AirScooter Corporation
AirScooter Corporation (OTC Pink: ASCO), based in Henderson, Nevada, United States, has designed and claims it intends to manufacture and sell an ultralight helicopter of coaxial rotor configuration. The company was founded in early 2000 by Elwood "Woody" Norris, who serves as Chairman of the Board, and James "Jim" Barnes, who serves as Secretary of the Board.
Products
The company's proposed product, perpetually under development, is the single-seat AirScooter II, which is intended to be classified as an ultralight aircraft. It is expected to weigh 254 lbs and be powered by a single 65-hp four-stroke engine capable of carrying a load of up to 350 lbs.[1] Although its operating ceiling is around 10,000 ft (2 700 m), the AirScooter II is incapable of autorotation emergency descent, and is intended for recreational flying at low altitude, i.e., at or below 50 ft (15 m) above ground level (AGL).
Production of the AirScooter II was originally expected to begin in 2005. Production was pushed back to 2006 and then later targeted for 2007.[2][3] As of September, 2013, production has not yet been announced and the company's website has been taken down. There have been no major press releases or other production information published since 2007.
Competition
GEN Corporation of Japan sells a personal helicopter named the GEN H-4. It is sold as an assembly kit and is available in Japan for 7,500,000 Yen ($100,000).[4] There is no licensed distributor in the US.
References
- ↑ Hutchinson, Alex (December 2006), "Flying Solo", Popular Mechanics, 183 (12): 28, ISSN 0032-4558
- ↑ Get ready for the AirScooter - ZDNet News: Apr 15, 2005
- ↑ A slow liftoff for the personal helicopter - ZDNet News: Nov 30, 2006
- ↑ GEN Corporation official website
External links
- AirScooter Corporation Web site
- "Patents owned by AirScooter". US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved 5 December 2005.
- CBS News, 17 April 2005: Flying Cars Ready To Take Off