The Niki Lightning is a fully enclosed two-seater

tricycle A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...

autogyro An autogyro (from Greek and , "self-turning"), also known as a ''gyroplane'', is a type of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. Forward thrust is provided independently, by an engine-driven propeller. ...

of composite construction, designed and built by

Niki Rotor Aviation Niki Rotor Aviation is a Bulgarian aircraft manufacturer based in Pravets. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of autogyros in the form of kits for amateur construction.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Director ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...

. It was introduced in 2009

Design and development

The Lightning's cockpit pod accommodates a pilot and passenger in tandem. The main rotor is two-bladed, with a pre-rotator. Unconventionally the tail boom is mounted though the centre of the propeller shaft.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 196. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. The boom may be unbolted and removed to aid access to the engine and prop. There is a choice of two very compact

D-Motor D-Motor is a Belgian aircraft engine manufacturer based in Deerlijk. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of aircraft engines for homebuilt and ultralight aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of L ...

engines (both

liquid-cooled Liquid cooling refers to cooling by means of the convection or circulation of a liquid. Examples of liquid cooling technologies include: * Cooling by convection or circulation of coolant, including water cooling * Liquid cooling and ventilation ...

horizontally-opposed A flat engine is a piston engine where the cylinders are located on either side of a central crankshaft. Flat engines are also known as horizontally opposed engines, however this is distinct from the less common opposed-piston engine design, wh ...

side-valve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either direct ...

s): either the 4-cylinder LF26 or the 6-cylinder LF39. The engine is sited behind the cockpit, driving a 3- or 4-bladed ground-adjustable pusher propeller which is coaxial with the tail boom. The D-Motor engines are direct-drive units redlined at 3,000 rpm. The engines are sited beneath the thrust line of the propeller; instead of using a gearbox, the Lightning uses a multi-belt-drive reduction system of about 3:2 ratio, resulting in an efficient propeller speed of up to 2,000 rpm. This arrangement avoids the necessity of a tailboom beneath the propeller, giving a smoother empenage and reducing drag. Beneath the tail-fin a spring-steel tailskid is fitted, to inhibit propeller strikes. Consuming some of

avgas Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, w ...

per hour, the autogyro has an endurance of 4 hours, with 30 minutes reserve. Its cruise speed of gives the autogyro a range of over . It has a take-off roll of , and a landing roll of . The Lightning may be flown with its side doors removed. An alternative engine for the Niki Lightning is the Rotax 914UL (but the normal Rotax gearbox would be dispensed with in favour of the drive belts). Niki Aviation spec shee

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Specifications (D-Motor LF39)

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://nikiaviation.com/en/models/lightning/specs

Lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...

Single-engined pusher autogyros 2000s Bulgarian sport aircraft

Design and development

Specifications (D-Motor LF39)

See also

References

External links