Jump to content

Aer Lualdi L.55

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from L.55)
L.55
General information
TypeLight helicopter
National originItaly
ManufacturerAer Lualdi
Designer
Number built1

The Aer Lualdi L.55 was a prototype Italian helicopter, a development of the Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 featuring a far more powerful 134 kW (180 hp) Lycoming O-360. While the ES 53 had been purely experimental, the L.55 was Lualdi's first step towards a marketable aircraft.

Specifications (L.55)

[edit]

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 3 pax
  • Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
  • Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 140 L (37.0 US gal; 30.8 imp gal) with provision for a 27 L (7.1 US gal; 5.9 imp gal) auxiliary
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 130 kW (180 hp) with cooling fan
  • Main rotor diameter: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
  • Main rotor area: 355.4 m2 (3,825 sq ft)
  • Blade section: - root: NACA 0015; tip: NACA 0012[2]

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 155 km/h (96 mph, 84 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 129 km/h (80 mph, 70 kn) at 75% power
  • Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)
  • Endurance: 3 hours
  • Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) absolute
  • Hover ceiling IGE: 2,800 m (9,186 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min) at sea level
  • Disk loading: 9.75 kg/m2 (2.00 lb/sq ft)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1958). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 193.
  2. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.