Aero-News Network’s Rex Alexander spoke with Herbie Lewis of ELA Aviación, who discussed the features of their new gyroplane, the Eclipse 10 Revo. Eclipse 10 Revo is the only gyroplane in the world that is capable of doing a vertical takeoff or regular gyro takeoff. No one else has this technology right now. ELA has a patent pending for the tech, so no one else will have it for a long time.

The Eclipse 10 is powered by the Rotax 916, 160 hp engine. It also has a 4-blade constant speed propeller from Duc Propellers. Herbie said the constant speed prop makes a huge difference in the cruise speed which will be about 117-120 mph and probably makes it the fastest cruising gyro in the world as well.

The way it gets the jump takeoff is they’re using a system that changes the pitch of the rotor blades momentarily for takeoff. It has been done in the past but not with the 2-blade rotor system like they’re using here on these gyros.

When asked, Herbie said there is no horizontal movement necessary for the jump takeoff. You start out with the pitch of the prop and rotor blades zeroed out, then and you get really high on the throttle rpm and the rotor rpm so when you let go of the prerotator bun it puts pitch to both the prop and the rotor at the exact same time. So when you take off you don’t go straight up and come straight back down – as you lift up, the gyro accelerates forward so there’s no chance of coming straight back down to the ground.