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Shadow
Role	Autogyro
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Vortech
Designer	Tyler Flight, Inc.
Status	In production (2014)
Number built	4

The Vortech Shadow is an American autogyro that was designed by Tyler Flight, Inc. and produced by Vortech of Fallston, Maryland. The aircraft is supplied as a kit and also in the form of plans for amateur construction. Vortech also supplies rotor blades for the design.^[1]

Design and development

The Vortech Shadow was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear, plus a tail caster. The acceptable power range is 150 to 230 hp (112 to 172 kW). The standard engine used is the four cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320 powerplant in pusher configuration.^[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from tubing and composites. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 29 ft (8.8 m). The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 750 lb (340 kg) and a gross weight of 1,290 lb (590 kg), giving a useful load of 540 lb (240 kg). With full fuel of 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 468 lb (212 kg).^[1]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 150 hp (112 kW) engine is 100 ft (30 m) and the landing roll is 25 ft (8 m).^[1]

The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 250 hours.^[1]

Operational history

By 1998, the company reported that four kits had been sold, completed, and were flying.^[1]

In January 2015, no examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.^[2]

Specifications (Shadow)

Data from Kitplanes^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
Empty weight: 750 lb (340 kg)
Gross weight: 1,290 lb (585 kg)
Fuel capacity: 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
Main rotor area: 660 sq ft (61 m²)
Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed pitch

Performance

Maximum speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)
Cruise speed: 70 mph (110 km/h, 61 kn)
Range: 170 mi (280 km, 150 nmi)
Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)
Disk loading: 2.0 lb/sq ft (9.8 kg/m²)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Downey, Julia: 2005 Trikes 'Chutes and Rotorcraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 22, Number 2, February 2005, page 60. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
^ Federal Aviation Administration (January 27, 2015). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved January 27, 2015.