My dad Jack Tardieu was an aerospace manufacturing engineer. He worked for Filper Research too. When the test pilot died in the crash that was the end of Filper. My dad is 92 yrs old now and he had worked for McDonnell Douglas, Rohr, and Boeing. Filper Research was the only startup he ever work for. He passion for aerospace was sparked in WW II. He might have marketing photos from Filper, I will ask him.
Marc de Piolenc, e-mail, 08.12.2014 05:39
Found the patent, US 3,210,027 with multiple patentees including Irv Culver who was deeply involved in Lockheed rigid rotor development. I'm impressed by the simplicity of the rotor system and by several other simplifications in the patent - Culver at least was clearly always aiming at a helicopter for Everyman. Naturally, I am alarmed by the crashes and would like to know more details of the causes, particularly whether they were inherent in the design. Where can I find them?
chris kurzadkowski, e-mail, 22.07.2014 06:06
My Dad,Edward Kurzadkowski worked at Filper in San Ramon when these were built. He told me they built 3 units- all three crashed during tests. One pilot was killed, one injured. the third lost power but the pilot was able to get it down and walked away. After the 3rd failure they were done with the project.
Brian Sharp, e-mail, 13.01.2013 00:16
Does anyone know what happed to the remaining aircraft?
Ryan Welch, e-mail, 06.11.2012 04:43
Its funny how the engineers and developers of the project have not been named in this article. A few that need named are J Ford Johnston, Irv Culver, and John Turner... Which the patent for the rigid rotor design is under two of those names. Filper, the company only provided funding for the project, but not the rights.. The rigid rotor design is still in use today...
Ryan Welch, e-mail, 06.11.2012 04:39
Its funny how the engineers and developers of the project have not been named in this article. A few that need named are J Ford Johnston, Irv Culver, and John Turner... Which the patent for the rigid rotor design is under two of those names. Filper, the company only provided funding for the project, but not the rights.. The rigid rotor design is still in use today...
Len Bossio, e-mail, 06.06.2012 03:01
I worked on this craft in its beginning stages in San Ramon. We had high hopes for it until the day it crashed. ...sad day to remember for anyone connected with the program. As far as I knew, no more than 3 or 4 craft were built.
John Erb, e-mail, 04.03.2012 18:51
I was chief engineer for Filper peach pitters 1976 through 1988. The company moved to Reno Nv. in 1977
Steve Remington, e-mail, 17.04.2008 06:19
No Filpers were ever sold to the public and never received FAA certification. A former N.A. test pilot and a flight test engineer were killed in the stretched version. Filper was in the peach-pitting machinery business.
jean, e-mail, 10.09.2007 22:55
recherche photo en couleur de cette machine
peter, e-mail, 12.08.2007 22:37
merci de me contacter pour avoir plus d'info sur cette machine
