HISTORY
RotorWay International,
located in Chandler,
Arizona, is a manufacturer
of kit helicopters. The
company was founded by B.J.
Schramm in 1961 as RotorWay
Aircraft. RotorWay
International was bought
February 14, 2007 by a small
group of investors
comprising the company's
upper level management —
Grant Norwitz, CEO, Bill
Adams, COO, and Judy Craven,
CFO. Of these, only Norwitz
is still with the company as of
mid-2008.
1960-1970
In 1961, RotorWay's founder,
B.J. Schramm, tested the
company's first prototype,
the Javelin. The Javelin
used a 40 hp (30 kW)
motorcycle engine, and was
the forerunner of RotorWay's
first production helicopter,
the Scorpion, which was
offered in 1967.
The
Scorpion, priced at $6,300
(not including the cost of
the engine), was the first
real kit helicopter on the
market that flew. The
Scorpion was intended for
the sport-flying public,
rather than the commercial
market and this dictated the
cost and weight of the
aircraft. Originally, costs
were intended to be under
$10,000, but inflation
changed that. The original
Scorpion weighed between
1200 and 1300 pounds. It
featured a standard gear
reduction drive, a
semi-articulated two-bladed
rotor system, and a
one-person capacity.
1970-1979
An
improved version of the
Scorpion
was introduced in
1971. Among the
modifications in the new
version were all-aluminum
rotor blades, a 115 hp
(86 kW) OMC 2-cycle engine
(Evinrude Vulcan V-4
outboard motor) and a
heavier drive system (shafts
and bearings).
In
1971, the
Scorpion II
was
introduced with an OMC
125 hp (93 kW), 2-cycle
engine which provided enough
power to fly two lightweight
people, unlike previous
versions.
In
1974, the company eliminated
the 2-cycle engine and,
unable to find a
manufacturer to make their
4-cycle engine suitable for
the helicopter, began
production of their own
engine. This engine, called
the RotorWay RW133, was a
4-cycle engine that was able
to provide a cruise speed of
80 mph (130 km/h) with a
range of 120 miles (193 km)
and a useful load of 420
pounds.
The
RW 133 engine was installed
in the Scorpion II, which
was renamed the
Scorpion
133. The Scorpion 133 had a
list price of $13,500, a
gross weight of 1,235 lb
(560 kg), and a range of 130
nautical miles (79 nautical
miles (146 km) with two
people).
1980-1989
In
1980, RotorWay introduced
the RW145 engine, and
the
Exec helicopter. This was
the first helicopter
produced by RotorWay that
strived to get away from the
"kit helicopter" look.
Unlike previous helicopters,
the Exec did not have an
exposed frame or exposed
engine and far more
attention was given to the
aesthetics of the aircraft.
1982
marked the introduction of
the asymmetrical rotor
blade, enabling the craft to
climb to higher altitudes
and making the blade
resistant to erosion, but
with a risk of losing the
aircraft if the engine quit.
The
Elete helicopter was
designed during the late
1980s, and had a 152 hp
(113 kW) engine with a
maximum payload of 400
pounds, cruise speed of
113 mph (182 km/h) and
maximum airspeed of 130 mph
(210 km/h). After selling
just three Elete
helicopters, the company
succumbed to financial
challenges and was purchased
by a former customer, John
Netherwood, and stopped
production of the Elete
helicopter due to design
hurdles and financial
constraints on the company.
The
RW152 engine was
manufactured in 1984.
1990-present
In
1990 RotorWay Aircraft
underwent reorganization and
changed its name to
RotorWay
International.
The
design and production of the
Exec series helicopters
began in the early 1990s,
starting with the Exec 90.
The Exec 90 contained the RI
162 engine, and, unlike
previous helicopter kits,
much of the assembly,
including the welding, was
done at the factory. The
Exec 90 was followed by the
Exec 162F in 1994.
The
Exec 162F, with some
improvements to the FADEC
system and the ACIS, is
still being produced and
sold by RotorWay.
In
July 2007, RotorWay
announced the development of
the
A600 Talon. The A600
Talon features an updated
FADEC system, an all-glass
cockpit, a cog-belt
replacing the primary drive
chain, and a larger landing
gear, among other features.
In February 2009, RotorWay
purchased PMC Machining and
Manufacturing, a
Phoenix-based builder of
helicopter parts. The CEO of
PMC, Mark Porter, became
president and COO of
RotorWay as part of the
acquisition.
The company also announced
plans to certify a two-seat
turbine helicopter using the
Rolls-Royce
RR300 engine and said that
acquiring PMC will make that
possible.
Source:
Wikipedia
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