Again and again over the years, when thinking about how to make a very simple, safe, affordable little airplane, I often return to the idea of a Fauvel-type unswept flying wing. Take a look at these images of the Fauvel AV-60 (3-view is actually the slightly later AV-61) from "Charles Fauvel and His Flying Wings" on the great Nurflugel site and Fraser Technology (near bottom of page).
Fauvel AV-60
Specifications
Wing Span 7 m
Length 4 m
Empty Weight 220 kg
Max Gross Weight 350 kg
Maximum Speed 157 km/h
Cruise speed 128 km/h
Takeoff Distance 180 m
There are some pros and cons to Fauvel's tapered wings with separate elevators and ailerons and a simple constant-chord Backstrom-style plank wing with tip elevons also has merit, but either way just look at the simplicity in that cutaway drawing. I know Mike Whittaker is working on his pusher design and I am really looking forward to that, but I also think that a modest, tractor-engined unswept flying wing would make a great low-cost fun flyer.
Fauvel AV-60
Specifications
Wing Span 7 m
Length 4 m
Empty Weight 220 kg
Max Gross Weight 350 kg
Maximum Speed 157 km/h
Cruise speed 128 km/h
Takeoff Distance 180 m
There are some pros and cons to Fauvel's tapered wings with separate elevators and ailerons and a simple constant-chord Backstrom-style plank wing with tip elevons also has merit, but either way just look at the simplicity in that cutaway drawing. I know Mike Whittaker is working on his pusher design and I am really looking forward to that, but I also think that a modest, tractor-engined unswept flying wing would make a great low-cost fun flyer.
Last edited: