This company was formed in December 1945 to develop the idea of an ultra-light individual helicopter conceived by Horace Pentecost, who had designed an aircraft of this type and held full rights in it.

The earliest prototype was a portable helicopter, which was attached to the flier's back by straps and harness, and which had no landing gear.

The second model on the same general lines was also fitted with a motor-cycle saddle acting as the pilot's seat, and a tubular tripod assembly with three wheels as landing gear. It was this version which was developed further. The British Ministry of Supply, incidentally, showed interest in aircraft of this kind and two Hoppicopter models were sent to the United Kingdom, for testing.

A new type of helicopter, powered by small pulse-jet engines at the blade tips, was also developed by Horace Pentecost, who had mean-while become President of the Capital Helicopter Corporation, founded in 1954, on leaving the Hoppicopter concern and retaining his rights in his inventions.

Hoppicopter "Strap-On"

This ultra-light individual helicopter had two co-axial contra-rotating two-bladed rotors powered by a small two-stroke horizon-tally opposed engine developing about 20 h.p.

The body consisted of a tubular metal frame curved to fit over the pilot's shoulders and attached to the body by harness of the type employed in parachutes; the pilot's legs were used for landing.

Some twenty hops were made with the use of safety cables attached to the pilot, but this strap-on helicopter ended its career at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Technical data for Hoppicopter Strap-On

Engine: 20hp, rotor diameter: 3.66m, weight fully loaded: 90kg