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Niki Rotor Aviation's autogyros are gaining international recognition and are some of the most innovative models on the market

Have you heard about "Nicky Rotor Aviation"  - the only company producing autogyros in our country? Thanks to her, the manufacturing aviation traditions in our country are experiencing a real renaissance.

The company's gyroscopes are gaining international recognition and are some of the most innovative models on the market. Native entrepreneurs have customers and offices on 4 continents. Their work also impressed the heir of the creator of the first such flying device - Laura de la Cierva.

But what exactly is an autogyro and how is it born?

The safest aircraft

On September 21, 1885, the creator of the autogyro, Juan de la Cierva, was born in Murcia. From an early age, he was fascinated by the creation of gliders and dreamed of flying. The flight of the Wright brothers in 1903 became an event that changed his life.

As a teenager, he discovered the wreckage of a crashed French plane and used it to create his first flying machine. Later, the young Spaniard decided to study to be an engineer, acquiring key knowledge for his dream. Even after completing his higher education, he devoted himself to the creation of airplanes.

Since 1912, the Spanish aeronautical engineer Juan de la Cierva began to construct airplanes. Its model from 1914 even entered the air fleet of the army of Spain.

However, one of the tests of his airplanes ended in tragedy. The test pilot, who is his close friend, dies. Then the Spaniard vowed to create the safest aircraft in the world. His envisioned machine would have no stall speed and would be able to land safely even if the engine failed mid-flight.

In 1919,  he began to consider the use of a rotor to generate lift at low airspeed. According to De la Cierva, this would eliminate the risk of a crash.

To achieve this, it uses the lifting rotor's ability to rotate automatically. With a proper pitch setting, the rotor will continue to rotate without mechanical drive, supported by the torque balance of the lift and drag forces. This, in turn, would allow for a controlled descent in the event of an engine failure.

The young Spaniard spent several years developing his idea. He faces a number of difficulties and failures, but they do not give him up. In 1923, he realized his dream.

The world's first autogyro was created. An aircraft of a completely new kind, which would not allow fatal accidents in the air. The demonstration of the first autogyro was a great success, as only 3 days after the first flight the machine proved its safety. In an accident, the engine stops in the air. However, the autogyro descends slowly and makes a safe landing. The construction created by Juan de la Cierva does not allow a fatal accident.

In 1925, Juan de la Cierva was invited to Great Britain to show his invention.

The autogyro can take off on ultra-short runways as short as 150 meters and land less than 50 meters away. The terrain does not need to be covered with concrete or asphalt, just flat.

The design and technical capabilities of autogyros allow for a reaction even in extremely critical situations in the air, and flying at low speed is not dangerous for the machine.

The autogyro was created long before the appearance of helicopters, although outwardly it resembles them. It is characterized by a freely rotating rotor that rotates due to the passage of air through it in a bottom-up direction. Another propeller provides forward thrust, and flight control is more than easy. To this day, autogyros continue to be the safest aircraft to pilot.

Gradually, various companies in Spain, Italy and Germany began to manufacture gyroscopes and perfect the De la Cierva design. The machines are successfully used in postal services.

Today, gyroscopes are used for fire, traffic, border and coastline surveillance, for cadastral survey purposes. The military continues to be interested in lethal means, as they can assist in rescue or reconnaissance missions. Autogyros are also held in high esteem among aviation enthusiasts who fly for the purpose of letting loose in the air.

Nicky Rotor Aviation's Road to the Top

The history of the first and only Bulgarian manufacturer of autogyros is no less long and exciting.

In 2000, the founder of the company, Nikolay Nikolov, created a prototype helicopter. The development is associated with many difficulties and vicissitudes.

"First I was an airplane pilot, then a helicopter pilot. However, later I discovered the autogyro. What provoked me to get to know this unique machine up close was the fact that the autogyro is the safest flying machine ever created by mankind," he says Nikolay Nikolov.

The Bulgarian spent the first years of the new century studying the aircraft. At the time, information was hard to come by. It is not available on the then fledgling internet. It is not enough to visit aviation forums and exhibitions. However, Nikolay Nikolov managed to study in detail the advantages and disadvantages of all industry leaders. This gives him a good starting point.

Nikolov assembled a team of professionals, the majority of whom are still with the company. Four years later, and with joint efforts, Nikolay Nikolov created the first Bulgarian autogyro.

"This is the greatest happiness that can happen to you. To see that what you dreamed of becomes a reality. I am most happy that we make other people's dreams come true," commented the Bulgarian.

A very important place in the company is occupied by the daughter of the founder of "Niki Rotor Aviation" Miglena Kopcheva, manager and manager of "Business Development".

"For me, the family business is a religion. What my father creates binds me very strongly and emotionally, as well as my family. We have spent hundreds of hours debating and thinking together with the constructors. It is indescribable when you see the plans drawn a million times turned into the reality, outside the white sheet of paper," commented Kopcheva.

"My father and I are in a great combination - he is perfect in building the construction of each machine, and my strength is the development of new markets and communication with all customers - thanks to this, all our customers are now part of our big family" he adds she.

The first model of "Nicky Rotor Aviation" is the revolutionary Lightning . It is the world's first autogyro with a tail coming out of the propeller. The machine is undergoing certification in Germany.

In parallel, the company developed and achieved great commercial success with its second, more classic autogyro. The Kallithea model is again with carbon construction, innovative technologies and a spacious cabin. Its maximum speed at which it can fly is 180 km/h, and the minimum is 35 km/h. The maximum height of the flight is 3000 meters, and its duration can be up to 4 hours. This means that the Bulgarian autogyro can fly to the majority of populated areas in our country without the need to land for refueling.

Kallithea truly impresses everyone who touches her. This year she is traveling 3,200 kilometers in the USA. It was flown from Los Angeles to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It hosts the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, one of the largest air shows in the world, watched live by over 650,000 people and online by millions.

The Bulgarian autogyro passes over mountains and deserts, dealing with various obstacles on its way. When it landed in Menton, an event organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the Popular Rotorcraft Association, the machine was examined and judged by a jury. The conclusions of the judges are that after several days of flight of 3200 kilometers, Kallithea looks like new. Figuratively, but also literally – the Bulgarian autogyro is not even scratched. This brings him the grand prize from the jury of the air show. Kallithea receives global recognition as the best machine in its “Grand Champion” class at the event.

"Success is even sweeter when people around the world are happy and appreciate what you have created. This obliges us to be even more responsible and diligent in every detail," adds Kopcheva.

De la Cierva's Confession

Laura de la Cierva is the great-granddaughter of the creator of the first autogyro. Her whole family is connected with aviation. Her grandfather was also an aeronautical engineer and inventor, and her family is full of pilots, aviators and flight attendants.

"The first time I got on an autogyro was when I gave my father a flight for his birthday. Then the pilot who was there said to me - 'Get on and I'll make you a pilot'. The moment I got on, I didn't want to go down more," says the Spaniard.

I flew all summer and realized that I wanted to continue the mission of my great-grandfather, who at the age of 41 invented the first autogyro in the world, she adds.

Laura is so captivated by her great-grandfather's work that she decides to create her own autogyro, in between working on a project to create her grandfather's first C-4 autogyro and this passion of hers and helping to make the museum in Murcia named "Juan de la Sierra". The achievements of "Nicky Rotor Aviation" attract the Spaniard and she comes to visit Bulgaria. According to her, De la Cierva's case was continued in an appropriate manner in our country.

"The workmanship is incredible, and the cabin is so spacious. When you fly, you feel as if you are floating among the clouds," commented Laura de la Cierva on the achievements of the Bulgarian company.

The great-granddaughter of the Spanish inventor says that she would be very happy if the experience of "Nikki Rotor Aviation" and the name of her great-grandfather were united in a new project that would show the significant development of autogyros in the last 100 years.

"The name Juan de la Cierva is the emblem of autogyros all over the world. We have read a lot about his life, about his achievement and the technology he developed. We are familiar with his works that gave the safest flying machine in the world. It is a great honor for us let's get to know each other and share experience", says Miglena Kopcheva.

The achievements of "Nicky Rotor Aviation" are highly appreciated abroad. However, the truth is that everyone in Bulgaria can enjoy them. The SkyDive company organizes motivating flights with an autogyro, and the gyrocopter provides a unique opportunity for everyone to see a 360-degree panorama of the beauties of Bulgaria from the air.

The fact that one of the most awarded and innovative autogyros in the world is Bulgarian cannot be overlooked. "Niki Rotor Aviation"  are ambitious to continue writing the history of Bulgarian ultralight aviation. In the near future, they are preparing new models, as well as the development of a Bulgarian two-seater helicopter. We will definitely be following the news surrounding the company that has revived our aviation industry.

Source: https://www.investor.bg/a/566-novini-i-analizi/362271-kak-balgariya-se-prevarna-vav-vodeshta-sila-v-sveta-na-avtozhirite