Goodyear GA-400R Gizmo

The Goodyear GA-400R Gizmo was a one-man helicopter proposed for duties such as liaison and observation.^[1]

Design and development

Goodyear started developing light helicopters in 1954. The GA-400R was the third in the series. The helicopter was not put into production.^[2]

The one-man helicopter was designed to be lightweight and simple. The airframe is made of welded aluminum tubing. The rotor blades have wooden cores with fiberglass surfaces. The engine is a Johnson outboard marine engine. The transmission used rubber belts. The Gizmo has demonstrated low autorotation sink rates of 1200 ft/min.

Operational history

First test flights were performed at Akron, Ohio in 1954.^[3] The GA-400R was tested by the United States Navy in 1957 at Patuxent River Naval Air Base in Maryland.

In 1966, Goodyear donated the prototype to the EAA Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.^[4]

Variants

• GA-400R - A 55 hp Mercury outboard powerplant.
• GA-400R-2, GA-400R-3 - A 38 hp Johnson two stroke powerplant

Specifications (GA-400R)

Data from EAA

General characteristics

• Capacity: 1
• Length: 18 ft 4 in (5.59 m)
• Height: 6 ft (1.8 m)
• Empty weight: 290 lb (132 kg)
• Gross weight: 490 lb (222 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 4 gal
• Powerplant: 1 × Johnson Outboard Marine & Mfg. Model RDHE Two cycle piston, 38 hp (28 kW)
• Main rotor diameter: × 20 ft (6.1 m)
• Main rotor area: 314 sq ft (29.2 m²)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 48 kn; 89 km/h (55 mph)
• Cruise speed: 35 kn; 64 km/h (40 mph)
• Service ceiling: 8,000 ft (2,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 400 ft/min (2.0 m/s)

References