Photograph:
ELA ELA-08 G-2462 (c/n ASRA2143) at Temora, NSW in April 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Spain
Description:
Two-seat gyrocopter
Power Plant:
One 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914UL four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Rotor diameter: 8.25 m (27 ft)
- Length: 5.1 m (16 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.75 m (9 ft)
- Width: 1.9 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Cruising speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
- Minimum speed in level flight: 30 km/h (19 mph)
- Rate of climb with two persons on board: 600 m/min (1,968 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 50 m (164 ft)
- Range: 500 km (311 miles)
- Empty weight: 244 kg (538 lb)
- Max payload weight: 306 kg (675 lb)
- Loaded weight: 550 kg (1,213 lb)
History:
ELA Aviacion in Spain commenced production of gyrocopters for the civil market in 1996 and by 2006 had become the largest ultralight gyrocopter manufacturer, and the only Spanish company to construct autogyros. It produced two basic models, the ELA-07 and the ELA-08, being awarded certificates by the Spanish Civil Aviation Board, and these were produced in sub-variants. Of modern appearance, the fuselage seated two in tandem and the cockpit and tailplanes were constructed of carbon fibre, the rotor blades being of aluminium and carbon fibre.
Basic model was the ELA-07 R-100 which was powered by a 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS engine. The ELA-08 was available in two forms, the R-100 with the 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS engine [1400 cc], and the R-115 with the 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914UL engine [1200 cc]. These machines were fitted with a mechanical pre-rotator that attained 300 rpm, a pneumatic rotor brake with a parking system, and a pneumatic trim system.
A number of examples have been imported to this region by the importers, ELA Aviation. Examples of the ELA-07 and ELA-08 have been registered in Australia, including G-2727, an ELA-08.
Examples have been placed on the New Zealand register, including ZK-VBA (ex G-CEEA) based at Te Puke from October 2010 and ZK-SIT (c/n 01050510712 – ex G-YROE) registered to the Husband Trust at Featherstone in January 2016.