The Cicaré CH-7 and Heli-Sport CH7 are a series of ultralight, kit-builthelicopters based on a single-seat Argentinian design from the late 1980s. It was later developed into a tandem two-seater, and remains in production.
In 1989 EliSport, which became Heli-Sport in 1997, bought the rights to the Cicare CH-6, a small single-seat open cockpit helicopter designed in Argentina by Augusto Cicaré. It was developed by Josi and Claudio Barbero and, with the help of the sports car designer, Marcello Gandini who produced a new, enclosed cabin, marketed from 1992 as the CH-7 Angel.[1] Its commercial success led to a tandem two-seat version with a stretched cabin and bigger engine, named the CH-7 Kompress and, in 2005, a further refinement designated the CH-7 Kompress Charlie.[1]
The piston engine-powered CH-7 ultralight series use the traditional "penny-farthing" layout with two-bladed main and tail rotors. The main rotor is formed from composites and is a teetering, semi-rigid design with 6° of twist. The tail rotor is aluminium. The pod-and-boom fuselage has a fiberglass cabin built on a steel tube frame, with a long transparent forward-opening canopy. The steel frame also carries the engine, semi-exposed behind the accommodation and connected to the main rotor shaft by a belt drive. A slender aluminium boom, strengthened by a pair of long struts to the lower fuselage frame, carries both the tail rotor and swept fins. The upper fin is topped with a short horizontal tailplane, with small endplate fins, and the lower one ends with a tailskid. The CH-7 uses a simple aluminium skid undercarriage, which may be fitted with small wheels for ground handling or multi-tube inflatable floats for flying off water. In this last form the CH-7 is called the Mariner. The Kompress Charlie has faired, wide-chord carbon fibre skid legs.[1]
The Kompress and Kompress Charlie are sold in kit form for home assembly, the manufacturers quoting a 200-hour building time. A fast-build kit, with more components pre-assembled, is claimed to require 85 hours.[1]
The Kompress series may be fitted with a hook for lifting loads of up to 100 kg (220 lb), or fitted with spray bars for agricultural work.[1]
Operational historyedit
120 Angels were built between 1992 and 1997, followed by 215 Kompress and Kompress Charlies up to May 2009. By mid-2009 the Kompress variants had logged over 30,000 flying hours with owners in 15 countries. There are dealerships in the Czech republic, France, Italy and Poland.[1]
In 2007 the CH-7 won the Italian Helicopter Championships. It gained 3rd place in the 2009 World Air Games.[1]
Variantsedit
Information from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010[1] and manufacturer's website[2]
CH-7 Angel
CH-6 with new, enclosed cockpit, powered by either 48 kW (64 hp) Rotax 582UL UL or 60 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912 UL. First marketed in 1992, but kits no longer (2010) available.
CH-7 Kompress
Tandem two-seat version, with elongated cockpit and 114 hp (85 kW) Rotax 914 engine. Still available, upgradable to Kompress Charlie standard.
CH-7 Kompress Charlie
2005 development of Kompress with greater fuel capacity, hinged carbon fibre engine cowlings and carbon fibre, airfoil section undercarriage legs. Vibration reduced and speed and high altitude performance improved.
CH-7 Mariner at the Radom Air Show, 2007
CH-7 Mariner
Inflatable float-equipped version, 15 kg (33 lb) heavier.
CH-7B Spirit
Evolutionary design version, powered by a four cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912S engine. In production 2011 by Cicaré SA of Argentina.[3][4]
CH-7T Spirit Tandem
Version, powered by a four cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 engine. In production as a 51% kit and as a ready-to-fly aircraft in 2015 by Cicaré SA of Argentina.[5]
Specifications (Kompress Charlie, European specification)edit
heli, sport, cicaré, heli, sport, series, ultralight, built, helicopters, based, single, seat, argentinian, design, from, late, 1980s, later, developed, into, tandem, seater, remains, production, ch7ch, kompress, charlierole, ultralight, kitbuilt, helicopterna. The Cicare CH 7 and Heli Sport CH7 are a series of ultralight kit built helicopters based on a single seat Argentinian design from the late 1980s It was later developed into a tandem two seater and remains in production CH 7 CH7CH 7 Kompress CharlieRole Ultralight kitbuilt helicopterNational origin Argentina ItalyManufacturer Cicare Heli SportNumber built c 335 by May 2009Developed from Cicare CH 6 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications Kompress Charlie European specification 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDesign and development editIn 1989 EliSport which became Heli Sport in 1997 bought the rights to the Cicare CH 6 a small single seat open cockpit helicopter designed in Argentina by Augusto Cicare It was developed by Josi and Claudio Barbero and with the help of the sports car designer Marcello Gandini who produced a new enclosed cabin marketed from 1992 as the CH 7 Angel 1 Its commercial success led to a tandem two seat version with a stretched cabin and bigger engine named the CH 7 Kompress and in 2005 a further refinement designated the CH 7 Kompress Charlie 1 The piston engine powered CH 7 ultralight series use the traditional penny farthing layout with two bladed main and tail rotors The main rotor is formed from composites and is a teetering semi rigid design with 6 of twist The tail rotor is aluminium The pod and boom fuselage has a fiberglass cabin built on a steel tube frame with a long transparent forward opening canopy The steel frame also carries the engine semi exposed behind the accommodation and connected to the main rotor shaft by a belt drive A slender aluminium boom strengthened by a pair of long struts to the lower fuselage frame carries both the tail rotor and swept fins The upper fin is topped with a short horizontal tailplane with small endplate fins and the lower one ends with a tailskid The CH 7 uses a simple aluminium skid undercarriage which may be fitted with small wheels for ground handling or multi tube inflatable floats for flying off water In this last form the CH 7 is called the Mariner The Kompress Charlie has faired wide chord carbon fibre skid legs 1 The Kompress and Kompress Charlie are sold in kit form for home assembly the manufacturers quoting a 200 hour building time A fast build kit with more components pre assembled is claimed to require 85 hours 1 The Kompress series may be fitted with a hook for lifting loads of up to 100 kg 220 lb or fitted with spray bars for agricultural work 1 Operational history edit120 Angels were built between 1992 and 1997 followed by 215 Kompress and Kompress Charlies up to May 2009 By mid 2009 the Kompress variants had logged over 30 000 flying hours with owners in 15 countries There are dealerships in the Czech republic France Italy and Poland 1 In 2007 the CH 7 won the Italian Helicopter Championships It gained 3rd place in the 2009 World Air Games 1 Variants editInformation from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 2010 1 and manufacturer s website 2 CH 7 Angel CH 6 with new enclosed cockpit powered by either 48 kW 64 hp Rotax 582UL UL or 60 kW 80 hp Rotax 912 UL First marketed in 1992 but kits no longer 2010 available CH 7 Kompress Tandem two seat version with elongated cockpit and 114 hp 85 kW Rotax 914 engine Still available upgradable to Kompress Charlie standard CH 7 Kompress Charlie 2005 development of Kompress with greater fuel capacity hinged carbon fibre engine cowlings and carbon fibre airfoil section undercarriage legs Vibration reduced and speed and high altitude performance improved nbsp CH 7 Mariner at the Radom Air Show 2007CH 7 Mariner Inflatable float equipped version 15 kg 33 lb heavier CH 7B Spirit Evolutionary design version powered by a four cylinder air and liquid cooled four stroke dual ignition 100 hp 75 kW Rotax 912S engine In production 2011 by Cicare SA of Argentina 3 4 CH 7T Spirit Tandem Version powered by a four cylinder air and liquid cooled four stroke dual ignition 115 hp 86 kW Rotax 914 engine In production as a 51 kit and as a ready to fly aircraft in 2015 by Cicare SA of Argentina 5 Specifications Kompress Charlie European specification editData from Jane s All the World Aircraft 2010 11 1 General characteristicsCrew one Capacity one passenger Length 7 05 m 23 ft 2 in overall rotors turning fuselage length 5 31 m 17 ft 5 in Height 2 35 m 7 ft 9 in Empty weight 275 kg 606 lb Max takeoff weight 450 kg 992 lb Fuel capacity 60 L 15 8 US gal 13 2 Imp gal usable standard further 19 L 5 0 US gal 4 2 Imp gal in optional auxiliary tank Powerplant 1 Rotax 914 84 6 kW 113 5 hp Main rotor diameter 6 20 m 20 ft 4 in Performance Cruise speed 160 km h 99 mph 86 kn Never exceed speed 192 km h 119 mph 104 kn Range 480 km 300 mi 260 nmi with standard fuel load Endurance 3 hr Service ceiling 5 000 m 16 000 ft service hover ceiling out of ground effect is 2 500 m 8 200 ft See also editMosquito Aviation XE Homebuilt aircraftReferences editNotes a b c d e f g h i Jackson Paul 2010 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 2010 11 Coulsdon Surrey IHS Jane s pp 385 6 ISBN 978 0 7106 2916 6 Heli Sport Retrieved 28 October 2010 Bayerl Robby Martin Berkemeier et al World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011 12 page 190 WDLA UK Lancaster UK 2011 ISSN 1368 485X Cicare S A Cicare com ar Archived from the original on 16 February 2013 Retrieved 27 January 2013 Tacke Willi Marino Boric et al World Directory of Light Aviation 2015 16 page 205 Flying Pages Europe SARL 2015 ISSN 1368 485XExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heli Sport CH 7 Kompress Official website Portals nbsp Italy nbsp Companies nbsp Aviation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heli Sport CH 7 amp oldid 1146324707, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
