This craft is one of the first "light" helicopters in the world powered by two separate piston engines, which obviously substantially increases its reliability and safety.
Mr. Lidak designed his helicopter to be equipped with two aeronautical four-stroke engines with the capability of flying with a reduced performance even with a single engine. The engines, 68 hp each, are completely independent, each one with its own electrical system and fuel system. The TBO (time between overhauls) is 1,000 hours.
The electronic fuel injection of this power plant guarantees a correct fuel mixing in all all meteorological conditions and altitude, leading to reduced fuel consumption, less pollution as well as avoiding anomalies such as the formation of ice on the carburetors.
The fields of application of a light helicopter
which, thanks to the twin engine, will be permitted to fly over large towns,
are much more than those of traditional single engine helicopters. Keep
in mind that the solution of the double engine is normally adopted in helicopters
whose price is of the order of millions of dollars.
This helicopter is also equipped with a one-blade
rotor. According to his developer, the use of the one-blade rotor eliminates
various problems (and related costs) such as the periodic blade tracking,
produces a better aerodynamic performance and better balancing during flight,
thus reducing the vibrations and noise. The single blade is counterbalanced
by a
counterweight.
A third important new feature of this helicopter
is the transmission system to the tail rotor which is realized with a hydrostatic
transmission. This eliminates the tail rotor variable pitch, all the devices
from the control pedal to the tail for the pitch adjustment and, above
all, the propeller shaft with its bevel gear box. All these innovations
lead to a remarkable
constructive simplification and a reduction
in friction losses. It is considered a highly reliable solution.
This two-seat two-engine one-blade helicopter
could change the growth perspectives of the market of light helicopters
in the world because it is not only is a credible candidate to catch an
important share in its world market but also promises to enlarge the size
of the market itself.