Daniel Dalby of APEV in France (Pouchel, Demoichelle, Cubchel, Scoutchel, etc.) has a new (to me) project for a side-by-side, tricycle-gear, staggerwing biplane microlight called Staggerchel.
The prototype is being built by an association called Appel d'Aire ("Call of the Air," which also means a strong draft) that provides inspiration and job skills to young people. There is a FAQ and build journal, both in French, and the journal has many pics but has not been updated recently. Daniel mentioned just last week in the Pouchel Yahoo! Group that the fuselage fabric was being applied, so the kids are still making progress.
Details are limited at this point, but from the FAQ I can glean a few numbers: 250 kg empty, 450 kg gross, 120 kph top speed, 65 kph landing speed, 55 liters of fuel, 3 hours endurance, 200 m takeoff run and 100 m landing rollout. Construction is a mix of aluminum, wood, foam and fabric and it looks like a Rotax 582 or similar two-stroke for power.
From the strut arrangement in the sketch and Daniel's prior practice, I suspect that this one also uses an NACA 23112 airfoil for both the fixed lower wing and the differentially-variable incidence upper wing, which uses the wing halves for roll control rather than ailerons, as used in Daniel's other designs like the Dragon single-seat biplane pictured below. That is actually a nod to Daniel's Pou-de-Ciel heritage since the 23112 was the airfoil recommended by Yves Millien and used by Gilbert Landray and others to reduce pitch trim forces in Mignet types. I am pretty sure that Daniel uses it on all of his designs including the Pouchel series.
The prototype is being built by an association called Appel d'Aire ("Call of the Air," which also means a strong draft) that provides inspiration and job skills to young people. There is a FAQ and build journal, both in French, and the journal has many pics but has not been updated recently. Daniel mentioned just last week in the Pouchel Yahoo! Group that the fuselage fabric was being applied, so the kids are still making progress.
Details are limited at this point, but from the FAQ I can glean a few numbers: 250 kg empty, 450 kg gross, 120 kph top speed, 65 kph landing speed, 55 liters of fuel, 3 hours endurance, 200 m takeoff run and 100 m landing rollout. Construction is a mix of aluminum, wood, foam and fabric and it looks like a Rotax 582 or similar two-stroke for power.
From the strut arrangement in the sketch and Daniel's prior practice, I suspect that this one also uses an NACA 23112 airfoil for both the fixed lower wing and the differentially-variable incidence upper wing, which uses the wing halves for roll control rather than ailerons, as used in Daniel's other designs like the Dragon single-seat biplane pictured below. That is actually a nod to Daniel's Pou-de-Ciel heritage since the 23112 was the airfoil recommended by Yves Millien and used by Gilbert Landray and others to reduce pitch trim forces in Mignet types. I am pretty sure that Daniel uses it on all of his designs including the Pouchel series.
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