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Fairchild Hiller FH 1100
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Top speed
204 km/h
Wingspan
11 m
Cruise speed
196 km/h
First flight
January 21, 1963
Range
560 km
Length
8.47 m
Engine type
Allison Model 250
The Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 is a single-engine, single two-bladed rotor, light helicopter which began as a design entry into the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program. The Hiller Model 1100 was not selected but after Hiller Aircraft was purchased by Fairchild Stratos in 1964, the Model 1100 was successfully marketed as a civilian helicopter, the FH-1100. The type certificate is now held by the FH1100 Manufacturing Corporation of Century, Florida.
In October 1960, the Army submitted a request for proposals (RFP) for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). Hiller Aircraft (Hiller), along with 12 other manufacturers, including Bell Helicopter (Bell) and Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division (Hughes), entered the competition, submitting their designs to a Navy team for evaluation. Hiller submitted the Model 1100, which was recommended by the Navy team and eventually selected as one of three winners of the design competition by the Army in May 1961. The Army designated the Model 1100 design as the YOH-5.
Detailed design work began in November 1961, and the Model 1100 prototype made its maiden flight on 21 January 1963. Hiller produced a total of five copies of the Model 1100 to submit to the Army for the Test and Evaluation phase at Camp Rucker, Alabama in 1963. After the test and evaluation, the Bell YOH-4 was eliminated, and Hiller and Hughes competed in a program cost analysis bid for the contract. In 1965, Hiller was underbid by Hughes and the Army selected Hughes' YOH-6. Although Hiller formally protested, Hughes was awarded a production contract for the OH-6 Cayuse.
In 1967, when the Army reopened the LOH competition for bids because Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division could not meet the contractual production demands. Fairchild-Hiller decided not to resubmit their bid with the YOH-5A, instead choosing to continue with commercial marketing of their civilian version, the FH-1100.
The FH-1100 was produced until 1973. In 2000, the Type Certificate was purchased by FH1100 Manufacturing Corporation. FH1100 Manufacturing conducts remanufacturing and training but has not received a production certificate for the FH-1100, which it now calls the FHoenix.
Variants
Hiller Model 1100
Four-seat prototype powered by an Allison 250-C10 engine and certified in May 1964.
FH-1100
Civil production five-seat model powered by an Allison 250-C18 engine and certified in November 1966. Later production fitted with an Allison 250-C20B engine. 246-built
RH-1100A Pegasus
Updated civil version, built and marketed by Rogerson Hiller Helicopters.
RH-1100M
Updated military version, built and marketed by Rogerson Hiller Helicopters.
YOH-5A
United States Army designations for five Model 1100 for evaluation powered by a 250shp Allison T-63-A-5 engine.
Former operators
Argentina
Argentine Army Aviation
Brazil
PCERJ
Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Navy
Canada
Okanagan Helicopters
Ecuador
Ecuadorian Air Force
El Salvador
El Salvador Air Force
Panama
Panamanian Air Force
Philippines
Philippine Air Force
United States
California Highway Patrol
Nassau County Police Department
Accidents
A selection of mostly fatal accidents involving the FH-1100
23 November 1967
N784LC near Livingston Helipad, Juneau, AK, written off with 5 fatalities.
03 April 1968
N512FH at Goliad, TX. Crashed due to transmission failure in turbulence, killing both occupants.
25 March 1969
N617 of the Us Dept Of Interior near Sinclair, WY. A/c written off with 2 fatalities.
29 April 1969
XC-DUO of the Procuraduría General de la República near Pachuga, HID. A/c written off with 3 fatalities.
05 June 1969
G-AVTG was flying a display at the Paris airshow, Le Bourget (LBG), when it experienced what is believed to be a control link failure, leading to loss of control, an inflight breakup and subsequent crash, killing the pilot.
11 June 1969
Okanagan Helicopters, written off with 3 fatalities at Enak Lake, NWT, written off.
03 March 1971
N-7018, Aviação Naval Brasileira, written off with 4 fatalities at Lagoa de Saquarema, RJ.
03 July 1971
N8673, Executive Jet, subatantial damage with 1 fatality at Mound City, Mo.
09 March 1972
N440FH, Alaska Helicop, written off with 1 fatality at near Valdez, AK.
08 June 1972
N5044F, High Life Heli, subatantial damage with 1 fatality at Tacoma, WA.
03 September 1972
N542FH, Intermountain, written off with 1 fatality at Drake, CO. 9742
04 July 1973
PP-EEO, Policía, written off with 4 fatalities at Rio de Janeiro, RJ.
30 June 1974
N8679, Alaska Helicop, written off with 5 fatalities at near Umiat, AK.
24 November 1974
N601PD, County Of Nass, written off with 1 fatality at Freeport, NY.
27 June 1975
N439F, Californis Highway-Patrol, written off with 2 fatalities at Fremont, CA.
19 December 1977
N18845, Totem Helicopt, written off with 2 fatalities near Anchor Point, AK.
14 July 1978
N99024, Emco Helicopte, written off with 1 fatality at near Clearlake, WA.
29 March 1980
N527FH, Condor Helicopters, written off with 2 fatalities at Huntington Beach, CA.
18 October 1981
N9054, High Life Helicopters, written off with 1 fatality at Porte Barre, LA.
26 April 1983
N4034K, East Coast Helicopter, written off with 2 fatalities at Gettysburg, PA.
28 July 1983
N450FH, Hiller Aviation, written off with 2 fatalities at Porterville, CA during an airshow: the pilot using aggressive low-g manoeuvres which led to 'mast-bumping' and rotor separation / mast failure.
13 August 1983
N29917, written off with 5 fatalities at Toutle, WA, crashing into trees with low rotor rpm and low forward speed.
29 July 1984
N711KH, Bauer Helicopters, written off with 3 fatalities near Meadview, AZ.
27 December 1984
N8126H, Caribbean Freighters In'tl Inc, written off with 1 fatality at La Belle, FL, during low level manoeuvres when a foreign object enterred the engine causing engine failure and subsequently loss of control.
18 February 1985
N4035G made a precautionary landing, with no injuries, on a beach when a tail rotor blade separated. substantial damage was caused to the tail rotor assembly and ventral fin.
11 December 1992
N5046F, private, written off at night, with 1 fatality at Forney, TX. The pilot was found to have a high blood alcohol level and was discovered clutching a mobile phone.
25 January 1993
N427FH Kainoa Aviation, written off with 4 fatalities at Volcano Natl Pk, HI. Tail-rotor failure and autorotation into the sea. The four passengers drowned due to not wearing life-vests.
18 August 1994
N435FH, private, written off with 2 fatalities at Van Horn, TX. An un-certified student pilot lost control of the aircraft whilst illegally carrying a passenger.
28 June 1996
N598F, Clearwater Helicopters, substantially damaged with 2 fatalities at Webster, FL, due to fatigue failure of the tail rotor assembly.
27 September 1997
N5045F, Mazzeo Helicopters Inc., written off with 1 fatality at Pittsfield, MA, due to improper autorotation procedure.
26 April 1998
N1345Q, private, written off with 2 fatalities at Stevensville, MD, after the rotor and mast separated due to 'mast-bumping in low-g manoeuvres.
14 August 1998
N8171U, Horizon Helicopters Inc., written off with 1 fatality at Dewitt, MI, caused by tail rotor failure due to improper maintenance.
19 August 2000
N250AD, Floating Czech, written off with 1 fatalities at Valparaiso, IN.
8 June 2006
about 1232 central daylight time, N4035G, , registered to and operated by Helicopters of NW Florida, Inc., experienced separation of a tail rotor blade during cruise flight near Navarre, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Pullum Pad, Navarre, Florida, to a business located in Century, Florida. The helicopter was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the commercial-rated pilot or pilot-rated passenger. The flight originated about 1225, from Pullum Pad, Navarre, Florida.
12 September 2007
N313BG, of Leading Edge Helicopters Inc., crashed during a transit flight, near Hosston, LA, when the main rotor separated from the mast due to mast bumping, (a known dangerous condition caused by flight at low-g). The cause of the mast bumping was not determined.
16 May 2008
N5049F, private, written off with 1 fatalities at Comstock, MI.
23 May 2010
N8672, private, written off with 4 fatalities at Mönchgrün, near Schleiz, next to Autobahn A9.
6 October 2016
N4035G was involved in a crash in Lino Lakes, Anoka County, MN that resulted in the death of both the pilot and sole passenger. Initial witness reports indicate that a loud bang was heard from the direction of the helicopter followed immediately by pieces of the helicopter falling to the ground.
Specifications (FH-1100)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67 FAA.gov
