Colomban Cri-cri

Last updated

Cri-Cri
Colomban MC-15 "Cri-Cri" - AirExpo Muret 2007 0122 2007-05-12.jpg
French-built homebuilt Cri-Cri at Airexpo 2007
General information
TypeHomebuilt recreational aircraft
Designer
History
Introduction date1973
First flight19 July 1973
1984 Colomban MC-15 Cri-cri in England 1984 Colomban MC-15 Cri-cri at Cotswold Airport arp.jpg
1984 Colomban MC-15 Cri-cri in England

The Colomban Cri-Cri, also spelled Cricri, is the smallest twin-engined crewed aircraft in the world, designed in the early 1970s by French aeronautical engineer Michel Colomban.

Contents

The name Cri-Cri comes from the nickname of Christine, one of Colomban's daughters. [1] [2] [3] 'Cri-cri' 'or 'cricri' is also the French term for the sound of a cricket or a cicada, or an informal name for the insects themselves, [4] [5] but it is unclear if this double meaning was intended by Colomban himself.

Design and development

Colomban designed the aircraft to be easy to build and fly, and the closeness of the two engines to each other, around the centreline, meant that it could be flown by pilots only qualified to fly single-engined aircraft because even with the complete failure of one engine, with hands and feet off the controls, the only effect would be a gentle turn. The cockpit canopy was carefully designed to direct effective airflow over the tail surfaces in this situation. The plans-built aircraft was also designed to be easy to store in a garage and tow on a trailer, with assembly and disassembly each taking only five minutes. [6]

The Cri-Cri features a cantilever low-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and twin engines mounted on pylons to the nose of the aircraft in tractor configuration. The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet glued to Klegecell foam. Its 4.9 m (16.1 ft) span wing employs a Wortmann 21.7% mod airfoil, and has an area of 3.1 m2 (33 sq ft). The aircraft is also capable of aerobatics within the limitations of twin-engined aircraft. [7] [8] [9]

The first flight of the prototype was made on 19 July 1973 and within a few days it had proved to be easy to fly and capable of aerobatics, being stressed to +10g and -5g. It was powered by two Rowena 6507J single cylinder two-stroke engines, each giving 6.7 kW (9.0 hp) and weighing 6.5 kg (14.3 lb). [6]

Variants

MC-10 Cri-Cri
Prototype and early examples
MC-12 Cri-Cri
Model with a cruising speed of 185 km/h (100 knots, or 114.9 miles per hour) and range of 500 km (310.6 statute miles, 270 nautical miles).[ citation needed ]
MC-15 Cri-Cri
Model powered by two JPX PUL 212 15 horsepower (11 kW) engines. [7]
MC-15 Cri-Cri Jet
Model powered by two PBS VB TJ20 210 newtons (47 lbf) turbojet engines. [10]

Operational use

As with any homebuilt aircraft, the existing Cri-Cri planes have often been modified by their builders, departing from the original design to a varying degree, resulting in varying performance. Most versions can climb with one engine inoperative. [11]

In June 2010, EADS partnered with Aero Composites Saintonge and the Greencri-cri Association to present an electric-powered Cri-Cri at the Green Aviation Show in Le Bourget. The modified airframe with composite components can fly for 30 minutes at 110 km/h. The aircraft uses four brushless electric motors with counter-rotating propellers, which makes the aircraft one of the world's smallest four-engine aircraft. [12]

On September 5, 2010 Electravia accomplished a world record speed of 262 km/h (162.33 mph) for a lithium polymer-powered aircraft using a Cri-Cri with two electric motors (each producing 25 hp) during the attempt. The company claimed engine and cooling drag reductions of 46 per cent versus the conventional combustion engine arrangement. [13]

Cri-Cri (F-PRCQ), the first all-electric four-engine aircraft under an Airbus A380 at the 2011 MAKS airshow. Cri-Cri (F-PRCQ).jpg
Cri-Cri (F-PRCQ), the first all-electric four-engine aircraft under an Airbus A380 at the 2011 MAKS airshow.

On 9 July 2015 the electric-powered Electravia version of the design flew across the English Channel hours before the Airbus E-Fan, [14] becoming the third electric aircraft to do so. It was pulled aloft by another aircraft and did not take off on its own. [15] [16] The first was the MacCready Solar Challenger in 1981 [17] and the second used electric motors powered by hydrogen. [18]

Specifications (MC 15)

Data from Michel Colomban [19]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrows Bearhawk</span> American homebuilt aircraft

The Bearhawk, now also called the Bearhawk Four, is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed by Bob Barrows and produced by Bearhawk Aircraft of Fairview, OKlahoma. The aircraft is supplied as a kit or as plans for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOCATA TBM</span> Family of single engine turboprop aircraft

The SOCATA TBM is a family of high-performance single-engine turboprop business and utility light aircraft manufactured by Daher. It was originally collaboratively developed between the American Mooney Airplane Company and French light aircraft manufacturer SOCATA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond DA40 Diamond Star</span> Family of light aircraft

The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is an Austrian four-seat, single-engine, light aircraft constructed from composite materials. Built in both Austria and Canada, it was developed as a four-seat version of the earlier DA20 by Diamond Aircraft Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerosport Rail</span>

The Aerosport Rail is an American minimalist ultralight aircraft, designed by Harris Woods and built by Aerosport Inc. The aircraft was first flown on 14 November 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultraflight Lazair</span> Canadian ultralight aircraft

The UltraFlight Lazair is a family of Canadian designed and built twin-engine ultralight aircraft that were sold in kit form between 1979 and 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salmson Cricri</span> Type of aircraft

The Salmson Cricri ("Cricket") was a French light aircraft of the 1930s.

The Zenair Zipper is a Canadian ultralight high-wing, single seat aircraft that was designed by Chris Heintz and produced by Zenair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aero-Works Aerolite 103</span> American ultralight airplane

The Aero-Works Aerolite 103 is an American single seat, high-wing, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft, designed by Terry Raber and introduced by Aero-Works, Inc, of Millersburg, Ohio, in 1997. The aircraft's model number indicates that it was designed to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration FAR 103 ultralight rules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flightstar</span> Type of aircraft

The Flightstar is a large family of single and two-seat, high wing, single engined kit aircraft that was produced by Flightstar Sportplanes of South Woodstock, Connecticut. In 2009 the rights, tooling and parts inventory were sold to Yuneec International of China when Flightstar Sportplanes' business was wound up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tecnam P2010</span> Italian light aircraft

The Tecnam 2010 is a four-seat, high wing, single engine light aircraft of mixed metal and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer construction. Designed and built in Italy, it was first presented in public in April 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colomban MC-30 Luciole</span> French ultralight aircraft

The Colomban MC-30 Luciole is an ultra-lightweight plans-built single-seat low-wing tail-dragger monoplane, designed by the French aeronautical engineer Michel Colomban, creator of the tiny single-seat Colomban Cri-cri twin-engined aircraft and the MC-100 Ban-Bi two-seat aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipistrel Alpha Trainer</span> Slovenian light-sport aircraft

The Pipistrel Alpha Trainer is a Slovenian two-seat, single-engine light-sport aircraft intended specifically for flight training, designed and produced by Pipistrel in Gorizia, Italy.

The Staib LB-4 a.k.a. Staib Airyplane is a homebuilt aircraft design of Wilbur Staib.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurore MB 02 Souricette</span> French ultralight aircraft

The Aurore MB 02 Souricette is a French ultralight aircraft, designed by Michel Barry and produced by Aurore Sarl of Sauvagnon. The aircraft is supplied as a kit or as plans for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protoplane Ultra</span> French ultralight aircraft

The Protoplane Ultra is a French ultralight aircraft, designed and produced by Protoplane of Bagnères-de-Bigorre. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft.

The Aérostructure Lutin 80, earlier known as the PLM 80, is a small, single seat motor glider with a low power pusher configuration engine, designed and built in France in the 1980s. Only two were completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viking SF-2A Cygnet</span> American homebuilt aircraft design

The Viking SF-2A Cygnet, also called the Sisler SF-2A Cygnet and the HAPI SF-2A Cygnet, is an American STOL amateur-built aircraft, designed by Bert Sisler and produced by Viking Aircraft LLC. The aircraft is supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction. The Cygnet first flew in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airbus E-Fan</span> Type of electric aircraft

The Airbus E-Fan is a prototype two-seater electric aircraft that was under development by Airbus. It was flown in front of the world press at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom in July 2014. The target market was intended to be pilot training, but production of the aircraft was cancelled in April 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipistrel Velis Electro</span> First type certified electric aircraft

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a Slovenian light aircraft, designed and produced by Pipistrel of Ajdovščina. The aircraft was EASA CS-LSA fully electric type certified in June 2020 and it is intended primarily for the training aircraft role, particularly multiple successive take-off and landings at the airfield. The design is the first type certified electric aircraft and is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

References

  1. "MC-15 Cri-Cri". free.fr. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  2. "Le plus petit avion du monde – Cricri, un moustique sur l'aile des géants". parismatch.com. August 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  3. "Le MC-15 "Cri-cri" – Ailes Anciennes de Haute-Savoie". ailesahs.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. "CRICRI : Définition de CRICRI". cnrtl.fr. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. Swanson, Molly (28 May 2006). "Cri-Cri Homebuilt Aircraft". aerospaceweb.org. Retrieved 12 March 2017. Colomban dubbed his unique aircraft the Cri-Cri, French for "cricket", after the nickname of his daughter.
  6. 1 2 Taylor, John W.R. (1979). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1979-80. London: Jane's Publishing Company. p. 471. ISBN   0-354-00589-8.
  7. 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 110. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  8. Lednicer, David (2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  9. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 116. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN   1368-485X
  10. První brněnská strojírna Velká Bíteš, a. s. "TJ20 Turbojet Engine". Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  11. "Big fun in small package". 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  12. EADS (18 June 2010). "Cri-Cri, the all-electric aircraft". Archived from the original on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  13. "Cri Cri sets electric speed record". Sport Aviation. January 2011.
  14. "French pilot in tiny one-seater beats Airbus to first electric cross-Channel flight". telegraph.co.uk. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  15. "Did Duwal Beat Airbus Across the Channel?". AVweb. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  16. Bertorelli, Paul (9 July 2015). "Airbus' Asterisked Record". AVweb. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  17. "First Electric-Powered Channel Flight Was 34 Years Ago". AVweb. 12 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  18. "Man of La Manche". CAFE Foundation. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  19. Cri-Cri MC 15 Information Pack – Michel Colomban