Hughes 269A-1

1 aircraft

The Schweizer 269, originally the Hughes Model 269, was a pioneering lightweight helicopter that made rotorcraft accessible to civilian operators for the first time. First flown on October 2, 1956, it was a two-seat utility helicopter powered by a Lycoming piston engine with a three-blade articulated rotor system. With a 27-foot rotor diameter and cruise speed of 90 mph, the aircraft offered unprecedented affordability at $22,500 for the 269A variant in 1961. Manufactured initially by Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division and later by Schweizer Aircraft Corporation.