Hiller Flying Platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hiller Flying Platform was a unique direct lift rotor aircraft, using a counterrotating ducted fan inside a platform that the single pilot stood upon for lift, and controlled by the pilot shifting their body weight around to tilt the platform. The platform was developed starting in 1953 under an Office of Naval Research R&D contract to Hiller Aircraft Corporation, and flew successfully starting in 1955.
The original concept had been developed by Charles Zimmerman in the late 1940s. Further elaboration followed, both by Hiller and the De Lackner Company.
There were two main models, the ONR model, and a somewhat larger VZ-1 Pawnee model produced in 1956 for the US Army. Three of each model were built as prototypes. Neither of the variants was put into production.
The smaller models used two engines, each a 44 hp Nelson H-59 engine. The larger models used three of the aforementioned engine.
Due to aerodynamic effects in the duct within which the propellers rotate, the platform was dynamically stable even though the pilot and center of gravity of the platform were fairly high up.
Two of the six prototypes are known to survive today: one ONR smaller model at the Hiller Aviation Museum in California, and one VZ-1 Pawnee model at the National Air and Space Museum. This latter craft was formerly on loan to the Pima Air Museum.
