From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Aero HC-2 Heli Baby

Light utility helicopter

Field	Value
name	Aero HC-2 Heli Baby
image	File:Aero HC-2 Heli Baby.jpg
caption	HC-2 in flight
aircraft_type	Light helicopter
national_origin	Czechoslovakia
manufacturer	Aero Vodochody
designer	Jaroslav Šlechta
number_built	23 (including 2 prototypes)
construction_date	1958-1962
introduction	1955
first_flight	December 3, 1954

The Aero HC-2 Heli Baby is a two-seat general-purpose light utility helicopter, designed by engineer Jaroslav Šlechta, and produced by the Czechoslovak company Aero Vodochody in the 1950s. It has a three-blade main rotor, and a two-blade tail rotor. The helicopter has an entirely metal frame and cockpit, and windows made of Plexiglas. It was the first and the only Czechoslovak-designed helicopter to be produced.

Design and development

The HC-2 was designed by a team working at Aero Vodochody led by engineer Jaroslav Šlechta, building on experience gained in the design of Šlechta's earlier Praga XE-II prototype. Construction of the prototype began in 1951, and testing commenced in 1954. The first flight occurred on December 3, 1954, and the helicopter was introduced to the public in 1955 at the Brno Industries Fair. Production was slated to begin in 1957, however, engine problems delayed it.

An initial order of 200 of these helicopters was announced. The Czechoslovak Air Force was a user of the HC-2, as was the Czechoslovak People's Army. The Heli Baby was capable of carrying a pilot and 220 lb of cargo over a distance of 62 mi, while using 4.85 impgal gallons of fuel. In 1959, it was one of the world's lightest two-seated helicopters. Initially powered by an 83 hp Praga DH engine, the more powerful 105 hp Avia M 110H engine, designed specifically for use in helicopters, replaced it after approximately six years. The Heli Baby can be used for transport, training, and various "other duties in military and civil service". Cargo space is situated behind the helicopter's two seats. The non-retractable undercarriage has three wheels in a tricycle configuration.

Variants

;HC-2 :Prototypes and initial production, powered by 62 kW Praga DH engine. ;HC-102 : Revised version, powered by 85 kW Avia M 110H engine. ;HC-202 : Proposed version powered by uprated (103 kW M 110H engine. Unbuilt.

Operators

;

Czechoslovak People's Army
Svazarm

Specifications (HC-102)

|prime units?=met General characteristics

|max takeoff weight kg=680 Powerplant

Performance

References

;Notes ;Bibliography

Beneš, Ladislav. (In Czech) Československé vrtulníky známé i neznámé. Votobia, 1998.

References

"Vrtulník HC 2 (VR-2) Heli Baby".
Taylor, John William Ransom. (1968). "Helicopters and VTOL aircraft". Doubleday.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1950s-czechoslovak-civil-utility-aircraft 1950s-czechoslovak-helicopters aero-vodochody-aircraft aircraft-first-flown-in-1954 single-engined-piston-helicopters

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Aero HC-2 Heli Baby — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report