NCJ Number
179391
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 26 Issue: 10 Dated: October 1999 Pages: 132-135
Date Published
October 1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Gyroplanes for police agencies have a big advantage over other means of flying, in some instances with operating costs less than half that of a helicopter of comparable performance.
Abstract
Helicopters are complex machines that make them expensive to maintain. It is estimated that it takes 5 hours of maintenance to fly a high-performance helicopter for just 1 hour. An agency easily could spend $600 an hour to fly a helicopter. The Hawk 4 Gyroplane costs approximately $130 an hour to fly at 100 hours per month of flight time. The Hawk 4 is powered by a Continental Motors TSIO-550, a 550-cubic-inch, twin-turbocharged engine capable of 350 horsepower at every elevation. The aircraft can reach a 150-mph maximum speed and 140-mph cruising speed, but also can fly as slowly as 30 mph. It can carry a useful load of 900 to 1,000 pounds, which includes fuel, passengers, and baggage. The Hawk 4's base price is $295,000. Although a gyroplane can fly slowly, it cannot hover. Thus, there are jobs in which only a helicopter would work. This article explains the differences between gyroplanes and helicopters and compares their safety of operation in the air. The article also addresses the gyroplane's reduced maintenance and simplified training. Purchasing procedures are discussed as well.