The Trixy Trixformer is an Austrian roadable aircraft autogyro/electric motorcycle designed and produced by Trixy Aviation Products of Dornbirn, introduced in 2014. The vehicle is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.[1]

Trixformer
Role Autogyro
National origin Austria
Manufacturer Trixy Aviation Products
First flight March 2014
Status In production (2017)

Design and development

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The Trixformer is based upon a two-wheeled electric motorcycle chassis as a land vehicle and is designed to add modular flying components. It can be equipped and flown as an autogyro, with the plug-in gyro module. Helicopter or fixed wing aircraft modules were under development in 2015.[1]

As an autogyro, the Trixformer features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in tandem open cockpit with a windshield, tricycle landing gear, plus a tail caster and a four-cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke 130 hp (97 kW) Trixy 912 Ti engine in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from metal tubing and composites. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 8.6 m (28.2 ft). The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 350 kg (772 lb) and a gross weight of 560 kg (1,235 lb), giving a useful load of 210 kg (463 lb). With full fuel of 80 litres (18 imp gal; 21 US gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 153 kg (337 lb).[1]

Unlike many other autogyro builders Trixy Aviation uses a swash plate in its rotor head designs, rather than a tilt head. This makes the design more sensitive to fly and requires special type training.[1]

Specifications (Trixformer)

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Data from Tacke[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Empty weight: 350 kg (772 lb)
  • Gross weight: 560 kg (1,235 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 80 litres (18 imp gal; 21 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Trixy 912 Ti four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 97 kW (130 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
  • Main rotor area: 58 m2 (620 sq ft)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed composite

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 5.6 m/s (1,100 ft/min)
  • Disk loading: 9.7 kg/m2 (2.0 lb/sq ft)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 200. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
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