Proven Mechanicals In A New Package

It looks like Airwolf. It's a kit helicopter. It uses a certified Lycoming 160 or 180 horsepower engine and its mechanicals are already flight-proven. It's built by a company that's been building kit helicopters since 1978, nonstop. What is it?

It's the new Interceptor from Canadian Home Rotors, maker of the Safari kit helicopter (once known as the Baby Belle). It is a new cabin set upon standard Safari mechanicals. The first example of the machine has a notice-me black canopy on a notice-me-NOW purple frame: there's no missing it.

The Interceptor has already been shown to a smaller gathering of hardcore helicopter buffs, Homer Bell's helicopter fly-in. Representatives of Canadian Home Rotors told attendees at the fly-in last week that the new cabin is strictly intended to offer a choice of styling. The kit is available in a quick build version.

The classic bubble canopy of the standard Safari will remain available. Customers have a choice of the futuristic style of the Interceptor, or the classic vibe (and better visibility) of the original "bubble" helicopter. The Interceptor can be flown with the gull-wing doors open.

The standard Safari bubble is actually identical to the certified Bell 47 canopy. The engine is a certified Lycoming O-360 of 160 or 180 horsepower.

There are no published performance figures for the Interceptor yet, but they are expected to be extremely similar to those of the mechanically identical Safari. The Safari has a gross weight of 1,450 lbs. It has a top speed of 100 mph (87 kt) and cruises at 85 mph (74 kt). It can go about 200 miles on 28 gallons of fuel.

CHR is displaying in two places at Airventure 2005: Location 588C at the Ultralight/Rotorcraft airfield and in Location 184 near Hangar B in the main aircraft display. We're hoping to have more details and a closer look at the Interceptor this week. Aero-News wants to thank Dr. Jerry Carter for some of the photos, which he took at Homer Bell's.

FMI: www.acehelicopter.com