Back Filper Beta 200
1966

Filper Beta 200

Under the direction of William Orr, Filper Research designed a novel helicopter using the 'Gyroflex Rotor', which employed special balance weights fitted to the roots of the rotor blades instead of conventional flapping or lead-lag hinges, or other hub stability devices. This concept was tested on the Filper Helicopter (N9712C) which had fore and aft rotor pylons and the pilot sitting astride a central beam which also carried the engine. The commercial development, however, was the Filper Beta 100A. This was a tandem rotor machine with a two-seat cabin and pylon at the rear, and the engine with the forward pylon in front. This curious arranagment resulted in the pilot being unusually far from the front of the helicopter. The Beta 200 prototype (N5000F) was first flown on 26 May 1966. Filper planned several versions of the Beta with either two seats (Model 200A and 300) or four seats (Model 400A and 600A). The four-seat models had a fuselage which was stretched by 36-inches and the first Beta 400A (N5003F) was flown on 13 July 1967. The Beta models had various powerplants - namely the 210hp Continental IO-360-E (Model 200A), Allison 250-C18 turbine (Model 300) and 250hp Continental IO-520 (400A). Details of the Model 600A are unknown. Registration records show that 32 Betas were completed, comprising two Model 100As, 29 Model 400As and one Model 600A, but there is some doubt as to whether all of these were completed. It is believed the company ceased operations in 1969.

R.Simpson "Airlife's Helicopter and Rotorcraft", 1998

Filper Beta 200

Comments
Noelle, e-mail, 24.08.2016reply

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.

Brian Sharp, e-mail, 13.01.2013reply

Does anyone know what happed to the remaining aircraft?

Tracer, e-mail, 23.01.2022 Brian Sharp

I have one. My dad worked at Filper back then.

reply

John Erb, e-mail, 04.03.2012reply

I was chief engineer for Filper peach pitters 1976 through 1988. The company moved to Reno Nv. in 1977

Len Bossio, e-mail, 06.06.2012reply

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.

Marc de Piolenc, e-mail, 08.12.2014reply

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?

Ryan Welch, e-mail, 06.11.2012reply

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, 06.11.2012reply

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...

chris kurzadkowski, e-mail, 22.07.2014reply

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.

Steve Remington, e-mail, 17.04.2008reply

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, 10.09.2007reply

recherche photo en couleur de cette machine

peter, e-mail, 12.08.2007reply

merci de me contacter pour avoir plus d'info sur cette machine

Do you have any comments ?

Name   E-mail


Virtual Aircraft Museum


All the World's Rotorcraft


Back AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com