)
- Length [blades folded]: 6.02 m (19 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in)
- Cabin length: 1.35 m (53 in)
- Cabin width: 1.22 m (48 in)
- Max speed: 158 km/h (98 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 104 km/h (65 mph)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 3,657 m (12,000 ft)
- Range: 386 km (240 miles)
- Empty weight: 180 kg (395 lb)
- Useful load: 218 kg (480 lb)
- Loaded weight: 398 kg (877 lb)
History:
American Sportscopter Inc of Newport News, Virginia, USA developed a series of light helicopters for homebuilt construction, being supplied in kit form. Originally it was available in three basic models, the Ultrasport 254 single-seat with a 41 kw (55 hp) Hirth 2703 engine; the Ultrasport 331 with a 48 kw (65 hp) Hirth 2706; and the two-seat 496 with the Hirth F-30 engine. The prototype Model 254 made its first flying on 24 July 1993, and it was publicly displayed at the EAA fly-in at Oshkosh in Wisconsin that year.
Two prototypes were built and tested, the first Model 331 flying in December 1993. The Model 254 was built in the ultralight category and was of composite construction for the fuselage, main and tailrotors, and a shrouded tail. The Model 331 differed in having a larger engine, doors, an electric starter, and larger fuel tank. The Model 496 was a trainer version with electric starter, had full dual controls, and was aimed at the market filled to date by the Robinson R-22.
Available in kit form, more than 200 examples have been sold and the type was placed in full production, examples being delivered to Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Malaysia etc. Examples are flying in Australia and New Zealand.
Development of the series continued to the SportsCopter 600, a more powerful two-seat derivation of the Model 496. The first Model 496 registered in New Zealand was ZK-HIY (c/n 3). In late 1999 six Model 600s, produced specifically for the New Zealand market, were registered to Ultra Helicopters Inc (NZ) Ltd of Auckland. However, five were soon returned to the United States and only the one remained registered.
Further examples of the Model 496 have been since imported to Australia, including VH-AGS (c/n 2023) and VH-VIB (c/n AV001), imported in late 2005.