Design and Development
Otto C. Koppen, designed aircraft for the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company including the Ford Flivver,an aircraft that was supposed to be mass produced by Ford. Otto went on to design the Helio Courier.
The all-aluminum clad airframe features a welded 15G steel-tube center section fuselage, with shoulder harnesses that protect the occupants in an emergency. The wings are of conventional aluminum construction, but feature Handley-Page leading edge slats that deploy automatically when the aircraft's airspeed falls below a certain value (55 miles per hour (89 km/h)–60 miles per hour (97 km/h)). The slats contribute to the Helio's outstanding short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability, and allow for stall/spin-proof controllable flight. In conjunction with the leading-edge slats, 74% of the trailing edge incorporates high lift slotted flaps, together with interrupter blades atop each wing when roll control is lost at very low airspeed, allows for a tight turning radius. The Helio Courier could maintain control at speeds as low as 27 miles per hour (43 km/h).
The design of the Helio features a large vertical tail surface and rudder for control at very low flight speeds, however, on conventional geared aircraft (taildraggers), the airplane tends to be cross-wind sensitive, thus a cross-wind gear option is available allowing the main tires to caster left or right 20 degrees, increasing the cross-wind component to 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). The Helio has its main gear placement far forward of the cabin enabling hard braking on unprepared landing areas. A tri-gear model was produced, but is unsuitable for unprepared rough terrain.
Helios are also capable of being float equipped, both straight and amphibious floats being offered.
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