I was up in the manlift yesterday at the hangar installing a security light when I heard what sounded like a threshing machine with a couple of broken gears. It landed for fuel and, I thought, I would be down in time to go take a look. Did not.

I thought it was a gyrocopter until it hovered and the rotor racket subsided enough to realize that it was also a turbine.

What is it?

Jg

That's a Kaman K-Max.

Thanks. Now I know.

Jg

Your description of how it sounds is spot on. I thought it sounded like an over speeding, out of balance, industrial concrete mixer that is about ready to disassemble it's self. Which, I have heard and seen, so I know. Or a tracked asphalt recycling machine being run by a kid.

I totally want to fly one.

It says the sucker will lift 6000# externally.

Jg

They look goofy but there’s a helo-crane service near my wife’s office and they have a couple of these. They do lift a helluva lot for their size. I don’t know what’s more unique though, these or their Sikorsky H34.

No contest, the K-Max is more unique. Very few examples of this morphology whereas the H34 is basically the common configuration of single rotor with tail rotor.

The K-Max is a very efficient helicopter since it doesn't use power for a tail rotor, nor does it have the drive train and weight to a tail rotor. It can also operate with slower rotor RPM (good for heavy lift) without giving up speed (there is always an advancing blade in each side), though it really isn't built for speed.

It gives back a little bit with the canted rotor discs, but that's a very slight effect, and having to sync the rotors.

Not

Kaman is across the river from me in Bloomfield, CT.

These are truly amazing aircraft - the US Army found they could outlift the Sikorskys in the high, hot Afghan mountains. They were being deployed as drone supply platforms.

Pilot's I've talked to also say they're far easier to fly (i.e., more stable) than a single rotor helicopter.

Charlie Kaman was quite a guy, Aside from developing this helicopter, he also created Ovation Guitars, and his wife started Fidelco guide dogs.

5000 lbs lift in Alaska:

[youtube]https://youtu.be/d_UZhcfnqJ8[/youtube]

That's amazing.

Mike C.