Hoppi-Copter

The Hoppi-Copter was a functional backpack helicopter developed by Hoppi-Copters Inc. founded by Horace T. Pentecost in the 1940s.[1] The original Hoppi-Copter consisted of two contra-rotating rotors on a pole attached to a motorized backpack.[2] Although it was capable of flight, it was extremely hard to control.[3]

Hoppi-Copter
Pentecost HX-1 Hoppi-Copter on display at Pima Air & Space Museum, in Arizona
Role backpack helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Hoppi-Copters Inc.
First flight c. 1940

Later prototypes of the Hoppi-Copter included versions with the pilot in a sitting position, and were in effect miniature one-man helicopters of a more conventional design, though retaining the contra-rotating rotors and thus obviating a tail rotor.[1][4] Despite interest from the British Ministry of Supply in the 102 and 104 models,[5] none were adopted commercially.[3]

Variants
Pentecost HX-1 Hoppi-Copter (Hoppi-Copter 100)
original back-pack version.
Hoppi-Copter 101
equipped with a seat and landing gear, proved that more development was necessary.[6]
Hoppi-Copter 102
framed, with seat for pilot.[4]
Hoppi-Copter 103
as the 102, but lighter with a more powerful engine and slightly greater rotor diameter
Hoppi-Copter 104
as the 103, with even greater rotor diameter[5]
Hoppi-Copter Firefly

Specifications (Hoppi-Copter 102)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1948[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Empty weight: 173 lb (78 kg)
  • Gross weight: 363 lb (165 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Unknown 750 cm3 (46 cu in) two stroke flat twin, 35 hp (26 kW) at 4,500 rpm; 9.1:1 reduction gearing to rotors
  • Main rotor diameter: 2× 16 ft (4.9 m)
  • Main rotor area: 402 sq ft (37.3 m2) total

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 96 mph (154 km/h, 83 kn) all performance figures estimated
  • Endurance: 1 hr at cruising speed
  • Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m) hover
  • Disk loading: 1.8 lb/sq ft (8.8 kg/m2)
gollark: This occurs in the final phase of potatoBIOS initialization:```luaif potatOS.registry.get "potatOS.immutable_global_scope" then setmetatable(_G, { __newindex = function(_, x) error(("cannot set _G[%q] - _G is immutable"):format(tostring(x)), 0) end })endif meta then _G.meta = meta.new() endif _G.textutilsprompt then textutils.prompt = _G.textutilsprompt endif process then process.spawn(keyboard_shortcuts, "kbsd") if http.websocket then process.spawn(skynet.listen, "skynetd") process.spawn(potatoNET, "systemd-potatod") end local autorun = potatOS.registry.get "potatOS.autorun" if type(autorun) == "string" then autorun = load(autorun) end if type(autorun) == "function" then process.spawn(autorun, "autorun") end if potatOS.registry.get "potatOS.extended_monitoring" then process.spawn(excessive_monitoring, "extended_monitoring") end if run then process.spawn(run_shell, "ushell") endelse if run then print "Warning: no process manager available. This should probably not happen - please consider reinstalling or updating. Fallback mode enabled." local ok, err = pcall(run_shell) if err then printError(err) end os.shutdown() endendwhile true do coroutine.yield() end```
gollark: (this applies after all the legacy `os.loadAPI` stuff loads anyway)
gollark: Too bad.
gollark: I would apply this to the various `_ENV`s, except that probably would break shell.
gollark: I *could* have a "strict" option where it makes all the tables immutable too, I suppose.

See also

References
  1. "The Hoppi-Copter" (PDF). Flight. October 14, 1948. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  2. Pentecost, Horace T. (17 Oct 1945), US2461347 A, Helicopter adapted to be attached to a pilot, retrieved 2016-01-07
  3. "Pentecost HX-1 (Model 100) Hoppi-Copter". Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  4. Bridgman, Leonard (1948). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1948. London: Sampson, Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. p. 271c.
  5. Bridgman, Leonard (1949). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1949. London: Samson, Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. p. 234c.
  6. Bridgman, Leonard (1951). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1951. London: Samson, Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. p. 248c.
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