Bölkow Bo 102

The Bölkow Bo 102 Helitrainer was an unusual ground-based helicopter training aid that was developed and built by Bölkow of Germany in the late-1950s. Designed to be mounted on a swivelling captive rig the Bo 102 allowed trainee pilots to practise procedures such as engine starting, rotor engagement and manipulation of the flight controls. Many of the Bo 102's components, including the single-bladed fibre-glass main rotor were used in the company's next design, the Bo 103.

Rolled out in 1959, this Helicopter Trainer was powered by a 40hp ILO piston engine and had a twenty-one foot counterbalanced fibreglass rotor blade. In all eighteen of these HeliTrainers were built operating throughout Europe, training military helicopter pilots. Although unable to fly, they were ideal for the teaching of hovering techniques and were replaced by dual trainer helicopters.

The Bo-102 Helitrainer, powered by a 40hp Hirth engine driving a simple one-bladed rotor with a counterweight, was developed in land and water based versions, both of which were semi-captive. This feature allowed the helicopter to rise to a height of 0.6m, turn around a vertical axis and dip at up to 6° but prevented it from flying outside these limits. 

Technical data for Bo-102

Engine: 1 x Hirth rated at 30 kW, main rotor diameter: 6.58m, length: 5.68m, take-off weight without a platform: 325kg