RotorWay Unveils Production Turbine Helo

RotorWay unveiled a new production turbine trainer helicopter yesterday at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The Eagle 300T will be powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 similar, but not identical, to the engine powering the Robinson R66. RotorWay CEO Grant Norwitz said the new helicopter will cost “more than a Robinson R22 and less than a Robinson R66.” Company officials said they expect the 300T to be certified before the end of 2011. Preliminary specifications for the 2,050-pound-mtow two-seater include a useful load of 1,100 pounds, maximum cruise speed of 110 knots, 80-gallon fuel capacity, two-hour endurance with 30-minute reserve and a ceiling of 13,000 feet. The helicopter is expected to have enough reserve power to be used for a variety of training operations, including cargo slinging. Heretofore, RotorWay has built only helicopter kits. The 40-year-old company claims 2,400 of its helicopters are in operation worldwide, and says production of the 300T will likely remain “somewhere in Arizona.”