Rotor X eJavelin

eJavelin
Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company
Chandler, Arizona, USA
www.rotorxaircraft.com

Based in Arizona (USA), Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company (RX) are makers of the two passenger Rotor X Phoenix A600 kit turbo helicopter. In 2021, Rotor X Aircraft purchased the kit helicopter company, RotorWay International. RotorWay was founded by B.J. Schrammin in 1961 and the kit helicopter company was originally named the RotorWay Helicopter Manufacturing Company.

On June 29, 2021, Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company announced it is entering the electric air taxi market with an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) quad-rotor helicopter for Urban Air Mobility (UAM). Rotor X Aircraft is working in collaboration with its partner company, Advanced Tactics Inc. of Torrance, California (USA). Advanced Tactics has over 10 years experience in developing multi-rotor prototype aircraft and Rotor X Aircraft and will be using this experience to help develop the electric quad-rotor helicopter.

The company states it will implement a new streamlined manufacturing process that will greatly reduce manufacturing costs. This will produce a helicopter kit at an affordable and lower price than has been seen in the past.

Rotor X is in the planning stages of making the original petroleum fueled single passenger Javelin kit helicopter into an all-electric helicopter using the retro 1960s-styled airframe. While the original Javelin helicopter was originally made for one passenger, there were plans in the past to have a two passenger model. Time will tell if the eJavelin will be a one or two passenger electric helicopter.

The eJavelin eVTOL kit helicopter will have one main rotorblade, one tail rotor and fixed-skid landing gear. Basic specifications such as its capacity, cruise speed, flight range, maximum flight time, the number of electric motors and batteries have not been released by the company. We also don't know if the tail will have the typical helicopter tail vertical stabilizer and ventral fin or tail boom elevators. The eJavelin will be a kit designed for the amateur builder and the company will provide the customer with all components needed for final assembly and flight. Because the helicopter will be all-electric, weight of the helicopter will possibly be less than the original model and it might be easier to assemble due to its all-electric powertrain.

Javelin Helicopter History

The original Javelin kit helicopter was an amateur-built helicopter known as the Schramm Javelin. The first flight of the petroleum powered Javelin helicopter was in 1965 and its maximum speed was 85 mph (137 km/h) with a flight time of two hours and 15 minutes. The production model was slated to have 100 hp Continental 0-200 engine, the same type of petroleum engine that was used on Cessna 150s in the 1960s. However, the 1960s prototype helicopter had a 100 hp water-cooled outboard marine engine. The Javelin weighed only 500 lb (227 kg), had a front windscreen with open sides, with one main rotorblade, one tail rotor, fixed-skid type landing gear and had very few components making it easy to disassemble for maintenance.

Javelin Helicopter Specifications 1960s (For The Planned Production Model):

• Capacity: 1 pilot
• Maximum speed: 85 mph (164 km/h)
• Flight time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
• Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,505 m)
• Engine: Continental O-200, 100 hp petroleum powered engine
• Empty weight: 500 lb (227 kg)
• Gross weight: 880 lb (399 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 12 gal (45.4 l)
• Rotorblade: 1 main rotorblade
• Main rotor diameter: 21.4 ft (6.52 m)
• Tail rotor: 1 tail rotor
• Windows: Full front window with plexiglass framed doors (the production model which was never built, was to have plexiglass doors)
• Landing gear: Fixed skid helicopter landing gear
• Safety feature: Can use autorotation to land, in case of an engine failure

The company has stated that most of their customers, it was first time they build an and regardless of their background, each customer has been successful at putting the helicopter together. Rotor X expects the same to be true with the eJavelin all-electric helicopter.

There is no information on the timeline for the eJavelin for prototypes to be made or when production might occur.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Electric helicopter
• Capacity: 2 people (1 pilot and 1 passenger)
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Range: Unknown
• Flight Time: Unknown
• Rotorblade: 1 main rotorblade
• Tail rotor: 1 tail rotor
• Electric Motors: Possibly 1 electric motor, unknown at this time
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Unknown
• Tail: Unknown if tail will have a standard helicopter vertical stabilizer, ventral fin and tail boom elevators
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
• Safety feature: Ability to autorotate and land, in case of emergency

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company website
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company Facebook
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company Twitter
• Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Company LinkedIn
• Information web page: Rotorway Javelin, Aviastar, Publication date unknown
• Information web page: Rotoway History Rewind, Rotorway United Kingdom, Publication date unknown
• Article: The Sharp Little Javelin Helicopter (republished), Redback Aviation, July 26, 2018 (original publication date July 1966)
• Article: Rotorway sold to Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co., AOPA, Feb. 4, 2021
• Article: Rotor X's big-blade quad-rotor eVTOL promises extreme efficiency, New Atlas, June 29, 2021