Smolkowski-Laviolette biplane

Smolkowski-Laviolette biplane
Role	Human-powered aircraft
National origin	Canada
Manufacturer	Alvin Smolkowski and Maurice Laviolette
First flight	1964
Number built	1

The Smolkowski-Laviolette biplane was a Canadian human-powered biplane designed and built by two Calgary aeronautical engineers, Alvin Smolkowski and Maurice Laviolette, in the 1960s. ^[1]

Smolkowski and Laviolette were based at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology at Calgary, and they commenced design of the biplane in December 1960, with a view towards winning the Kremer prize then on offer. ^[2]

The aircraft had a primary structure made of aluminum alloy, and a secondary structure made of metal tubing, polystyrene, and foam sheets. It was a single-bay biplane, spanning 30 ft (9.1 m), with struts of metal tubing, and rigged with lift and drag wires. The airfoil section incorporated a deflected trailing edge. ^[3] Unlike contemporary HPAs, the craft was covered with doped fabric, which incurred a weight penalty. ^[4] The fuselage was of the pod-and-boom type. The pilot sat in a recumbent position, in a semi-enclosed cockpit, and powered the tractor propeller, positioned at the end of a boom, via a set of bicycle pedals powering a chain drive. ^[3] Both biplane wings and the propeller were fitted with end-plates, in order to mitigate issues with induced drag. The control system incorporated a T-bar column suspended from the upper-wing, operating the elevator and rudder. ^[3] There did not appear to be any form of lateral control, however the biplane wings were set at a slight dihedral.

Laviolette departed the project before completion, with Smolkowski continuing alone. The biplane was completed in 1964, and it was reported that even with the support of a grant from a Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute committee, and material supplied by Alberta aviation clubs, Smolkowski had to work overtime in order to finance the completion of the craft. ^{[4] [5]}

When tested, the biplane proved unable to make un-assisted flights, however it did make a number of short flights towed behind an automobile. ^{[1] [2]}

Specifications

Data from Western Wings ^[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Wingspan: 30 ft (9.1 m)
• Wing area: 300 sq ft (28 m²)
• Empty weight: 90 lb (41 kg)
• Propellers: 3-bladed, 6 ft (1.8 m) diameter

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Cook Musfly
• Goodhart Newbury Manflier
• HMPAC Puffin
• HPA Toucan
• Malliga 1
• MacCready Gossamer Albatross
• MacCready Gossamer Condor

Related lists

• List of Human-powered aircraft

References

1. Sherwin, Keith (1976). To fly like a bird: The story of man-powered aircraft. Folkestone, England: Bailey Brothers and Swinfen Limited. pp. 115–116. ISBN   0561002835.
2. "Smolkowski- Laviolette biplane, 1964". Samoloty w Lotnictwie Polskim (in Polish). samolotypolskie.pl. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
3. R.G. Moulton (1964). Laidlaw-Dickson, D.J.; Moulton, R.G. (eds.). "Muscle Power". Aeronautical Annual 1964-65. Watford, Herts, UK: Model Aeronautical Press: 58–63, 137.
4. Reay, D.A. (1977). The history of man-powered flight. Oxford, England: Pergamon Press Ltd. p. 219. ISBN   0080217389.
5. "L'homme volera Bientôt de ses propres muscles". La Tribune Perspectives (in French). Vol. 6, no. 35. 29 August 1964. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
6. LeGuilloux, Andy, ed. (September 1962). "Air Currents". Western Wings. Vol. 4, no. 9. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 6 May 2023.