Project: Monarch

The Monarch project was active in 1986 and 1987. The project leader was probably Michael Brace. Based on the references below, we know that: The rotor diameter was 28 ft. The pilot weight was 150 lbs. The empty weight went from 65 lbs, in 1986, to 45 lbs, in 1987.

A 1986 article in the IHPVA journal reports that:

"(...), an engineer for a Santa Ana, California plastics firm is working on his own human powered helicopter design for the competition. Michael Brace says he's gotten his helicopter to "hop" but he's working on a new transmission to see if he can get his idea off the ground. "I want to show it can be done," Brace told the Los Angeles Times. "My goal is to have this machine wind up in the Smithsonian as one of the first of its kind." Brace has received assistance from his firm which has donated most the material used on his design, including the 14 foot blades. So far the helicopter has cost the company $100,000. His machine currently weighs 65 pounds and carries a pilot weighing up to 150."

Then again in a 1987 edition of the IHPVA journal:

"Mike Brace, of Reynolds & Taylor, Inc., has designed an HP helicopter called "Monarch", and is going to try for the AHS prize. According to MACHINE DESIGN, the firm specializes in plastic fabrication, and company president Roger R. Reynolds thought that the helicopter would be a great way to demonstrate the company's skills in advanced composites. The rotor diameter is 8.5m (28 ft) and the overall weight is just over 20 kg (45 lbs). To win the prize the helicopter must rise at least ten feet and hover for 60 seconds."

This project is also mentioned in a 2001 article by Matthew Lechliter

Any other information (especially photos!) on this project would be greatly welcome.