Titanium Explorer

The Titanium Explorer is an Australian autogyro designed by Neil Sheather and Andrew Pepper and produced by Titanium Auto Gyro (TAG Aviation Pty Limited) of Attunga, New South Wales. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly, although development of a kit for amateur construction was underway in 2015.

Design and development
Development of the design was started in 2009 as a result of noted deficiencies in imported autogyro designs for Australian conditions.

The Explorer features a single main rotor, a two-seats-in tandem open cockpit, each with a windshield, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, plus a tail caster and a four-cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke 100 hp Rotax 912 or 115 hp turbocharged Rotax 914 engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft fuselage box-section frame is made from titanium, while the cockpit fairing is made from carbon fiber reinforced polymer and fibreglass composites. Its two-bladed rotor has a diameter of 8.38 m and a chord of 22 cm. The design is noted for its rugged suspension, designed for Australian outback conditions.

The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 240 kg and a gross weight of 575 kg, giving a useful load of 335 kg. With full fuel of 85 L the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 274 kg.