American Ranger AR1 Archives - ByDanJohnson.com

SilverLight Aviation American Ranger AR1

Website: http://www.silverlightaviation.com/

Phone: (813) 786-8290

Zephyrhills, FL 33542 - USA

SilverLight Shines Brightly Among Modern Gyroplanes — All American, Available, and Modestly Priced

By Dan Johnson || October 16, 2020 3 Comments

After thousands of articles, I've have heard over and over about two common ingredients sought by pilots who visit this website: Affordability and Availability. Once you make a decision about what to buy, you want to be able to get it quickly and you want it to fit your budget.

The first requirement is understandable. It's all fine and good to wish you could buy something but if it's way out of your price range or if you simply cannot commit to a large purchase right now, it isn't likely to happen… and after all, who doesn't love a good price? The second requirement addresses human nature. Once you've made your decision you want it as fast as you can get it. Most of us feel that way about most products we research.

Get It Now / Afford It Now

Look, I'm well aware that what is considered "affordable" differs for every single pilot and may change daily depending on other aspects of life. A big, unexpected repair bill or any medical care bill can ruin your plan to buy a new sportplane.

However, when a brand-new airplane stays or slips below the $100,000 mark, lots more pilots can think about affording it. If six figures is still way too high, please read all kinds of articles on this website for highly-affordable aircraft (I covered 10 in April 2020 alone; go here) or pick from a growing number of good second-hand aircraft. Ranger was created a few years ago by Abid Farooqui. He once sold weight shift trikes and did a stint helping represent the ApolloFox Avid-like fixed wing entry. Both those were imported. Abid saw the future, however, and turned his considerable engineering talent toward designing and then producing his own modern gyroplane. Since mid-decade he has expanded the line to include a removable full enclosure for the tandem AR-1. He offered a Rotax 912 100 horsepower model and the turbocharged Rotax 914 with up to 115 horsepower.

More recently, he turned his attention to the 141-horsepower Rotax 915. This would make AR-1 an awesome performer truly only needed by someone who lives at a high elevation, anticipates fitting floats one day, or if you simply want the most potent gyroplane available. As you might expect an AR-1 powered by the 915 and with full enclosure is not your most affordable variation. Fortunately, SilverLight has aircraft in stock with low hours that can bring the acquisition cost down substantially. To learn which of these may still be available, contact SilverLight directly. Learn more about Rotax 915 in AR-1 in this article from June 2020 or check out this video for a detailed review of the work Abid did to make the 915 fit his AR-1.

Kit-Built (for Now)

While gyroplanes are among the most likely additions to fully-built LSA in FAA's coming new regulation, today you must assemble AR-1 from a kit.

SilverLight offers a build-assist center at their Zephyrhills airport base near Tampa, Florida. Yet the kit is not a particularly daunting task. For one, you need do no fabric work or painting, two skills that are fairly demanding of a kit builder. The good news… a kit can save money so if affordability is important to you, assembling a kit may be an opportunity, not a deterrent. As a benefit, you will know your aircraft better than someone who buys a ready-to-fly aircraft. The AR-1 kit stats at $39,500 without engine. A 100 horsepower Rotax 912 will add $22,500, or a fuel-injected 912iS adds $28,000. The 115-horsepower Rotax 914 adds $31,500 and the super-sized 915iS adds $42,000. Those price sum to $62,000 to $67,500 to $71,000 to $81,500.

You'll also need a wiring harness (about $2,500), and painting of the fuselage parts adds $3,500, and avionics add a few hundred dollars to a few thousand with too many choices to list here. A few other options may tempt you, for example, the removable full enclosure for $8,500. Builder assistance — including the space and tools needed — will add $6,500 to $8,500 depending on options you choose. So you could possibly spend north of $100,000 but you'd have a fully-loaded and very powerful aircraft. Conversely, if you want to keep the cost to a minimum, you could get airborne for perhaps $75,000-80,000 and at that price, you are still in the affordable realm for a brand-new state-of-the-gyroplane-art. Factory-represented used models with low hours may save even more.

Video Flight Lesson in SilverLight Ranger AR-1

I've written about my experience flying Ranger AR-1 with instructor Greg Spicola. In the second video below, I took the front seat and received a proper lesson, which I relate in some detail. The first video below, from 2016, attracted a large audience despite being one of my early solo YouTube entries. Most of the 1,000 videos in which I've appeared are done by Videoman Dave, who edited the second video and hosts it on his Ultralight News YouTube channel. I hope you'll enjoy both.

https://youtu.be/1QiRHQyBU7U https://youtu.be/qIJPGX0G1Tc

After thousands of articles, I’ve have heard over and over about two common ingredients sought by pilots who visit this website: Affordability and Availability. Once you make a decision about what to buy, you want to be able to get it quickly and you want it to fit your budget. The first requirement is understandable. It’s all fine and good to wish you could buy something but if it’s way out of your price range or if you simply cannot commit to a large purchase right now, it isn’t likely to happen… and after all, who doesn’t love a good price? The second requirement addresses human nature. Once you’ve made your decision you want it as fast as you can get it. Most of us feel that way about most products we research. Get It Now / Afford It Now Look, I’m well aware that what is considered “affordable” differs for every single pilot and may change daily depending on other aspects of life.

American Ranger AR1 Gyroplane Embraces Rotax 915iS Power

By Dan Johnson || June 25, 2020 4 Comments

You can call modern gyroplanes "wanna-be" helicopters if you want but that might miss a few important points.

First, a gyroplane can be flown by a Sport Pilot. Other than Part 103 ultralight version, a helicopter requires a higher certificate and that means a medical, at least BasicMed. LAMA believes gyroplanes will be included in FAA's revised LSA regulation from what is known at this time. That means they'll be available ready-to-fly and prices are so much less than conventional helicopters that it's not even comparable. Comparing the most deluxe fully-built gyroplane to even a used helicopter is a world apart. Finally, maintenance of a gyroplane is dramatically less than any helicopter.

Igor Bensen's original Gyrocopter set the field in motion but these machines have advanced so much further. Seen at Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy museum.

Despite those differences, gyroplanes enjoy some of the same performance capabilities of a helicopter — other than vertical launch. Gyroplanes also work unusually well in wind conditions that might ground most other aircraft. No wonder gyroplanes have enjoyed a huge run in space-tight European countries and have been growing steadily in the USA. All this makes Silverlight's shift from weight shift to gyroplanes look smart. While the USA invented gyrocopters (as many called them back when, even though that term refers to a Bensen design), Europe marched forward with the idea while some American producers grappled with safety issues. That's mostly history now. Designed and produced in America, Silverlight Aviation's American Ranger AR-1 series (open and closed cockpit variations) has found a growing number of buyers.

Now, More Powerful

"Rotax 915iS is recommended for customers starting from high altitudes like in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico," said Silverlight, "or if the customer is looking for the ultimate performance anywhere." Read my comparison of 915iS to 912iS.

Company leader, Abid Farooqui, notes that Rotax's newest powerplant requires use of an EFIS (Electronic Flight Information System, or digital screen avionics) for engine monitoring that can interface with 915's electronic engine monitoring. Analog gauges are not an option with use of this engine. The lowest cost and simplest EFIS is MGL Extreme, Abid advised. The 141-horsepower engine is fully ASTM compliant. Silverlight said the engine package "includes engine, air filter, intercooler, intercooler custom piping, oil lines, oil radiator, remote oil tank, fuse box, ECU, coolant radiator, engine mounts, exhaust system with turbo, engine mounting hardware, fuel system components, standard composite propeller." Yet reading that list does not speak to the effort of designing the engine installation for AR-1

I will link to a video with much more detail but as one example, Rotax's powerful engine has a turbocharger. Those air boosters make air hotter so an intercooler is needed. The trouble with these components is they have to be securely mounted and a gyroplane like AR-1 is slim, so Abid did not want a big intercooler sticking out and upsetting the lines and low drag of his design. As the video below shows, he went to considerable effort to clean up the 915 installation. To learn all about the many actions Abid took to install Rotax 915s into his aircraft, see GyroGerald's video here; this goes into good detail with lots of close-up images. (Good job, Gerald!)

Specifications — American Ranger AR-1 (with 3 Engine Options)

Empty Weight — 646 pounds (912ULS/912iS), 665 pounds (914UL), 697 pounds (915iS)
Gross Weight — 1,200 / 1,232 / 1,260 pounds
Useful Load — 554 / 567 / 563 pounds
Payload (full fuel) — 452 / 465 / 461 pounds
Minimum Speed (a substitute for Stall Speed) — 25 mph
Max straight and level speed (Vh) — 105 mph / 110 mph / 120 mph
Never Exceed Speed — 120 mph
Takeoff Roll (calm, turf, prerotated) — 450 feet / 350 feet / 200 feet
Takeoff Distance (50 foot obstacle) — 1200 feet / 980 feet / 750 feet
Landing Roll — 0 to 30 feet, with proper technique
Landing (50 foot obstacle) — 500 feet
Rate of Climb (sea level) — 725 fpm / 850 fpm / 1300 fpm
Fuel — 17 gallons
Fuel Burn at Cruise — 4 to 6 gph
Rotor Diameter 28 feet 3 inches (larger rotor of 28 ft. 10 in. available for high altitude)
Height — 9 feet
Width (not cockpit width) — 76.5 inches,
Length — 17.7 feet
Folding Mast Option — 6.1 feet (when folded)

https://youtu.be/W7APuLNjJdw Here's a fuller description of flying a gyroplane — suitable for pilots without experience in these aircraft.

https://youtu.be/qIJPGX0G1Tc

You can call modern gyroplanes “wanna-be” helicopters if you want but that might miss a few important points. First, a gyroplane can be flown by a Sport Pilot. Other than Part 103 ultralight version, a helicopter requires a higher certificate and that means a medical, at least BasicMed. LAMA believes gyroplanes will be included in FAA’s revised LSA regulation from what is known at this time. That means they’ll be available ready-to-fly and prices are so much less than conventional helicopters that it’s not even comparable. Comparing the most deluxe fully-built gyroplane to even a used helicopter is a world apart. Finally, maintenance of a gyroplane is dramatically less than any helicopter. Despite those differences, gyroplanes enjoy some of the same performance capabilities of a helicopter — other than vertical launch. Gyroplanes also work unusually well in wind conditions that might ground most other aircraft. No wonder gyroplanes have enjoyed a huge run in space-tight European countries and have been growing steadily in the USA.

Open Cockpit or Enclosed, SilverLight’s AR-1 Impresses — SLSA Gyroplanes Are Coming!

By Dan Johnson || October 24, 2019 6 Comments

For years, more than a decade, the U.S. gyroplane producer community tried to persuade FAA to allow fully built Special Light-Sport Aircraft gyroplanes into the USA.

"No dice," said FAA! With perspective, it turned out only a small group was opposed but so strong was their hand at the time that FAA leadership could not break the logjam. Now, that appears to be solved. I write "appears" as we won't know for certain until FAA releases their NPRM on the program widely known as MOSAIC. Best guess, this won't come for at least a couple more years but the plans inside FAA are maintaining support at the highest levels of the agency and that gyroplane logjam definitely appears to be loosening. Amen! That was a long time coming. Maybe you don't care. Maybe you aren't interested in rotor-winged aircraft. I didn't think I was either until I flew a few of these and most recently got some worthy instruction from Greg Spicola, who does gyro flight instruction and transition training for SilverLight.

SilverLight Rising

Abid Farooqui's SilverLight Aviation is an emerging force in gyroplanes, adding to a growing list of American producers that got back into the game after the Europeans put their mark on these spinning-wing aircraft. SilverLight is based alongside the Zephyr Hills, Florida airport affectionately known to its many sport aircraft users as "Z-Hills." In earlier times, Bensen Gryocopter led development of these aircraft, although other developers were also active. A well-known gyro pilot name Ken Brock did impressive and convincing airshow routines that showcased the capability of these small flying machines. Interest began to bubble but so did some problems. In those days, the tailplane of gyros of the day was small and, in less experienced hands, some accidents and losses of life occurred. Aviation media may have exaggerated the danger but the damage was done and gyros retreated from visibility, even as a small cadre of enthusiasts kept the segment alive.

Along came European developers like Italy's Magni Gyro and Germany's AutoGyro, followed by several others. They made numerous improvements but among them was the now-standard tailplane located further aft and with more vertical area. That and better pilot preparation resulted in a much better safety record and European pilots began to embrace these aircraft. Sales took off, so much so that leading engine producer Rotax reported more 9-series engines were being sold to gyroplane builders than any other aircraft subgroup. American entrepreneurs took note, Abid Farooqui's SilverLight among them.

Flies Like a Fixed Wing… Almost

The video below conveys more information I learned in a training session with Greg in the fully enclosed AR-1 Ranger from SilverLight. The short answer is that fixed wing pilots will find more similarities than differences when they sample a gyroplane following years of flying conventional aircraft. Certainly, pilots with no rotary experience need transition training. A few critical differences — such as making an abrupt taxi turn while the rotor still has a lot of spin and the use of power or pitch while aloft — clarify that these aircraft are not fixed wing machines. Nonetheless, you largely fly a gyroplane much like a fixed wing. Gyros are quite distinct from helicopters.

That said, FAA is to be commended for finally including fully built Special LSA gyroplanes in their proposed new regulation. Given their general ease of operation, excellent performance in winds too strong for some light aircraft, compact storage in a hangar or trailer, and the relatively modest cost of acquiring a gyroplane, it seems likely we will see more of these aircraft in the years ahead. Here's our Video Pilot Report flying the SilverLight AR-1 Ranger with full enclosure: https://youtu.be/qIJPGX0G1Tc

For years, more than a decade, the U.S. gyroplane producer community tried to persuade FAA to allow fully built Special Light-Sport Aircraft gyroplanes into the USA. “No dice,” said FAA! With perspective, it turned out only a small group was opposed but so strong was their hand at the time that FAA leadership could not break the logjam. Now, that appears to be solved. I write “appears” as we won’t know for certain until FAA releases their NPRM on the program widely known as MOSAIC. Best guess, this won’t come for at least a couple more years but the plans inside FAA are maintaining support at the highest levels of the agency and that gyroplane logjam definitely appears to be loosening. Amen! That was a long time coming. Maybe you don’t care. Maybe you aren’t interested in rotor-winged aircraft. I didn’t think I was either until I flew a few of these and most recently got some worthy instruction from Greg Spicola, who does gyro flight instruction and transition training for SilverLight.

Sebring Day 4 — 2 Video Pilot Reports, a Surprise Arrival, and a Wrap-Up Interview

By Dan Johnson || January 27, 2019 1 Comment

An unanticipated event on Sebring's closing day was the arrival of the somewhat hidden-from-view Aeromarine LSA Mermaid LSA seaplane, the first such to win FAA acceptance as a SLSA.

One surprise arrival was Aeromarine LSA's Mermaid. Remember this model? This Chip Erwin creation was really the forerunner of the modern LSA seaplane category. Before Mermaid, we had Progressive Aerodyne's Searey and Aero Adventure's Aventura. Both those models have been upgraded for the time of ASTM standards compliance but early in the new millennium it was accurate to call them "ultralight seaplanes" built of gusseted aluminum structures covered with sewn Dacron surfaces. When Mermaid arrived about as the Light-Sport Aircraft sector was given birth by FAA's new regulation, this all-metal, clean sheet design wowed crowds at Sun 'n Fun. Many responded by putting down deposits. For complex reasons I won't go into here, Mermaid never made the splash many anticipated but neither has it disappeared. Here's more on the aircraft's history. For the final day, Mermaid came and replaced another LSA seaplane that chose to exit their space early. The intriguing shoulder-wing design steadily attracted interested pilots. Mermaid was the first LSA seaplane to declare compliance with ASTM standards and was #28 catalogued on our popular SLSA List. It was fun to see Mermaid again.

Gone Flying …for You!

Our VPRs have proven popular with some approaching a million views and several with hundreds of thousands of views.

With the Sebring Expo in the background over jet jockey demo pilot Shannon Diaz's head, we begin our hourlong VPR.

In my early days of writing aircraft reviews, I produced hundreds of such reports. Indeed those articles were the original foundation of this website. They date back into the 1980s and some even in the '70s. Yet, times change. After YouTube, Vimeo, and other video-hosting sites arrived, they drew huge viewership. YouTube is often said to be the #2 search engine on the Internet after Google. People love videos! Videoman Dave informed an inquiring group of pilots that his Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer YouTube channel now generates 1.8 million views a month (for all his 1,000+ videos, which include all the ones in which I perform). We joined the parade and now create VPRs, involving mounting up to eight Garmin Virb cameras as well as shooting from the ground, plus a stand-up review where I relate information immediately after flying the aircraft. Obvious, pilots enjoy these and we'll keep making more. Magnus Fusion — Magnus Aircraft USA is the manufacturer of a Hungarian design called Fusion 212. Designed in 2013 with first flight in 2015, and FAA acceptance as a Special LSA in 2017, Fusion is one of the newest aircraft in the SLSA List, in the #146 spot. The U.S. assembly site brings in carbon components from Hungary but the American operation is acknowledged by FAA as the official producer of the LSA version, according to boss Istvan Foldesi.

Going home for the night, SilverLight could park three or four of its AR1 gyroplanes in a single T-hangar revealing another benefit to this type of LSA.

This all-carbon-fiber design is a low wing side-by-side model with dashing performance featuring quick climb rates with the Rotax 912 ULS. Fusion cruises at 110-115 knots and exhibited very accommodating handling. Watch for many more details and get plenty of views when the video is released. SilverLight AR1 — To handle this VPR a bit differently, I asked pilot/instructor Greg Spicola to pretend I was a new gyroplane student. That's close to accurate as I have about four hours under my belt in a variety of gyroplanes. However, except for a few differences associated with a spinning wing, AR1, like all gyroplanes, can be flown essentially as a you'd operate a fixed wing LSA. "Power before pitch" was a mantra Greg drilled into me and that with a few other differences — such as operating the rotor pre-rotator and learning to brake the rotor disk before making abrupt turns on the ground — are easy enough to learn. It only takes a bit of "unlearning" so one's fixed wing habits don't result in the wrong actions by the pilot.

All smiles aboard AR1 is your faithful author with demo pilot extraordinaire Greg Spicola in the instructor's seat.

These aircraft are special in many ways — the ability to descend vertically (although not land that way) and to make seriously tight turns about a point — that combine with massive visibility at affordable prices …all of which explain some of the growing popularity of these aircraft types. Again, look for many more details and views when the video emerges from the edit suite. As the show wound down, we did an interview with Executive Director Mike Willingham and Executive Assistant Bev Glarner. The longtime team are the key players behind the event these days but we also asked questions about the airport itself. Watch for that update when editing is complete, but please be patient as Videoman Dave is already working his way across the southern states en route to Copperstate 2019. This year, the long-running event has moved from from October to February. If you live in the southwest, come on out to the event and give a wave when you see us dashing about to record more great video interviews and VPRs for you.

The final day of the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo brought good flying conditions until mid-afternoon when light precipitation returned. The good start allowed us to record two Video Pilot Reports (VPR), one on the Magnus Aircraft all-carbon-fiber Fusion 212 and the other on the fully enclosed SilverLight Aviation American Ranger AR1 gyroplane. The videos will take some time to edit but I’ll provide a quick glimpse below. One surprise arrival was Aeromarine LSA‘s Mermaid. Remember this model? This Chip Erwin creation was really the forerunner of the modern LSA seaplane category. Before Mermaid, we had Progressive Aerodyne‘s Searey and Aero Adventure‘s Aventura. Both those models have been upgraded for the time of ASTM standards compliance but early in the new millennium it was accurate to call them “ultralight seaplanes” built of gusseted aluminum structures covered with sewn Dacron surfaces.

Flying America’s First Homegrown Modern Gyroplane

By Dan Johnson || July 22, 2016 9 Comments

Taxiing out for takeoff with instructor Greg Spicola at the Zephyr Hills, Florida airport. photo by Amy Saunders of Evolution Trikes

Once upon a time... gyrocopters were an American invention. Igor Benson was such an important pioneer that many fixed wing pilots refer to all such flying machines as "Bensen gyros." Starting in the 1950s, he hit on a good combination of ideas that made the new sector flourish... for a time. Gyros are small rotary winged aircraft that resemble helicopters in some ways — all have a spinning wing above the occupants. However, gyros work by the air moving across the blades of the rotor disk; their rotors are not powered. Most readers likely don't need a technical discussion. Suffice it to say gyros and helos are far from the same animal no matter how much they might look like one another. Yet in the last couple decades things began to change, dramatically. Perhaps to accentuate their differences, modern producers prefer "gyroplanes" while the older Bensen types are often referred to as "gyrocopters." The old and new are different in important ways.

What's not to enjoy? The view from a gyroplane like AR1 is enormous. photo by Amy Saunders of Evolution Trikes

Europeans began to modernize older gyrocopter designs. They added solidly mounted tailplanes with greater volume, which greatly stabilized these machines. Igor Bensen's early gyros had components in the right proportion and the weight in right enough places to make his aircraft work. However, later developers made changes that lacked adequate safety enhancements and the accident rate soared. This fact alone is why many, including some in FAA, think all gyros may be unsafe; that is simply not accurate. The Euro-style gyroplanes employ tails with larger vertical and horizontal surface area firmly attached to the rest of the carriage. Other factors are also important but the tailplane alone is a major part of why these machines are much more predictable to fly. The Europeans also continued the development far past adding some stabilizing features. Companies across the Atlantic first partially enclosed the cockpit with half fuselages. They added better seating, instrumentation, controls, and generally improved fit-and-finish. More recently, designers have made fully enclosed models with increasing sophistication in both tandem and side-by-side seating. These improvements uncovered a ripe market. Rotax Aircraft Engines said that in recent years, they have sold more 912 and 914 engines to the gyroplane sector than any other sector, by far. Germany's AuroGyro alone has sold more than 2,000 aircraft. Italy's Magni adds another 900 units while Spain's ELA has sold 700 units. Other producers account for another 500 making more than 4,000 sales in roughly the same time Americans have bought 3,000 SLSA of all brands.

photo by Amy Saunders of Evolution Trikes

So what is like to fly a gyro? The simplest comment is that with only a couple exceptions, you fly a gyroplane like a fixed wing. You use the stick and rudders similarly (though not identically). In my third outing — first in a Magni gyro, then an AutoGyro, and now the AR1 — I came away thinking two things. First, my fixed wing skills are highly transferrable to gyroplanes, even better than in a weight shift trike (which I also enjoy). In pursuing a full gyroplane checkout, I would not have to learn many new tricks. Secondly, gyroplanes have some clear advantages. Something almost everyone notices at airshows is that gyroplanes can fly in winds not advised for many other aircraft. The reason, according to Greg Spicola, my instructor, is that the blades are spinning through the air at something like 400 mph. Therefore, a 25-mph crosswind is relatively insignificant. Combined with a higher wing loading, these aircraft are simply not as vulnerable to winds as most fixed wing aircraft. Abid Farooqui's SilverLight Aviation focuses these good qualities with its American Ranger 1 by using an expanded, more effective tail arranged closer to the center of gravity thrust line. Abid explained this provides flight dynamics that reduces coupling between power and yaw and power and pitching. These changes along with a "high inertia rotor system" and a faired fuselage allow AR1 to boast a better glide ratio and energy retention, making landings easier and forgiving even for beginner pilots. The main cautions I've heard for gyroplanes is not jamming the stick full forward (this is ill advised in a fixed wing aircraft, too). Another concern is forgetting that even after you land rather slowly, the rotor may still have quite a bit of spin remaining. If so, it is still making lift and failing to consider that could cause an upset. Likewise, a taildragger landed in a stiff crosswind also demands you handle the controls correctly. Fortunately, control actions that work in an airplane will also work for the gyro. Once the rotor is well spun down, this problem disappears.

I like gyroplane flying and I find plenty of good things to say about them. However, one of the strongest arguments involves price. SilverLight's AR1 costs only $65,000 with the 100-horsepower Rotax 912 engine. This is a kit, yes, but the build effort is modest and for a modern, comfortable, well-flying aircraft, the price is within reach of most budgets. Since FAA has never chosen to allow Special (fully built) LSA gyroplanes, kit building is your only option. Unlike several other countries, gyroplanes like AR1 can only be sold in America as an Experimental Amateur Built kit. SilverLight said, "We have decided to offer AR1 as a package where builder assistance is offered to include airworthiness inspection fees plus the first two to three hours of test flight and tuning." An AR1 buyer travels to Zephyr Hills airport (not far from Tampa, Florida) to SilverLight's builder assist center for a nominal amount of time. The company added, "Our kit is easy and fast to put together, generally only taking two weeks to be ready for ground testing." While you put bolt A in hole B, your family can take advantage of Florida's numerous tourist attractions; it's not a bad trade and the Z-Hills airport is a fascinating place with all manner of aircraft and a very active skydiving center. C'mon down to Florida and check out the AR1 gyroplane. The view is superlative!

SILVERLIGHT AVIATION AMERICAN RANGER 1 (AR1)
- Aircraft Configuration — Pusher engine, tricycle gear, tandem seating
- Empty Weight — 628 pounds (912ULS), 650 pounds (914UL)
- Gross Weight — 1,232 pounds
- Minimum Speed (Vmin) — 20 mph
- Maximum Cruise Speed — 105 mph
- Maximum Straight & Level Speed (Vh) — with 914UL: 120 mph
- General Cruise Speed — 55 to 100 mph
- Never Exceed Speed (Vne) — 120 mph
- Takeoff Roll (calm air, turf, pre-rotate to 250 RRPM) — 350 feet
- Landing Roll — 0 to 30 feet with proper technique
- Rate of Climb; sea level, standard conditions — 725 feet/min (912ULS)/850 feet/min (914UL)
- Fuel Capacity — 17 U.S. gallons; welded aluminum
- Rotor — Averso Stella, 27 feet 10 inches (larger rotor system available for high altitude flyers)

Once upon a time… gyrocopters were an American invention. Igor Benson was such an important pioneer that many fixed wing pilots refer to all such flying machines as “Bensen gyros.” Starting in the 1950s, he hit on a good combination of ideas that made the new sector flourish… for a time. Gyros are small rotary winged aircraft that resemble helicopters in some ways — all have a spinning wing above the occupants. However, gyros work by the air moving across the blades of the rotor disk; their rotors are not powered. Most readers likely don’t need a technical discussion. Suffice it to say gyros and helos are far from the same animal no matter how much they might look like one another. Yet in the last couple decades things began to change, dramatically. Perhaps to accentuate their differences, modern producers prefer “gyroplanes” while the older Bensen types are often referred to as “gyrocopters.” The old and new are different in important ways.