The Masquito Aircraft company was established in Belgium to produce the Masquito M80 ultralight helicopter, four prototypes of which have been completed. Production deliveries were due to begin in early 2004, with production deliveries of aircraft to JAR-VLR in late 2004.

MASQUITO M80

Design started November 1994; construction of prototype began December 1995; first flight (G-MASZ) May 1996; 25 hours of test flying completed by April 1997. Prototype reconfigured as M80 with Jabiru engine and began ground trials in late 1997. M80 displayed unflown at the PFA International Air Rally at Cranfield in July 1999; by late 2002, over 120 hours of running time accumulated, including 20 within a limited hovering and slow flight envelope. CAA go-ahead for ground running of fourth prototype (also marked G-MASZ) given mid-2001; this completed on 26 April 2002, confirming engine integrity. UK kit-built certification will be to BCAR-VLH requirements; French CNSK 2 certificate will then be issued automatically; US certification of experimental version will follow. UK CAA now requires Masquito aircraft to obtain Design Oganisation Approval before starting flight-test programme for BCAR-VLII; this procedure started 2003 and will allow submission of application for JAR-VLR and/or US Primary Rotorcraft Category certification.

CURRENT VERSIONS:

• M58: Prototype only; initially with 47.7kW Rotax 582 engine.
• M80: Production version; Masquito M2.6L engine, as described.

COSTS: Kit €65,000 to €70,000 (plus taxes), including engine and basic instruments; certified complete aircraft (available 2005) €120,000 (2003 prices).

DESIGN FEATURES: Conforms to FAR Pt 27 crashworthiness requirements. Two-blade, teetering main rotor and two-blade tail rotor; main rotor carbon composites blades with 9° linear twist. Hiller servo rotor for increased stability in hover. Main rotor speed 690 rpm; 2kg lead weight in each tip to increase inertia and decrease rotor speed decay in event of engine failure. Tail rotor 3,200 rpm. Ventral fin offset 2°. Composites "virtual hinge" main rotor head with elastomeric collective pitch thrust bearings. Prototype had Rotax gearbox for primary reduction and powerdrive toothed aramid fibre belts tor secondary reduction; production version employs toothed drivebelt, centrifugal clutch and flywheel as primary transmission, with flexible driveshaft for tail rotor.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual, with Hiller servo rotor for cyclic pitch control.

STRUCTURE: Primary structure of Ti3A12, 5V alloy; tailboom of 8.9cm carbon fibre tube. Main rotor blades have unidirectional composites spar with PVC foam trailing-edge core and bidirectional composites skin.

LANDING GEAR: Two fixed skids of 6061 alloy mounted on unidirectional carbon fibre supports.

POWER PLANT: Production aircraft have an 89.5kW Masquito M2.6L four-cylinder, four-stroke air-cooled engine derated to 59.7kW at sea level, equipped with dual electronic ignition, electronic multipoint fuel injection, pressure and temperature compensation and dual variable timing ignition with max rpm limiter. Fuel capacity 67 litres of which 60 litres usable.

Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 2004-2005

Technical data for Masquito M80 Main rotor diameter: 5.52m, tail rotor diameter: 1.00m, overall length, rotors turning: 6.22m, fuselage length: 4.85m, height overall: 2.25m, max. take-off weight: 450kg, empty weight, equipped: 230kg, never-exceed speed: 180km/h, max cruising speed: 148km/h, max rate of climb at sea level: 335m/min, hovering ceiling IGE: 2,000m, range with max internal fuel: 600km, endurance: 4h