HPA Toucan

Last updated

Toucan
RoleTwo-seat Human-powered aircraft
National originUnited Kingdom
ManufacturerHertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts
First flight23 December 1972
Number built1

The HPA Toucan is a British two-seat human-powered aircraft built and flown by members of the Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts and was the first two-person human-powered aircraft to fly. [1]

Contents

Development

The Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts was formed in 1965, mainly from the staff of Handley Page Limited, to design and build a human-powered aircraft and to compete for the Kremer Prize. The aircraft, unique in being powered by two persons, was designed by Martyn Pressnell. Pressnell was at the time a stress engineer with Handley Page. [1] Partly funded by a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society construction began in 1967 and was completed in 1972. [1] Following taxying trials at Radlett Aerodrome on 16 June 1972 when brief hops were made, the aircraft made its first flight on 23 December 1972. [1] [2] Flown by Bryan Bowen with Derek May as crewman the longest flight was 204 ft (62 m), the Toucan flew again on 3 July 1973 for 2,100 ft (640 m) and achieved a height of 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m). [1]

Design

The Toucan is a mid-wing cantilever monoplane with the fuselage a braced structure of spruce and balsa and covered with Melinex. [1] The wing spars had spruce booms and plywood edges and the ribs were made from balsa and like the fuselage it was covered with Melenix. [1] The landing gear was a non-retractable the main wheel and tailwheel in tandem, it also had small outrigger wheels under the wings. [1] The two crew sit in tandem under a transparent removable cover, the power is generated by the two crew using bicycle pedals which were connected by chains to drive the main wheel and via a shaft a two-bladed balsa pusher propeller mounted at the rear of the tail unit. [1]

Specifications

Data fromJane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74 [1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1973). Jane's all the world's aircraft 1973-74. London: Jane's Yearbooks. pp. 210–211. ISBN   0354001175.
  2. ↑ Sherwin, Keith (1976). To Fly Like a Bird: The Story of Man-Powered Aircraft. Folkestone, England: Bailey Brothers and Swinfen Limited. pp. 94–97. ISBN   0561002835.

Bibliography

  • Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1973). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74. London, United Kingdom: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN   0-354-00117-5.
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