1. Development

2. Variants

3. Specifications

4. Survivors

5. See also

6. References

7. External links

The Hiller ROE Rotorcycle was a single seat ultralight helicopter designed in 1953 for a military requirement.^[1] A total of 12 were produced for the United States Marine Corps. And in 1954, the Hiller Helicopters was selected by the US Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics to build this design of a one-man, foldable, self-rescue and observation helicopter.^[1] It featured a two blade rotor system. Its original empty weight was {{convert|290|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}.^[2]

Development

The helicopter folded up and could be carried on a sled-like carrier by two people or could be air-dropped to pilots trapped behind enemy lines. The Marines did not accept the YROE due to its low performance, vulnerability to small-arms fire and the lack of visual references on the structure. This problem could cause the pilot to experience spatial disorientation at all but very low altitudes.^[3] The YROE or ROE never saw military service.^[5]

In 1954, the United States Navy′s Bureau of Aeronautics selected Hiller to build its proposed design of a one-man helicopter. The XROE Rotocycle completed flight testing in mid-1957.^[4]

It was demonstrated at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, for military and other government officials in early April 1958.^[5]

Production was by Saunders-Roe, which made five for the United States Marine Corps and five for Helicop-Air of Paris.^[6]

A Porsche engine of 62 hp (46 Kw) developed for the YROE completed trials by 1961.^[7]

Variants

XROE-1

2 prototypes built as Model 1033 at the Hiller Helicopter Plant in Palo Alto, California^[8]

The first flight in November 1956^[9]

YROE-1

5 test versions built by British Saunders-Roe company
One donated to the Smithsonian Institution after completion of its testing in 1961^[9]

ROE-1

5 production built by Saunders-Roe (built ten production models, including the five YROE-1s)^[9]

Specifications

| ref = Smithsonian^[3]

| crew = 1 pilot
| capacity =
| payload main =
| payload alt =
| payload more =
| length main = 12 ft 6 in
| length alt = 3.81 m
| span main = 18 ft 6 in
| span alt = 5.64 m
| height main = 7 ft 6 in
| height alt = 2.29 m
| area main =
| area alt =
| airfoil =
| aspect ratio =
| empty weight main = 309 lb
| empty weight alt = 140 kg
| loaded weight main = 562 lb
| loaded weight alt = 255 kg
| useful load main ={{convert|270|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}^[2]
| useful load alt =
| max takeoff weight main =
| max takeoff weight alt =
| more general = *Fuel: 9.1 L (2.4 U.S. gal)

| engine (jet) =
| type of jet =
| number of jets =
| thrust main =
| thrust alt =
| thrust original =
| afterburning thrust main =
| afterburning thrust alt =
| engine (prop) = Nelson H-59
| type of prop = piston engine
| number of props =
| power main = 40 hp^[2]
| power alt = 30 kW
| power original = , later Nelson YO-65-2 four-cylinder, two-cycle engine, {{convert|43|hp|abbr=on}}
| propeller or rotor? =
| propellers =
| number of propellers per engine =
| propeller diameter main =
| propeller diameter alt =

| max speed main = 70 mph^[1]
| max speed alt =
| max speed more = at sea level
| cruise speed main = 52 mph
| cruise speed alt = 84 km/h
| cruise speed more =
| stall speed main =
| stall speed alt =
| stall speed more =
| never exceed speed main =
| never exceed speed alt =
| range main = {{convert|166|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| range alt =
| range more = with {{convert|170|lb|abbr=on}} pilot and {{convert|86|lb|abbr=on}} of fuel^[1]
| combat radius main=
| combat radius alt =
| combat radius more=
| ferry range main =
| ferry range alt =
| ferry range more =
| endurance =
| ceiling main = 9,200 ft
| ceiling alt =
| ceiling more = in ground effect^[10]
| climb rate main = 1,160 ft/min^[1]
| climb rate alt = 5.9 m/s
| climb rate more =
| sink rate main =
| sink rate alt =
| sink rate more =
| loading main =
| loading alt =
| thrust/weight =
| power/mass main =
| power/mass alt =
| more performance =

| armament =
| guns =
| bombs =
| rockets =
| missiles =
| hardpoints =
| hardpoint capacity =
| hardpoint rockets =
| hardpoint missiles =
| hardpoint bombs =
| hardpoint other =
| avionics =
}}

Survivors

• XROE-1, on display at Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos, California
• YROE-1, ser. no. 4021, on display at Hiller Aviation Museum
• YROE-1, on display at National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC
• YROE-1, N4230U, ser. no. 4024, El Cajon, California^[11]
• YROE-1, N777MV, ser. no. 4020, Minicopter Inc., Saginaw, Texas^[12]
• YROE-1, third one in production on display at Evergreen Aviation Museum^[13]
• XROE-1, repainted in blue, powered by a Rotax 503 and renamed "fantacopter", in working order at Bois-la-Pierre, France.^[14]

See also

• Gyrodyne RON Rotorcycle
• Hoppi-Copter

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Apostolo, Giorgio. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters. New York: Bonanza Books. 1984. {{ISBN|978-0-517-43935-7}}.

External links

• Hiller Aviation Museum: The First 100 Years of Aviation
• [https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19650025802_1965025802.pdf NASA: FLIGHT TESTS OF A ONE-MAN HELICOPTER AND A COMPARISON OF ITS HANDLING QUALITIES WITH THOSE OF LARGER VTOL AIRCRAFT]
• Photo: XROE-1 at Hiller Aviation Museum
• Photo: YROE-1 (s/n 4021 at Hiller Aviation Museum

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