All-Carbon Fiber Gyroplane Debuts at Sun “€˜n Fun 2018

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The Rotorvox C2A gyroplane made its way to Sun ’n Fun 2018 and is on display at Paradise City, the historic ultralight strip to the east of the main entrance of the show.

Unlike most gyroplanes, the Rotorvox is designed not to be Spartan but to be sleek and modern. It's more Tesla than dirt bike, and U.S. distributor Cobus Burger says there's some pushback on the price of the craft--$165,000 for the kit, including a builder's assistance program---but that has been from other gyroplane makers and not from customers.

What customers are asking for, he says, isn't a less expensive model but one that they don't have to build. Unfortunately, as Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) president Dan Johnson reported in his press conference on Tuesday, the LSA regulations don't allow for gyroplanes to be approved under the category. When I asked Johnson why not, he pretty much just shrugged his shoulders. LAMA is, however, working with what he says is a receptive FAA on the subject, trying to make that allowance.

The C2A features all carbon fiber construction, an ingenious hydraulic prerotator system that gets the blades spinning for takeoff, and a Rotax 914 engine. And that's right: a turbocharged 115-hp carbon fiber gyroplane. And it's fully trailerable and, yes, we're going to fly it as soon as we get the chance.

Learn more about Rotorvox here.