What Happened To...Le Pelican

[lake_harley]

From time to time, wasting my time on the internet, I have come across the Le Pelican ultralight. It's one of those planes that is so odd looking it's cute. Power was a 18-ish HP Briggs and Stratton opposed twin-cylinder engine. Specs looked like it might have been a neat little plane. All in all it seemed to fit Part 103 ultralight specs quite nicely and had a decent cruise speed as well. Was it ever offered as plans-built or was it a kit? I'd like to find out more. Some of the information I found in the past seems to have disappeared.

Thanks, in advance.

Lynn

 

[xj35s]

this is all I came up with. doesn't look like it'l fly.

http://www.ultralightnews.com/antulbg/pelican_ultralight.htm

 

[Dana]

Cute, but ugly (or is that ugly but cute?). Kinda reminiscent of the Lazy Bee series of R/C aircraft that were all the rage a few years ago, or an Aeronca C-3... but both the Bees and the Aeroncas are more attractive.

-Dana

Sex in a Volkswagen = Farfergnookie.

 

[lake_harley]

xj35s....that's one of the few pictures I've found recently. I seem to recall that a EAA chapter started one some time ago as a club project...maybe to prove some point as I recall. I don't think it sounded like they saw it to completion but wondered if plans were ever offered. The contact info from the ultralightnews site came up empty or a with a new LSA plane with the Le Pelican name.

I've bought a couple sets of plans recently just to see what's being done and what has been done in the past. Just to satisfy my curiosity I'd like to find a set of Le Pelican plans if they were ever offered.

Lynn

 

[pwood66889]

First off, the picture pointed to by the URL in the second post is very foreshortened. That is, the plane is longer than that. Here's a good 3-view:
http://eaa292.org/i-flyer.html
EAA Chapter 292 in Independence, Oregon, had worked up a similar airplane called the Independence Flyer. I worked on it for a bit.
Secondly, the plane seems to no longer be in production by the same company that designed it. It seemed to be a capable flyer - even operated on floats! And for a 2-cyl. motor of 18HP, that's not bad. The secret is long span (37-foot) and 3-longeron fuselage. Full flying tail helped, I'm sure.
Lastly, one can run across LePelican's from time to time. Most of `em seem to be in Canada, north of the Great Lakes.
Percy in NM, USA

 

[WileEZ]

The formatting on that page squished the picture due to improper html coding.

Here's the proper pictures:

 

[lake_harley]

Thanks to both of you for the information and re-formatting the pictures to give a realistic representation of what the Le Pelican looks like.

The link provided to the EAA chapter building the Independence Flyer is exactly the write up I had remembered but couldn't find. I was interested in it since I seemed to recall the plan was to do some serious cross country flying in the completed plane(s). Did they ever get one finished? I haven't taken the time to re-read the write-up yet, but seemed to recall the project went on the back burner, or possibly, it continued to completion but just never was documented. Do you still have any contacts that it might be possible to acquire a copy of their plans? Sounds like they actually developed their own build plan rather than actually copying a exsisting Le Pelican.

Thanks again!

Lynn

 

[pwood66889]

I worked on the Independence Flyer from 2002 to 2004, Lynn. It is nearing completion; EAA Chapter 292 appropriated $500 to finish it in November. They did develop it without a LePelican to look at. Here's the URL to the Indy Flyer log:
http://eaa292.org/i-flyer.html
The current plan is to sell it when done, so please contact Earnie Moreno;
ewmoreno@minetfiber.com
Tell `im Percy sent you... ...or not...
And how close to Salem, Oregon, are you?

 

[lake_harley]

Thanks for the contact. I read the entire build saga. Finally found the e-mail address to contact the president of the chapter and already sent an e-mail to him. I'll probably send another e-mail toyour contact and use your name as a bit of introduction. My desire is to do another build after I'm finished with the one I'm in right now. Buying their's wouldn't be of interest since it's mostly the build I like. I'm hoping maybe they have developed enough drawings to build one like their's. I'm in Missouri, so Oregon is a l-o-n-g way.

Thanks for your help.

Lynn

 

[pwood66889]

Heres a bit more on LePelican, Lynn.
* It uses a D-cell wing. There are pictures on the `Net in another group I belong to. Can ship you the URL iffn you're interested.
* It employed a 3-longeron fuselage. I have noodled how-to-build it at length and think it could be quick/cheap/light
Yeah; Oregon is a long 1600 miles from New Mexico also. A guy moved from here to Missouri; took his D-VIII (MCMLXIV?) biplane with him.
Percy

 

[lake_harley]

pwood66889...I've sent an e-mail to continue the discussion. I don't know if we need to use up space here, unless others may be interested in Le Pelican-ish ultralights too.

Thanks for your help so far!

Lynn

 

[lake_harley]

Evidently you have e-mail shut off so I sent a Private Message through this forum. Thanks!

Lynn

 

[WileEZ]

Keep it public please, this is an interesting discussion!

 

[pwood66889]

Not much to add, Y. Lee. There are pictures of the wing on the Airchair group files section on Yahoo. I'd consider one strongly myself if I was in the neighborhood of sale. I've seen a picture of one on floats and I've love to have one like that!
Percy in NM, USA

 

[lake_harley]

Just a FWIW....My interest in the Le Pelican, H-3 Pegasus, etc. is for a future project. Hopefully I'll finish my current project, a Beaujon Minimac, this Spring. If I don't meet my end with it I want to start a 2nd project ASAP. Part 103 Ultralight legal underlies all potential choices being considered. I have several sets of plans so far and up to now I don't know if any one design will do what I want. (that's covered later on)

I have a 2A042 surplus engine that I really want to use for power. I REALLY want a 4-stroke for effeciency, simplicity, looks, sound and I just feel more comfortable with 4-stroke engines than 2 -strokes. I have had Hummel Ultra Cruiser plans for almost a year and question whether it would fly to my expectiations with the 20-22 HP the '042's are reported to produce. H-3 Pegasus might be a bit heavy in general, and with the 2A042, making 103 weight may be nearly impossible, but I don't know. That brings me to the Le Pelican. The Le Pelican flew (supposedley) quite well on it's 18 HP B&S engine so my '042 may be a good substitute. I'd think the B&S is close to the 80# mark, like my '042. I haven't seen any weight figures so that's only speculation.

My desire is to have something that I can do a bit of "cross-country" flying....well at least to a destination other than where I took off from. I'd like at least the potential for an enclosed cabin, maybe with heat, and think that could be incorporated into the LePelican design. I'd like to be able to comfortably cruise 55-60 MPH. My preference would be a low wing with all-aluminum construction (Hummel) but, as usual, because of time consideration and everything else involved, a compromise may have to be made. I could live with the stark, simple looks of the Le Pelican and find it "cute".

For now I'm just turning over the rocks to see what's out there and hope I don't pester too many people too much along the way. There... I've exposed all, and at least everyone knows what I'm after and why I ask about so many different designs.

Thanks to all, for all the input and help so far!

Lynn

 

[Othman]

The first link posted above shows that this aircraft was produced by Ultravia, a company that was located in Gatineau, Quebec. It has since gone out of business while trying to certify their other Pelican (PL100?) aircraft design. It was a high-wing two-seater with a composite fuselage and metal wings.

Unless there is a bulder community out there (which it seams like there is) you may want to be aware that you will not be able to get support from OEM. The designer's name is Jean-Rene Lepage and he's still around... somewhere

 

[skyguynca]

Hey guys, I actually have a LePelican that I am restoring. I will start covering this next week and hopefully have it in the air by Mid March. I am using a Rotax engine, either the 377 for 447 depending on the empty weight I am trying to keep it legal part 103

 

[PTAirco]

Hey guys, I actually have a LePelican that I am restoring. I will start covering this next week and hopefully have it in the air by Mid March. I am using a Rotax engine, either the 377 for 447 depending on the empty weight I am trying to keep it legal part 103

Two different Pelicans, methinks......

 

[skyguynca]

Two different Pelicans, methinks......

Nope, same one that is in the pictures earlier in this thread. In fact here are a couple of pictures of how it was when I got it. I have also been in contact with the rights owner in Canada and he has sent me all the technical drawings so I can make all the parts needed to be replaced in mine. Really nice guy and I should make Part 103 no problem.

 

[fl4guy]

Great pictures, skyguynca.
Would love to see the tailfeathers.
I have an uncovered Le Pelican missing the horizontal stab and elevator and would be grateful to see photos of your planes's back end.
thanks,
Lamar