Little Wing Autogyro

The Little Wing Autogyro is a series of conventional one and two place autogyros with a tractor engine layout using modern engines and produced by Little Wing Autogyros, Inc. of Mayflower, Arkansas.

Development
Ron Herron was concerned about the problem of pushover fatalities in pusher gyrocopters. He set to develop a tractor layout gyrocopter that also met the FAA rules for ultralight aircraft. A Prototype LW-1 powered by a Continental O-200 engine was soon followed on by the LW-2. The design was influenced by Juan de la Cierva's autogyros.

Operational history
Andy Keech set 29 world records in an LW-5 Autogyro.

Variants

 * LW-1
 * Original proof of concept prototype


 * LW-2
 * Single place autogyro designed to weigh less than 254 lb to meet US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations


 * LW-3
 * A 70 hp covered version


 * LW-4
 * A two place long frame version


 * LW-5
 * A two place short frame version


 * Roto-Pup
 * Ultralight version based on the Preceptor Ultra Pup airframe.

Aircraft on display

 * Little Wing LW-5, EAA Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.