The LW5 is a purpose built aircraft, 5 years in design and build. It is a tractor (engine in the front) autogyro, focused on all round performance. i.e. speed, distance, climb and altitude flying. This aircraft was designed and co-built by Ron Herron and Andy Keech, the owner/pilot.

Goals: 

The aircraft is intended to make high performance flights and thereby enable it to set ever improved world records. By eventually understanding and fulfilling its performance envelope, we can make this one of the world’s most successful record setting aircraft.

Milestones:

In late 2003, the LW5 set the three transcontinental speed records for (autogyro) class: east to west, west to east, and round trip. These records were improvements of 40%, 100%, and +100% respectively over the previous records.

Then in early 2004, the LW5 set world class records for:

• Speed: over 500 km.
• Altitude: to 26,408’
• Time to climb to 6,000 meters
• Distance without landing: 617 miles

In claiming class records in speed, distance, climb and altitude, the LW5 is the only rotorcraft to ever do so. It is also one of only two aircraft of any kind to ever do so (the other was a Russian military aircraft).

Since that time, the LW5 has improved the distance and speed class records over 500 and 1000 kilometers and established all current heavy class (E3b) speed records over five distances, distance closed circuit, distance straight line (twice), altitude (twice), and time to climb (twice).