| Airelle | |
|---|---|
| Role | Kit-built ultralight |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Aeronix sarl, La Chapelle-Vendômoise |
| First flight | February 2002 |
| Status | Out of production |
| Number built | 5 |
The Aeronix Airelle is a tandem wing ultralight with twin engines in push-pull configuration, that was designed and built in France at the start of the millennium. Intended to be homebuilt from kits, a few prototypes were constructed but development ended when the company went into receivership in 2006.
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Design of the Airelle began in 1999 and a one third scale model flew the following October. The full scale Airelle was formally introduced with a mock-up at the Paris air show held at le Bourget in June 2003, though its first flight was made in February 2002.[1]
Its layout was very unusual, both in that it had a tandem pair of wings and that its twin engines were in push-pull configuration. The rear wing had the greater span and chord, and was swept (at 30°) and tapered, with outward-leaning fins and rudders at its tips. rather as in traditional lifting canard aircraft. However, the unswept, straight tapered foreplane had a much greater fore/rear wing span ratio (about 80%) than most of this type, for example 66% for the World War II Miles Libellula. The whole trailing edge of each rear wing, which had a dihedral of 2°, was occupied by a combination of outboard mass balanced ailerons and inboard plain flaps. The foreplane had full span elevators and slightly turned down tips. The wings, like the rest of the Airelle's structure, were largely carbon fibre. The fins had inward turned tips. The Airelle's rudders had several modes of operation: used together they controlled yaw, as normal; they could be split on one side only, as spoilers; or both faces could separate to act as airbrakes.[1]
The Airelle's fuselage was short, with the centrally hinged, forward opening, transparent cabin doors between the wings and engines. Both two and four seat variants were planned. A glass cockpit and a control system without rudder bars was fitted. The fuselage was deeper aft, carrying the rear wing higher than the foreplane. The prototype Airelles were powered by 30 kW (40 hp) Zazottera flat four engines, though Hirth F2ES engines of the same power were planned for production aircraft and a projected VLA version was intended to take engines of up 75 kW (100 hp). The Airelle had a tricycle undercarriage with sprung, composite main legs mounted on the fuselage.[1]
After the Paris Air Show of 2003, Aeronix concentrated on promoting and delivering kits of the ultralight version, with deliveries starting that year.[1] By June, 7 had been sold.[2] By 2005 at least 5 had been built[1] and the third prototype, with the French experimental registration F-WATC flew at that year's Paris show.[3] By that time the, first two Airelles were in store at the Aeronix factory, the second prototype having been damaged in an engine fire during testing.[4] The fifth Airelle was prepared for a Pole to Pole publicity flight, equipped with non-standard instrumentation. Gary Purdom, the company test pilot, was to fly the aircraft;[1] but before it could be done Aeronix went into receivership in February 2006.[5]
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2006-7: performance estimated[1]
General characteristics
Performance
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