Aer Lualdi L.55
| L.55 | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Light helicopter | 
| National origin | Italy | 
| Manufacturer | Aer Lualdi | 
| Designer |  Carlo Lualdi  | 
| Number built | 1 | 
The Aer Lualdi L.55 was a prototype Italian helicopter, a development of the Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 featuring a far more powerful 134 kW (180 hp) Lycoming O-360. While the ES 53 had been purely experimental, the L.55 was Lualdi's first step towards a marketable aircraft.
Specifications (L.55)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
 - Capacity: 3 pax
 - Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
 - Height: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
 - Empty weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
 - Gross weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
 - Fuel capacity: 140 L (37.0 US gal; 30.8 imp gal) with provision for a 27 L (7.1 US gal; 5.9 imp gal) auxiliary
 - Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 130 kW (180 hp) with cooling fan
 - Main rotor diameter: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
 - Main rotor area: 355.4 m2 (3,825 sq ft) 
 - Blade section: - root: NACA 0015; tip: NACA 0012[2]
 
Performance
- Maximum speed: 155 km/h (96 mph, 84 kn)
 - Cruise speed: 129 km/h (80 mph, 70 kn) at 75% power
 - Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)
 - Endurance: 3 hours
 - Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) absolute
 - Hover ceiling IGE: 2,800 m (9,186 ft)
 - Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min) at sea level
 - Disk loading: 9.75 kg/m2 (2.00 lb/sq ft)
 
References
- ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1958). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 193.
 - ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.