As my contribution to this afternoon’s proceedings, it is my task to give you a brief account of the Cierva “Air Horse” This machine has the distinction of being the world’s largest helicopter undergoing flight testing

Following the recent S B A C exhibition at Farnborough, I have heard many kind and unkind expressions of expert and inexpert opinion, but the lowest common denominator seems to be that it is an “astounding contraption” Faced with this challenge, my purpose this afternoon is somewhat apologetic, namely, to show that it is neither astounding nor a contraption In fact, we, in the Cierva Autogiro Company, have persuaded ourselves that God decreed three rotor helicopters All others are merely attempts by men to cheat His divine laws

The “Air Horse” design arose primarily as an answer to the demand for large loads It was realized that difficulties in helicopter construction increased in proportion to rotor diameter and nothing was therefore more natural than to increase the number of rotors