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The '''Pitcairn PCA-2''' was an [[autogyro]] developed in the United States in the early 1930s,<ref name="JEA">Taylor 1989, p.735</ref> [[Harold F. Pitcairn]]'s first autogyro design to sell in quantity. It had a conventional design for its day – an airplane-like fuselage with two open cockpits in tandem, and an engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose.<ref name="IEA">''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'', p.2739</ref> The lift by the four-blade main rotor was augmented by stubby, low-set monoplane wings that also carried the control surfaces.<ref name="IEA"/> The wingtips featured considerable dihedral to act as winglets for added stability.<ref name="IEA"/>
The '''Pitcairn PCA-2''' was an [[autogyro]] developed in the United States in the early 1930s,<ref name="JEA">Taylor 1989, p.735</ref> [[Harold F. Pitcairn]]'s first autogyro design to sell in quantity. It had a conventional design for its day – an airplane-like fuselage with two open cockpits in tandem, and an engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose.<ref name="IEA">''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'', p.2739</ref> The lift by the four-blade main rotor was augmented by stubby, low-set monoplane wings that also carried the control surfaces.<ref name="IEA"/> The wingtips featured considerable dihedral to act as winglets for added stability.<ref name="IEA"/>


The PCA-2 was the first rotary-wing aircraft to achieve [[type certification]] in the United States<ref name="Aerofiles">"Pitcairn, A G A, Pitcairn-Cierva, Pitcairn-Larsen"</ref> and was used in a number of high-profile activities including a landing on the [[White House]] lawn<ref name="AirVenture">"Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro 'Miss Champion' – NC11609"</ref><ref name="Charnov 3">Charnov 2003b, p.3</ref> and the first flight across the United States in a rotorcraft. This latter feat was attempted by [[Amelia Earhart]], flying for the [[Beech-Nut]] food company, but was actually accomplished by [[John M. Miller]], (wrong John M. Miller - no Wikipedia article for him) who completed his flight nine days before Earhart on 28 May 1931, in his PCA-2 named ''Missing Link''.<ref name="Transcontinental">Charnov 2003a</ref> Learning of Miller's achievement upon her arrival in California, Earhart set out to turn her flight into a round-trip record by flying east again, but abandoned the attempt after three crashes.<ref name="Transcontinental"/> Earhart set an altitude record in a PCA-2 on 8 April 1931 with a height of 18,415&nbsp;ft (5,615 m).<ref name="IEA"/><ref name="Aerofiles"/><ref name="AirVenture"/> This record was broken in another PCA-2 by Lewis Yancey who flew to 21,500&nbsp;ft (6,600 m) on 25 September 1932.<ref name="Aerofiles"/><ref name="Charnov 6">Charnov 2003b, p.6</ref>
The PCA-2 was the first rotary-wing aircraft to achieve [[type certification]] in the United States<ref name="Aerofiles">"Pitcairn, A G A, Pitcairn-Cierva, Pitcairn-Larsen"</ref> and was used in a number of high-profile activities including a landing on the [[White House]] lawn<ref name="AirVenture">"Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro 'Miss Champion' – NC11609"</ref><ref name="Charnov 3">Charnov 2003b, p.3</ref> and the first flight across the United States in a rotorcraft. This latter feat was attempted by [[Amelia Earhart]], flying for the [[Beech-Nut]] food company, but was actually accomplished by [[John M. Miller]], (wrong John M. Miller - no Wikipedia article for him. Google: dutchess capt. john miller) who completed his flight nine days before Earhart on 28 May 1931, in his PCA-2 named ''Missing Link''.<ref name="Transcontinental">Charnov 2003a</ref> Learning of Miller's achievement upon her arrival in California, Earhart set out to turn her flight into a round-trip record by flying east again, but abandoned the attempt after three crashes.<ref name="Transcontinental"/> Earhart set an altitude record in a PCA-2 on 8 April 1931 with a height of 18,415&nbsp;ft (5,615 m).<ref name="IEA"/><ref name="Aerofiles"/><ref name="AirVenture"/> This record was broken in another PCA-2 by Lewis Yancey who flew to 21,500&nbsp;ft (6,600 m) on 25 September 1932.<ref name="Aerofiles"/><ref name="Charnov 6">Charnov 2003b, p.6</ref>


The [[Champion (spark plug)|Champion]] spark plug company operated a PCA-2 as a promotional machine in 1931 and 32 as ''Miss Champion''.<ref name="AirVenture"/> This machine was restored to flying condition in 1982 by Steve Pitcairn, Harold's son.<ref name="AirVenture"/> In 2005, he donated it to the [[AirVenture Museum]].<ref name="AirVenture"/> Other PCA-2s are preserved at [[The Henry Ford]]<ref name="AirVenture"/><ref name="Ford">"The Planes: 1931 Pitcairn Autogiro"</ref> and the [[Canada Aviation Museum]].<ref name="CAM">"Pitcairn-Cierva PCA-2"</ref>
The [[Champion (spark plug)|Champion]] spark plug company operated a PCA-2 as a promotional machine in 1931 and 32 as ''Miss Champion''.<ref name="AirVenture"/> This machine was restored to flying condition in 1982 by Steve Pitcairn, Harold's son.<ref name="AirVenture"/> In 2005, he donated it to the [[AirVenture Museum]].<ref name="AirVenture"/> Other PCA-2s are preserved at [[The Henry Ford]]<ref name="AirVenture"/><ref name="Ford">"The Planes: 1931 Pitcairn Autogiro"</ref> and the [[Canada Aviation Museum]].<ref name="CAM">"Pitcairn-Cierva PCA-2"</ref>

Revision as of 20:48, 5 October 2010

PCA-2
Role Utility autogyro
National origin United States
Manufacturer Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Company
Designer Harold F. Pitcairn
First flight 1931
Number built 20–30

The Pitcairn PCA-2 was an autogyro developed in the United States in the early 1930s,[1] Harold F. Pitcairn's first autogyro design to sell in quantity. It had a conventional design for its day – an airplane-like fuselage with two open cockpits in tandem, and an engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose.[2] The lift by the four-blade main rotor was augmented by stubby, low-set monoplane wings that also carried the control surfaces.[2] The wingtips featured considerable dihedral to act as winglets for added stability.[2]

The PCA-2 was the first rotary-wing aircraft to achieve type certification in the United States[3] and was used in a number of high-profile activities including a landing on the White House lawn[4][5] and the first flight across the United States in a rotorcraft. This latter feat was attempted by Amelia Earhart, flying for the Beech-Nut food company, but was actually accomplished by John M. Miller, (wrong John M. Miller - no Wikipedia article for him. Google: dutchess capt. john miller) who completed his flight nine days before Earhart on 28 May 1931, in his PCA-2 named Missing Link.[6] Learning of Miller's achievement upon her arrival in California, Earhart set out to turn her flight into a round-trip record by flying east again, but abandoned the attempt after three crashes.[6] Earhart set an altitude record in a PCA-2 on 8 April 1931 with a height of 18,415 ft (5,615 m).[2][3][4] This record was broken in another PCA-2 by Lewis Yancey who flew to 21,500 ft (6,600 m) on 25 September 1932.[3][7]

The Champion spark plug company operated a PCA-2 as a promotional machine in 1931 and 32 as Miss Champion.[4] This machine was restored to flying condition in 1982 by Steve Pitcairn, Harold's son.[4] In 2005, he donated it to the AirVenture Museum.[4] Other PCA-2s are preserved at The Henry Ford[4][8] and the Canada Aviation Museum.[9]

Variants

Specifications (PCA-2)

Data from "Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro Specifications"

General characteristics

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Capacity: 2 passengers

Performance

Notes

  1. ^ Taylor 1989, p.735
  2. ^ a b c d e f g The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p.2739
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Pitcairn, A G A, Pitcairn-Cierva, Pitcairn-Larsen"
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro 'Miss Champion' – NC11609"
  5. ^ Charnov 2003b, p.3
  6. ^ a b Charnov 2003a
  7. ^ Charnov 2003b, p.6
  8. ^ "The Planes: 1931 Pitcairn Autogiro"
  9. ^ "Pitcairn-Cierva PCA-2"

References

  • Charnov, Bruce H. (2003a). "Amelia Earhart, John M. Miller and the First Transcontinental Autogiro Flight in 1931". The Aviation History On-Line Museum. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  • Charnov, Bruce H. (2003b). From Autogiro to Gyroplane: The Amazing Survival of an Aviation Technology. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers.
  • "Pitcairn-Cierva PCA-2". Canada Aviation Museum website. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  • "Pitcairn, A G A, Pitcairn-Cierva, Pitcairn-Larsen". Aerofiles. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  • "Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro 'Miss Champion' – NC11609". AirVenture Museum website. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  • "Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro Specifications". AirVenture Museum website. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
  • "The Planes: 1931 Pitcairn Autogiro". The Henry Ford website. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
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