Typical Applications

Flight Test Concept Demonstrator

Whirlstand Testing

Technology Demonstrator Flight Test

Vehicle Status

The Spinwing is the world's first and only flying stop-rotor aircraft shown here proving the ability of the system to rapidly convert between helicopter and airplane flight modes only one day after the first ever stop-rotor conversions. There have been over 14 attempts to develop stop-rotors including efforts by every major U.S. rotor craft manufacturer. This high level of interest from industry is due to the fact that. By definition a stop-rotor is the only vehicle that can be the optimum configuration for vertical flight (a pure helicopter, with a rotor and no wing) and the optimum configuration for horizontal flight (with a wing and no rotor). A stop-rotor does this by stopping the rotation of the rotor and using it as a wing. The Spinwing is the first to achieve these conversions in the air in both directions. Because of the way the Spinwing converts it also incorporates many benefits over earlier stop-rotor concepts such as elimination of the rotor pylon and secondary lifting surfaces to carry the vehicle during conversion, reduced wing/fuselage interference drag and fuselage down wash penalties, and the ability to use conventional airfoils instead of less efficient and unstably mounted (at the 50% chord) symmetrical airfoils that require stiff, powerful and heavy control systems.

The Spinwing was invented by William Randall McDonnell who's life long work on VTOL aircraft has included positions of Director of the Joint LHX Program for McDonnell Douglas and Bell Helicopter, Program Manager for the AV-8B Harrier and Director of Advanced Concepts for McDonnell Douglas. VTOL Launch and Recovery are achieved by collectively feathering the wing and tail fins over 90 degrees into the position shown in the photograph (right). Power drives the tail fins much like a helicopter rotor, the wings counter-rotate in reaction to the torque. Higher efficiency and dramatically lower noise is achieved by large slow turning rotor blades relative to conventional helicopters. Fast, efficient, fixed wing performance is achieved when the wings and tails fins are feathered as shown (left). Power is now delivered through a transmission to a large diameter, quiet and efficient, slow turning pusher propeller similar to long endurance UAVs.