Pitcairn PCA-2

PCA-2
PCA-2
Role	Utility autogyro
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Company
Designer	Harold F. Pitcairn
First flight	1931
Number built	20–30

The Pitcairn PCA-2 was an autogyro developed in the United States in the early 1930s, Harold F. Pitcairn's first autogyro design to sell in quantity. It had a conventional design for its day – an airplane-like fuselage with two open cockpits in tandem, and an engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose. The lift by the four-blade main rotor was augmented by stubby, low-set monoplane wings that also carried the control surfaces. The wingtips featured considerable dihedral to act as winglets for added stability.

The PCA-2 was the first rotary-wing aircraft to achieve type certification in the United States and was used in a number of high-profile activities including a landing on the White House lawn and the first flight across the United States in a rotorcraft. This latter feat was attempted by Amelia Earhart, flying for the Beech-Nut food company, but was actually accomplished by John M. Miller who completed his flight nine days before Earhart on 28 May 1931, in his PCA-2 named Missing Link. Learning of Miller's achievement upon her arrival in California, Earhart set out to turn her flight into a round-trip record by flying east again, but abandoned the attempt after three crashes. Earhart set an altitude record in a PCA-2 on 8 April 1931 with a height of 18,415 ft (5,615 m). This record was broken in another PCA-2 by Lewis Yancey who flew to 21,500 ft (6,600 m) on 25 September 1932.

File:Pitcairn PCA-2 NC799W Dearborn 07.07R edited-3.jpg

PCA-2 operated by the Detroit News, displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.

In 1931, The Detroit News made history when it bought a PCA-2 for use as a news aircraft due to its ability to fly well at low altitude, land and take off from restricted spaces, and semi-hover for better camera shots. In May 1933, Scripps donated the autogyro to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

File:PCA-2 Miss Champion.jpg

Pitcairn PCA-2 Miss Champion on display

The Champion spark plug company operated a PCA-2 as a promotional machine in 1931 and 32 as Miss Champion. It was flown over 6,500 miles in the 1931 Ford National Reliability Air Tour. This machine was restored to flying condition in 1982 by Steve Pitcairn, Harold's son. In 2005, he donated it to the EAA AirVenture Museum. Other PCA-2s are preserved at The Henry Ford and the Canada Aviation Museum.

Variants

• PCA-2 - major production version
• PCA-3 - version with Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engine and 48-ft (14.63-m) rotor (1 built)
• PA-21 - version with Wright R-975-E2 engine
• OP-1 - Reconnaissance autogyro (1931)
• OP-2 - Reconnaissance autogyro without wings.

Specifications (PCA-2)

Data from "Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro Specifications"

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 23 ft 1 in (7.04 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
• Main rotor diameter: 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m)
• Main rotor area: 1,590 ft² (147 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,233 lb (1,015 kg)
• Gross weight: 3,000 lb (1,363 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-975-J6-9, 330 hp (250 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h)
• Range: 290 miles (466,7 km)
• Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,575 m)
• Maximum glide ratio: 4.8

See also

Related development

Cierva Autogiro Company ; Buhl Aircraft Company ; Pitcairn Aircraft Company

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Cierva C.19 ; Buhl A-1 Autogyro ; Pitcairn PA-18

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• "Will Autogiro Banish Present Plane?", March 1931, pg 28