Since 1950 Glenview Metal Products has been engaged in the manufacture of industrial components, including parts for jet engines for power-guided missiles. The company's Aircraft Division includes Robert Mattox, who was formerly aircraft designer with the Pitcairn Aviation Corporation and works manager with Piasecki Helicopter Corporation. In 1954 Glenview revived a prototype helicopter designed by William E. Hunt, with Hunt himself as consulting engineer. Until it became a subsidiary of Glenview's, a firm known as Frontline Helicopter Corporation carried out the tests on this prototype. Glenview decided to replace the original with a more powerful engine.

1953 GMP.I Flyride

Since the cyclic control system is replaced by a fully tilting head, the rotor has no hunting hinges or drag hinges.

The engine is in the aircraft's nose, which thus enables passengers or baggage to be placed near the centre of gravity. Instead of the five controls common to conventional aircraft, the Flyride has only two primary control units: a stick with a motorcycle grip, and a throttle. The stick, which rests on an arm between the two seats, governs all movements on the horizontal plane: an accelerator of the type used in motor vehicles controls upward and downward movement by means of a governor geared to the engine, and the pitch of the blades is regulated by the engine's output in terms of revolutions per minute.

P.Lambermont "Helicopters and Autogyros of the World", 1958

The two-seat 'Humming Bird' was originally designed by William E. Hunt. It was developed in 1947 by Frontline Helicopter Corp. as the 'Flyride' and the prototype (N544A) made its first flight in January 1948. It was a streamlined all-metal monocoque helicopter with an automobile-style forward fuselage and forward-swept rotor pylon. Power was provided by a 125hp Lycoming engine. The Flyride had a single control stick to operate all functions and a system of linkage of blade pitch to the engine speed. Frontline Helicopter was acquired by Glenview Metal Products and the machine became the GMP-1 Flyride. It was upgraded with a 135hp Lycoming in 1953 and was advertised to the public as the ideal personal helicopter - but it was short lived and lapsed into obscurity.

R.Simpson "Airlife's Helicopter and Rotorcraft", 1998

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Technical data for GMP.I Flyride Number of seats: 2, engine: Lycoming rated 135hp, rotor diameter: 9.3m, length: 10.82m, height: 2.62m, weight fully loaded: 750kg, empty weight: 522kg, cruising speed: 144km/h, inclined climb: 366m/min, absolute ceiling: 3810m, range: 448km

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