Staib Helicopter

Staib Helicopter
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Designer Wilbur Staib
Number built 1
Unit cost
$500 in 1971

The Staib Helicopter is a homebuilt aircraft design of Wilbur Staib.

Design and development

Wilbur Staib (1914-1993) was a self-taught aircraft designer from Diamond, Missouri. Staib served as a flight instructor during the Second World War at Chanute, Kansas flying PT-14's. Staib designed and built five different "LB" (Little Bastard) aircraft and a helicopter, of which several had the title "world's smallest" at their time of construction. Staib flew his aircraft in airshows with the title "The Diamond Wizard".[1]

The Staib Helicopter is a powered by a Continental C85 with a V-belt linkage. The gearbox is sourced from a Ford Model A, the clutch from a Studebaker, the rotors cut down from a Brantly B-2 and cooling system from a Chevrolet Corvair. Four different rotor heads were tested.[2]

Operational history

The prototype was flown tethered with a 65 hp (48 kW) engine then upgraded to a 85 hp (63 kW) engine.[3]

Specifications (Staib Helicopter)

Data from Air Trails

General characteristics


References

  1. "Wilbur Staib". Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  2. Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails.
  3. Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails.
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