IKENGA
Autogyro - Santa Fe, NM
The
Ikenga aircraft project was inspired by the vision of building kit-assembeled,
minimal structure, STOL aircraft for utility use in underdeveloped
countries: aerial surveying, border patrol, cattle herding, commuting,
crop spraying, flying doctors, and pipeline inspection were some
of the targeted applications. Recreational and Sports flying in
the U.S. was also a marketing goal. The Cygnus 21T Autogyro was
used to evaluate video down-link hardware for covert intelligence
gathering while the Cygnus 21TX was designed for medical use.
A foundation
stone for my vision was that Ikenga be used as a test bed for
alternative power systems to the two-stroke fossil fuel engine,
to evaluate the latest developments in low-speed rotor and
air fan technology, and to embrace a worthwhile creative objective.
Future designs were destined to be an entry point into "flight
suit" technology: swift miniature ships featuring advanced
composites that are molded to the body size of each pilot. This
is still an applicable concept for personal flight!
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