We put it together after a couple years of storage after it moved from one collection to another. It was built a couple decades ago by a guy who just wanted to have a Flea built from the earliest drawings and never intended to fly. That’s not to say it isn’t built any worse than Henri himself ever would have done, it’s made right and from airplane grade stuff.Nice! Is this new construction or restored?
That’s the one.Is that the very first design? That had a nasty tendency to dive into the ground?
It’s hung in a minor airport by passenger travel standards but a major one if you like being around interesting small airplanes.It should be hung in a major airport.
I assume it is in Thunder Bay. If so, I'll have to pay a visit the next time I'm through there.It’s hung in a minor airport by passenger travel standards but a major one if you like being around interesting small airplanes.
Guelph, actually. That’s where I have all my airplane fun.I assume it is in Thunder Bay. If so, I'll have to pay a visit the next time I'm through there.
Barnaby Wainfan wrote a series of articles on fleas. The takeway is that to avoid the unrecoverable nosedive, you need a low Cm airfoil and the correct Cg placement. An early flea could be made safe with those alterations. The problem didn't come to light until people tried flying them faster than Mignet could afford engines for. If anyone ever flew a McCullough powered early one, that would be its only flight...Yes. the wings have the sharp LE . Very unsafe . The pitch moment arm VS CG is only about 6in in the OE version. Move the wings apart 12 in and change to a decent foil, and they fly great . 23013/15 or 43013/15 .