The Colomban Cri-cri (short for cricket) is the smallest twin-engined manned aircraft in the world, designed in the early 1970s by French aeronautical engineer Michel Colomban. At only 4.9 m (16.1 ft) wingspan and 3.9 m (12.8 ft) length, it is a single-seater, making an impression, at close range, of a dwarf velomobile with wings.

Design



The Cri-cri has superior aerobatic performance; e.g., the one in the picture is capable of 1 roll per second. There are approximately 30 Cri-cri aircraft in airworthy condition in the U.S. and over 100 around the world as of 2003. Word of the mouth around the exhibit said that the designs are no longer available by the author's request, except as a personal favor to those home-builders that are his friends. However, the fan site below still lists his address, saying that, if you are not in North America, you might still be able to get a design. Also, occasionally, unfinished kit projects are sold, as with every other homebuilt design.

The MC-10 Cri-Cri has a cruising speed of 170 km/h (92 knots, or 105.6 miles per hour) and a range of 750 km (466 standard miles, 405 nautical miles).[citation needed] The MC-12 model has a cruising speed of 185 km/h (100 knots, or 114.9 miles per hour) and range of 500 km (310.6 standard miles, 270 nautical miles). The MC-15 is powered by two 15 horsepower (11 kW) engines.

Variants

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 different performances.

One flying Cri-cri, F-PZPR, was equipped by its pilot Nicolas Charmont with AMT Olympus turbine jet engines, increasing the cruising speed from 170 km/h (92 knots, or 105.6 miles per hour) for the regular propeller-driven version to around 240 km/h (130 knots, or 149.1 miles per hour).

In June 2010, EADS Partnered with Aero Composites Saintonge and the Greencri-cri Association, presented a electric powered Cri-Cri at the Green Aviation Show in Le Bourget. The modified airframe with composite components can fly 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 as well.[1]
On September 5, 2010 Electravia accomplished a world record speed of 262 km/h (162.33 mph) for an lithium polymer powered aircraft using a Cri-cri with two electric motors producing 25hp each during the attempt. The company claimed engine and cooling drag reductions of 46 percent versus the conventional combustion engine arrangement.

Kits for homebuilding have been sold by Zenair of Canada as the Zenair Cricket


Specifications (MC 15)

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (Pilot)
Length: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 3.1 m2 (33 sq ft)
Airfoil: Wortmann 21.7
Empty weight: 78 kg (172 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 170 kg (375 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × JPX PUL 212 single-cylinder piston engines, 11 kW (15 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 220 km/h (140 mph; 120 kn)
Cruise speed: 190 km/h; 120 mph (100 kn)
Range: 463 km; 288 mi (250 nmi)
Service ceiling: 3,700 m (12,139 ft)
Rate of climb: 6.6 m/s (1,300 ft/min)
Wing loading: 55 kg/m² (11 lb/sq ft)

Source: Colomban Cri-cri - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia