Sparrowhawk II Gets Improvements, Price Hike

If you wanted to own the original American Autogyro Incorporated Sparrowhawk gyro, it's too late. Since December 1st AAI buyers have been getting the new Sparrowhawk II, a machine with a number of detail improvements that are primarily responses to builder and operator input.

The new Sparrowhawk has a lower empty weight, and a couple of construction annoyances have been solved. The difficult-to-assemble cruciform tail is now preconstructed at the factory (previously a popular $948 option, selected by about three quarters of Sparrowhawk builders) and the landing gear has been simplified, eliminating some of the most difficult and frustrating assembly steps.

In the exact same way that the old "pre-built" tail option was delivered, the bulky but lightweight cruciform tail for the Sparrowhawk comes in three parts (vertical and left and right horizontals) for final assembly by the builder, who will bond the parts, finish the seams, and prep and paint the composite parts.

The Sparrowhawk gyroplane is a two-seat, pusher gyro that can be constructed as an Experimental-Amateur-Built gyroplane, in which case it requires a minimum of a Private Pilot license (in Rotorcraft/Gyro for passenger-carrying privileges), or as an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft, in which case it requires a minimum of a Sport Pilot license with a Gyroplane rating.

Sparrowhawks are sold through a worldwide dealer network which can also provide builder assistance and flight training (all gyroplanes require gyro-specific training, even for experienced fixed-wing and helicopter pilots).

The dealers also provide vital feedback to the company, providing a channel for customer suggestions and complaints to turn into product improvements such as those that produced the Sparrowhawk II.

The company has also listened to builders and tuned-up packaging and labeling to make it easier for them to find the parts they need for assembly.

The original chopper-gun fiberglass cabins have been replaced with a lighter yet stronger cabin. This is the principal reason the empty weight of the II is some 30 lb. lighter than the original. Detail changes in the fuel system remove all connections from inside the cabin (the Sparrowhawk's fuel tank is under the crew seats) for safety and tidiness, the PSRU is better supported for longer crankshaft life, and several control systems have been improved.

A previous optional upgrade to the Sparrowhawk, now standardized on the II, is a 2.5 liter EJ25 Subaru engine. This provides more performance and therefore more safety, particularly for those in hot and high-altitude climes.

There is also a change to an 80-Amp alternator. More customers are festooning their Sparrowhawks with radios, transponders, GPS units, lights and other current-hogging electrical doodads; the larger alternator keeps the Hawk's electrical system in the game.

These improvements cost money, and the Sparrowhawk II will sell for $39,500, a $5,000 increase. But if one orders by December 31st, AAI/Groen Brothers has told its dealers it will honor the 2005 Sparrowhawk I price of $34,500.

"The SparrowHawk II is lighter, stronger, easier to fly, and all around a significantly better gyroplane than the original SparrowHawk," dealer Randy Coplen of Seattle posted in the Rotary Wing Forum, an online hangout for gyro aficionados.

What about the original Sparrowhawk owners? AAI has reportedly sold something like 70 of the centerline-thrust gyroplanes. "Owners of the original SparrowHawk can be assured that Groen Brothers Aviation will continue to support their aircraft," the company promised. 

The Sparrowhawk II comes standard with the Subaru EJ25 2.5 liter engine and 30-foot rotor blades. Common options are doors and heater for cool climates, and an oil cooler for hot ones.

The original Sparrowhawk is now discontinued. Certain Sparrowhawk II mods may be retrofittable to earlier Sparrowhawks; Sparrowhawk owners interested in upgrading their aircraft should contact their usual tech support channels with questions, although dealers will usually have to go to the factory for definitive answers, unless they've already encountered the same situation with another customer.

The company continues to offer a stability and control enhancement kit for RAF 2000 gyroplanes. However, not all Sparrowhawk parts retrofit to AAI-modified RAFs. For example, the Sparrowhawk cabin cannot be used on an RAF 2000, even with the AAI modifications. (Groen Bros. and AAI are not affiliated with RAF).

If you had already been thinking about a Sparrowhawk, here's a $5k incentive (really a $4k incentive when the $1k assembled tail is factored in) for ordering by Saturday. You can reach AAI or your local dealer at the FMI link, or by calling Groen Brothers Aviation at (801) 973-0177.

FMI: www.americanautogyro.com