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| News Release | Archived News Releases | Hawk's Nest News | Archived Hawk's Nest | Technology Articles |
| Thank
you for your interest in Groen Brothers Aviation, Inc. (GBA) and
our aircraft. Welcome to Issue #42 of our web site update column.
You can be automatically notified of new issues of Hawk's Nest,
News Releases and web site updates by clicking on "Contact
Us" and following the easy directions. We invite you to
enjoy the many informational aspects of our comprehensive web site. In a News Release dated November 7th, Groen Brothers Aviation announced that the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected a GBA-led team to design a proof of concept high speed, long range, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed for use in Combat Search and Rescue roles. Phase one of this potentially multi-year $40 million four phase program, begins with a fifteen month $6.4 million award to develop the preliminary design and perform key technology demonstrations. This modern rotorcraft, named by DARPA as the "Heliplane" is designed to exploit GBA's gyrodyne technology, offering the VTOL capability of a helicopter, the fast forward flight of an airplane, and the safety, simplicity and reliability of a GBA gyroplane. This aircraft type could be the next generation rotor wing aircraft, meeting economy and performance goals not considered achievable by any other type of VTOL aircraft. Please click here on "Heliplane" to read the news Release in its entirety. FULLY ASSEMBLED SPARROWHAWKS NOW FOR SALE Richard Ankrom, owner of American Autogyro of Casa
Grande, is offering for sale fully assembled SparrowHawk Gyroplanes
through another of his companies, Sport Air Manufacturing, LLC.
These SparrowHawks are being built and sold under the FAA Experimental
Light Sport Aviation (ELSA) rules. ELSA SparrowHawks are ready to
fly, come fully equipped with Radio I-COM and headsets ad are offered
at a base price of $67,500. Richard offers an array of options including
leather seats, custom paint and instrument upgrades. For more information
about these beautiful aircraft, please conatct Richard at 520-568-4976.
GBA/AMERICAN AUTOGYRO SUCCESSFUL AT 2005 EVENTS American Autogyro and/or our Authorized Dealers have exhibited at many events this year. Our season began in March at the Luke Air Force Base Open House/Air Show near Phoenix, AZ. Sunny Florida was our April destination for two of our favorite shows: the PRA (Popular Rotorcraft Association) Bensen Days Fly-In and the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. The SparrowHawk also proved very popular at the Big Boys & Their Toys 2005 Expo held in Phoenix, Arizona during June.
Congratulations to GBA Gyroplanes
of Seattle owner Randy Coplen! His beautiful SparrowHawk not only
garnered the attention of those attending the EAA Northwest Regional
Fly-In, held early in July in Arlington, Washington, but also caught
the judge's eye. Randy was presented with the Grand Champion Rotorcraft
award for his finely crafted gyroplane.
GBA exhibited at Aviation Expo/China 2005, held
in Beijing in September. This was an excellent opportunity for us
to introduce ourselves and our technology to a varied scope of related
commercial aviation businesses, investors and potential partners
in one of the world's largest and fastest growing markets. Jason
Chen, GBA's Head of Business Development for Asia, coordinated our
efforts at the show and has made headway into our future presence
in China. Our American Autogyro Dealers of Phoenix and Casa Grande, Arizona exhibited at the EAA Copperstate Fly-In early in October, held at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport. American Autogyro of Crystal River will exhibit at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, FL, Thursday, January 12th through Sunday, January 15th.
These
many efforts combined with the quality and safety inherent in the
design of the SparrowHawk have yielded positive results. In a September
22nd News Release, GBA announced that total sales for
the SparrowHawk Gyroplane and SparrowHawk/P modification kits had
reached a milestone of 100. Our SparrowHawk Dealer network has also
increased in size. There are now 30 authorized American Autogyro
Dealers throughout the world. Please click here on "Milestone"
to read the complete News Release. GBA JOINS GEORGIA TECH TEAM IN JHL PROPOSAL FOR US ARMY A "Best Value Team" led by Georgia Institute of
Technology, a top five U.S. graduate engineering research university
with the top public aerospace engineering program in the country,
including a world renowned rotary wing technology program, developed
and presented a proposal in July to the United States Army for the
US Military's Joint Heavy Lift vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL)
aircraft Concept Design Analysis (CDA) competition. The team included
GBA along with Shafer Corporation, one of this nation's most capable
systems engineering and integration technology firms, and Dancila
LLC., developer of important new piezoelectric, flow control, and
"smart-material" technology. The proposal based upon the "gyrodyne" concept long
espoused by GBA and extensively researched by Georgia Tech was not,
regrettably, awarded one of five contracts worth roughly $3 million
for CDA development. However, in the debriefing by Army and NASA
personnel following the decision, we were encouraged by the reception
our proposal had received and by the potential for future participation
in the project. The proposal called for using a C130 Hercules as
a test vehicle, fitting it with a tip-jet powered rotor designed
by the Team. GBA continues to promote the gyrodyne concept and is
pleased to have had the support of Georgia Tech, Shafer Corporation
and Dancila LLC. Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the Hercules,
and Rolls-Royce, manufacturer of the engines in the C130 had pledged
support had the proposal been chosen. ROB DUBIN RECEIVES GBA AWARD Congratulations to Rob Dubin who became the first
person to fly a gyroplane in consecutive flights through all 48
of the continental United States. His journey began seven months
earlier in Phoenix, AZ and ended on October 5th when
he landed in St. George, Utah. Flying SparrowHawk and SparrowHawk
prototype gyroplanes, Rob covered over 10,000 miles at an average
speed of 55 mph, stopping at 140 airports along the way. Rob wasn't
alone in his "GyroAmerica" endeavor. His wife Dee accompanied him
on the ground, driving a motorhome with SUV in tow, meeting Rob
in the evenings along their route. Their journey was purposefully
easy going and slow, traveling only every third or fourth day with
off days spent exploring local areas. Rob was presented with GBA's
"Pioneers of Vertical Flight" award at the EAA (Experimental Aviation
Association) Copperstate Fly-In in Casa Grande, AZ. For more information
on Rob's adventure, click here on "GyroAmerica"
to visit his web site. TAKING STOCK OF GBA Groen Brothers Aviation, Inc. is a fully reporting, publicly traded corporation, listed on the OTC Bulletin Board as "GNBA" at any Stock Brokerage Company. Investment information including stock reports, Market Makers and SEC annual and quarterly reports are accessible through our GBA web site by clicking on "Investment Information."
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July
also found us back at one of our favorite annual events, the PRA
International Fly-In in Mentone, IN. We had another great time at
this well organized and fun event. Up next was the EAA AirVenture
in Oshkosh, WI. Accurately billed as the one of the world's largest
airshows, this year's week long event attracted an estimated crowd
of 700,000 and featured almost 3,000 showplanes. Introductory Flight
Lessons were offered at a modest cost during both events.
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