New Design Hopes to Challenge Osprey's Vertical-Horizontal CapabilitiesDecember 22, 2008

 

Osprey

AeroCopter, a Boston-based startup, says it is on the verge of dramatically improving the design for an aircraft that is part airplane and part helicopter, according to an article in the Boston Herald.

Siamak Yassini, the chief executive and founder of AeroCopter, says that he is tinkering with the final designs for his mono-tilt-rotor aircraft, which is similar to the U.S. military's V-22 Osprey -- an aircraft that can take off vertically like a helicopter and then fly horizontally at speeds similar to airplanes.

Yassini, A former NASA and Boeing engineer, tells the Herald that one of the problems with the Osprey is its in-flight stability. He then describes his design for a mono-tilt-rotor with a propulsion system that can operate from more angles surrounding an aircraft, making it more reliable and viable.

He says that experts who have reviewed the technology support the idea and concept. The company has yet to produce a prototype but has received initial funding from YAS Ventures, a company owned by Yassini's brother. With more funding, he says, a prototype can be ready within 24 months.

Yassini believes the military would ultimately be one of the prime customers for this type of aircraft.

(U.S. Air Force photo)