Sparrowhawk II Gets Improvements, Price Hike
If you wanted to own the original American Autogyro Incorporated
Sparrowhawk gyro, it's too late. Since December 1st AAI buyers have
been getting the new Sparrowhawk II, a machine with a number of
detail improvements that are primarily responses to builder and
operator input.
The new Sparrowhawk has a lower empty weight, and a couple of
construction annoyances have been solved. The difficult-to-assemble
cruciform tail is now preconstructed at the factory (previously a
popular $948 option, selected by about three quarters of
Sparrowhawk builders) and the landing gear has been simplified,
eliminating some of the most difficult and frustrating assembly
steps.
In the exact same way that the old "pre-built" tail option was
delivered, the bulky but lightweight cruciform tail for the
Sparrowhawk comes in three parts (vertical and left and right
horizontals) for final assembly by the builder, who will bond the
parts, finish the seams, and prep and paint the composite
parts.
The Sparrowhawk gyroplane is a two-seat, pusher gyro that can be
constructed as an Experimental-Amateur-Built gyroplane, in which
case it requires a minimum of a Private Pilot license (in
Rotorcraft/Gyro for passenger-carrying privileges), or as an
Experimental Light Sport Aircraft, in which case it requires a
minimum of a Sport Pilot license with a Gyroplane rating.
Sparrowhawks are sold through a worldwide dealer network which
can also provide builder assistance and flight training (all
gyroplanes require gyro-specific training, even for experienced
fixed-wing and helicopter pilots).
The dealers also provide vital feedback to the company,
providing a channel for customer suggestions and complaints to turn
into product improvements such as those that produced the
Sparrowhawk II.
The company has also listened to builders and tuned-up packaging
and labeling to make it easier for them to find the parts they need
for assembly.
The original chopper-gun
fiberglass cabins have been replaced with a lighter yet stronger
cabin. This is the principal reason the empty weight of the II is
some 30 lb. lighter than the original. Detail changes in the fuel
system remove all connections from inside the cabin (the
Sparrowhawk's fuel tank is under the crew seats) for safety and
tidiness, the PSRU is better supported for longer crankshaft life,
and several control systems have been improved.
A previous optional upgrade to the Sparrowhawk,
now standardized on the II, is a 2.5 liter EJ25 Subaru engine.
This provides more performance and therefore more safety,
particularly for those in hot and high-altitude climes.
There is also a change to an 80-Amp alternator. More customers
are festooning their Sparrowhawks with radios, transponders, GPS
units, lights and other current-hogging electrical doodads; the
larger alternator keeps the Hawk's electrical system in the
game.
These improvements cost money, and the Sparrowhawk II will sell
for $39,500, a $5,000 increase. But if one orders by December 31st,
AAI/Groen Brothers has told its dealers it will honor the 2005
Sparrowhawk I price of $34,500.
"The SparrowHawk II is lighter, stronger, easier to fly, and all
around a significantly better gyroplane than the original
SparrowHawk," dealer Randy Coplen of Seattle posted in the Rotary
Wing Forum, an online hangout for gyro aficionados.
What about the original Sparrowhawk owners? AAI has reportedly
sold something like 70 of the centerline-thrust gyroplanes. "Owners
of the original SparrowHawk can be assured that Groen Brothers
Aviation will continue to support their aircraft," the company
promised.
The Sparrowhawk II comes standard with the Subaru EJ25 2.5
liter engine and 30-foot rotor blades. Common options are doors and
heater for cool climates, and an oil cooler for hot ones.
The original Sparrowhawk is now discontinued. Certain
Sparrowhawk II mods may be retrofittable to earlier Sparrowhawks;
Sparrowhawk owners interested in upgrading their aircraft should
contact their usual tech support channels with questions, although
dealers will usually have to go to the factory for definitive
answers, unless they've already encountered the same situation with
another customer.
The company continues to offer a stability and control
enhancement kit for RAF 2000 gyroplanes. However, not all
Sparrowhawk parts retrofit to AAI-modified RAFs. For example, the
Sparrowhawk cabin cannot be used on an RAF 2000, even with the AAI
modifications. (Groen Bros. and AAI are not affiliated with
RAF).
If you had already been thinking about a Sparrowhawk, here's a
$5k incentive (really a $4k incentive when the $1k assembled tail
is factored in) for ordering by Saturday. You can reach AAI or your
local dealer at the FMI link, or by calling Groen Brothers Aviation
at (801) 973-0177.