First AutoGyro Cavalon Registered in Ireland
The Autogyro Cavalon is a German autogyro, designed and produced by AutoGyro GmbH in Germany. It was introduced at Aero Friedrichshafen in 2011. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft and is distributed by Rotorsport UK based at Wolverhampton Business Airport, Halfpenny Green, just west of Birmingham. EI-GKY was registered in May and will be based at Ardfert Airfield, Co. Kerry.
The Cavalon is a two-seat side-by-side configuration development of the tandem seating AutoGyro Calidus. It features a single main rotor, an enclosed cockpit with a complete aerodynamic cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912 engine or turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 or 135 hp (101 kW) Rotax 915iS engine in pusher configuration. EI-GKY is fitted with the Rotax 914.
The aircraft fuselage is made from composites and is a faired teardrop shape to ensure smooth airflow over the variable pitch pusher propeller. Its 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter rotor has a chord of 20 cm (7.9 in). The aircraft has a gross weight of 450kg to 600kg depending on the country. EI-GKY has an MTOW of 560kg. The design incorporates vibration dampers that greatly reduce the level of main rotor vibration transmitted to the cockpit.
EI-GKY owner Patrick O’Carroll is pictured with Rotorsport UK MD Gerry Speich and Business Manager Mark Lloyd Davies. Rotorsport UK offer the three main types of AutoGyro – the Cavalon, the MTO Sport 2017 and Calidus.
AutoGyro Cavalon Specs
| L x W x H: | 4,6 m x 1,9 m x 2,8 m |
| Empty weight: | 285-305 kg |
| MTOW: | 450-600 kg |
| Engine: | Rotax 915 IS |
| Takeoff distance*: | 30 m |
| Max endurance*: | 6 h |
| Max range*: | 700 km |
| Cruise speed: | 145-160 km/h |
| Max speed: | 195 km/h |
| Fuel capacity: | 100 ltr |
| Compliant with: | BUT, Section T, ASRA |
About the Author
Mark Dwyer Mark is an airline pilot by profession flying the Boeing 737 for a major European airline. In addition he is also a Type Rating Instructor on the B737. Outside of commercial flying Mark enjoys flying light aircraft from the smallest 3 Axis microlights up to heavier singles. He also instructs on them including tailwheel differences training and is a UK CAA Examiner. He also flies the Chipmunk for the Irish Historic Flight Foundation (IHFF). Mark became the Chairman of the National Microlight Association of Ireland (NMAI) in 2013 and has overseen a massive growth in the organisation. In this role he has worked at local and national levels. In 2015, Mark won ‘Upcoming Aviation Professional Award’ at the Aviation Industry Awards sponsored by the IAA. Mark launched this website back in 2002 while always managing the website, he has also been Editor and Deputy Editor of FlyingInIreland Magazine from 2005 to 2015.
