Augusto Cicare, Dennis Fetters and the CH-6 Helicopter (Mini 500 Prototype) Page 2
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| CH-6 helicopter |
Consider the following facts: Other than they have a big rotor blade on the top and a little rotor blade on the back, the C – 6 and the Mini 500 have no similarities. The Mini 500 is supposed to be a slick, fibreglass enclosed, modern – looking helicopter, and the C – 6 is an antiquated – looking, welded steel structure where the pilot sits out in the open. The C – 6 is powered by an old single ignition Rotax 532, while the Mini 500 will be powered by a new dual – ignition Rotax 582. The C – 6 was completely assembled in Argentina while the Mini 500 will be shipped as a kit from Liberty, Missouri. The two aircraft really have little in common.
Of course, thought the Cicare – Six (6) LV-X101 is not the Mini 500 prototype, it is an excellent proof – of – concept rotorcraft for the power train and control linkages which will be used in the Mini 500. In that regard, the C – 6 is nothing less than outstanding.
On those days at Oshkosh when the EAA allowed flying, Dennis Fetters put on an outstanding demonstration in the new helicopter. From a standing start he would grab a large handful of collective and climb in hover to about 300 feet. Of course, had the Rotax retired at about 100 feet there would have been no hope of autorotation, but that’s show biz. From that altitude he would move into transitional lift and fly away without losing a foot of altitude.
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| Sleek and innovative through shaft control system |
To demonstrate the manoeuvrability of the Helicopter he performed a routine with highway cones where he tipped them over with the skids, moved them around, and then reset them upright. In the grand finale, Fetters moved the two cones so that they were at the exact width of the skids. Then he tipped them both over and picked them up on the skids. He received a standing ovation after each demonstration – there were no chairs.
Two things were apparent from the flight demonstration: Dennis Fetters is an excellent helicopter pilot, and the Cicare – Six is an excellent one – place helicopter.
Though I’d heard from Fetters how stable the helicopter was, I was sceptical until the photo session when I was looking through the viewfinder of my camera and noticed that he was flying the helicopter with only one hand. In most helicopters, if you let go of the cyclic in a hover you are going for a ride. But the little C – 6 just sat there, motionless.
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| Incredibly stable hover thanks to the advanced cyclic control system |
As we go to press, the rotor blades, drive train and control system on the C – 6 have held up to 350 hours of flight testing. Fetters is justified in trying this combination in a new design.
Unlike the open skeleton of the C – 6, the pilot of the Mini 500 will sit in a fibreglass bubble. The C – 6 engine and transmission will be attached to the back of the fibreglass pilot compartment and the skids by a yet-to-be-designed chromoly structure. As I understand it, the Mini 500 will also feature a composite tube and “T” tail. According to Fetters, the first Mini 500 – the true prototype – should be flying by end of the year.
Though the control system is a matter of several world – wide patents, according to Fetters, they still kept the new hardware covered with a trash bag except while flying. Hence my less than tropical reception during initial inspection.
According to Fetters, things are on schedule for the Mini 500 project. They have just completed computer-assisted drawings of the new rotorcraft. The next step is to build a wood-and-plaster mock-up of the cabin and engine enclosures. From this mock-up, a mould will be made, and from the mould will come the first Mini 500 – hopefully by year’s end.
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| This lively and agile design allows the pilot easier control over difficult flight manouvers |
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NOTE: Revolution Helicopters are no longer in existance and the Mini 500 helicopter is longer in production. Article date 1990 courtesy John W. Conrad.
