Montgomerie Merlin
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Jim Montgomery's design was produced by Layzell Gyroplanes of Quedgeley, Gloucester. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. After taking over Montgomery's design, company owner Gary Layzell expressed an interest in further developing the Merlin, but initially produced it unchanged.
The aircraft fuselage is made from bolted-together square aluminum tubing. Its 7.01 m (23.0 ft) diameter Rotor Flight Dynamics rotor has a chord of 18 cm (7.1 in).
![]() The type remained in production by Layzell through 2011, although by July 2012 the company website had been removed from the internet. The unit cost in 2011 was £12,761.
By January 2013, 28 examples had been registered in the United Kingdom with the CAA as Montgomerie-Bensen B8MR.
Engine: 65 hp Rotax 582 Engine: Rotax 582, 64 hp
Rotor span: 7.05 m
Blade area: 0.203 sq.m
MAUW: 300 kg
Empty weight: 174 kg
Fuel capacity: 30 lt
Max speed: 140 kph
Cruise speed: 90 kph
Seats: 1
Fuel consumption: 15 lt/hr
Kit price (1998): £11,721
Layzell Merlin GTS
Engine: 1 × Rotax 582, 48 kW (64 hp)
Propeller: 3-bladed composite
Main rotor diameter: 7.01 m (23 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 145 kg (320 lb)
Gross weight: 295 kg (650 lb)
Fuel capacity: 50 litres (11 imp gal; 13 US gal)
Useful load: 150 kg (331 lb)
Cruise speed: 120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn)
Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)
Crew: one
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