Taggart GyroBee

The Taggart GyroBee is an American autogyro that was designed by Ralph E. Taggart of Michigan State University and made available as free documentation. The aircraft is also produced in kit form by Star Bee Gyros of Worcester, Massachusetts for amateur construction.

Design and development
The GyroBee was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 247 lb. It features a single main rotor, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, tricycle landing gear and a twin-cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 45 hp Zanzottera MZ 201 engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together 6061-T6 aluminum tubing. Its 23 ft diameter Sport Copter rotor has a chord of 7 in. With its empty weight of 247 lb and a gross weight of 550 lb, it has a useful load of 303 lb.

Variants

 * Taggart Gyro Bee
 * Plans-built version introduced in 1990.


 * Star Bee Light
 * Kit-built version of the GyroBee, produced by Star Bee Gyros. Mounts a 23 ft Sport Copter rotor, Ivoprop propeller and a 45 hp Zanzottera MZ 201.


 * Star Bee Total Bee
 * Kit-built version of the GyroBee, produced by Star Bee Gyros. Mounts a 23 ft Dragon Wings rotor, Ivoprop propeller and a 60 hp Zanzottera MZ 202.


 * Midwest Hornet
 * Free plans-built version, based on the GyroBee.