Discovery Channel/ Impossible Engineering - Flying 18A

[alicedonne]

Hi all,
Hoping someone in this forum can help me.
I am looking for a flying Air & Space 18A for a Discovery Science show called Impossible Engineering.
We're making a short film about Cierva's invention of the articulated rotor first applied on autogyros and now used on modern helicopters.
Are there any autogyros out there with this rotor system that can still fly?
Any help would be massively appreciated as they seem hard to track down!
Thanks.

[9Aplus]

Hello,
Few of A&S 18A are still airworthy in USA
At last two members at this topic are flying them:
https://www.rotaryforum.com/threads/first-jump-takeoff-in-france.1146094/page-2

At the moment some parts are for sale here:
https://www.barnstormers.com/ad_detail.php?id=1644769

Good luck ;)

[Arnie Madsen]

John S. may still have his 18A .... or will know where it is ..... he is WaspAir on this thread link .... I do not have his contact info but believe he is in Colorado

A&S 18A For sale and jump T/O | Rotary Wing Forum (rotaryforum.com) (https://www.rotaryforum.com/threads/a-s-18a-for-sale-and-jump-t-o.37548/)

[N707ZS]

What happened to the one or two that used to be stored on the far side at Biggin Hill 1980s. Perhaps did they get crushed in a hangar collapse.

[alicedonne]

Thanks all, I appreciate the help. I have tried to contact John S (WaspAir) on the Rotary Wing Forum but have not managed to get through to him yet so decided to widen the search. If anyone on here can help with his contact that would be fantastic.

[sycamore]

Alice, I had the pleasure,or otherwise, of flying one in mid 1976,at the behest,or pestering of the operator at Biggin Hill,for about 45 minutes...As I was at that time a helo Test pilot at Boscombe Down,I think the operator had visions of trying to get the Army Air Corps interested in a light utility Generals` runabout,ignoring the fact that the Army had Scout,Lynx,Bell47,and Gazelles that he could call upon.
Whilst the aircraft flew generally as advertised,as a civilian aircraft,autogyros are more limited by handling ,weight,and operational equipment that would be fitted,,,,ie it has to be `soldier-proof`,,,,Apart from that,lunch in a local hostelry was satisfactory....!
There were about 5 on the UK CAA Register,pictures on `abpic.co.uk`,and one in the Helicopter Museum at Weston -s-Mare,which may be worth contacting for viewing..

If you are interested in other `funny`aviation machines,you may wish to `google ` ML Aviation Inflatable aircraft`...This should get you to what was colloquially known as the `Durex Delta` Stealth Machine for the Army....Happy Hunting...

[treadigraph]

Not sure what did happen to the two at Biggin - one was just a carcass, spares source for G-BALB I think. They were still in the Interflight Hangar gathering a thick covering of dust into the 1980s. Did that one collapse under snow? I know the other blister hangar did. Probably scrapped. The spares source was probably G-AYUE which had crashed at Membury. Hadn't realised others had been registered since!

[sycamore]

I`ve tried `GINFO`,but it seem to be having `hissy fits`,had to do about 6`captchas` of traffic lights,then it would not go any further.....The others were `bvwk,bobw,meli,bvwl,masa,balb..

[treadigraph]

MASA and MELI seem to be the same airframe. Assume Sycamore flew G-BALB which I'm sure I remember flying at Biggin's Battle of Britain display in September '76 - I can't ever recall seeing it even outside Interflight's hangar on my many subsequent visits. My 35 year old UK register says it was withdrawn from use in May '74 after CofA expiry but I suspect perhaps that should be May '84 - CAA cancelled it in November '84 and it was certainly flying after '74.

[9Aplus]

If anyone on here can help with his contact that would be fantastic.
You may try this way, contact his primary airport:
CONTACTS | Kelly Air Park (http://kellyairpark.org/contacts)
Ask them for John R. Stark