Issoire Silène
| CE 75, E 78, and I 79 Silène | |
|---|---|
| Role | Sailplane |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Siren, CERVA, Issoire |
| First flight | 2 July 1974 |
| Number built | 6 by 1978 |
The Issoire Silène was a sailplane produced in France in the 1970s and early 1980s, intended primarily as a trainer. It was a conventional design of fibreglass construction in versions with fixed or retractable monowheel undercarriage. The aircraft featured side-by-side seating for two, with the seats slightly staggered in order to minimise fuselage width. French certification was obtained on 3 February 1978, and production began shortly thereafter at the rate of two aircraft per month.
The original CE 75 design was refined as the E 78, which featured a redesigned and roomier cockpit, and was again available in fixed and retractable undercarriage versions. A further development, the I 79, was in development in 1979, and featured tanks for water ballast as well as hydraulically operated flaps, undercarriage, and airbrakes.
Specifications (CE 75)
General characteristics
- Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
- Length: 7.95 m (26 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 18.00 m (59 ft 1 in)
- Height: 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 18.0 m2 (194 ft2)
- Aspect ratio: 18
- Empty weight: 320 kg (705 lb)
- Gross weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 245 km/h (152 mph)
- Maximum glide ratio: 38
- Rate of sink: 0.6 m/s (116 ft/min)
References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 535.
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977-78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. pp. 581–82.
- Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 109.
- Coates, Andrew (1978). Jane's World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders. London: MacDonald and Jane's. p. 29.