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AV-221
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| AV-221 on ground | ||
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AV-221 in flight | |
| (click on the pictures to enlarge them in a new window) | ||
This motorglider was a new derivative of the two-seater AV-22 and flew for the first time on April 8, 1965. It was exhibited in August of that same year to the 18th national gathering of the amateur builders of Montluçon. As shown, this motorglider was a two-seater side-by-side that was equipped with a Rectimo engine (Volkswagen aircraft conversion) of 39 Horsepower mounted on the nose. The prototype originally had a single glider-style main landing gear and was later changed to a more classic main landing gear of two wheels with hoop-style fiberglas gear legs. The wing was copied directly from the AV-22, but the fuselage was an entirely new structure in order to accommodate the new two-man crew requirements and addition of the engine.
Later, the AV-221 was re-engined with a Survol - De Coucy "Pygmée", a 4-cycle engine of 40 Horsepower that had the advantage of being very light compared to the Volkswagen. This lighter weight caused a lengthening of the AV-221 fuselage and was newly designated as AV-221 B. But the AV-221 never flew with this engine.
Another variable of the AV-221, was the result of a reconstruction project on the prototype by Serge Chaintri, of Liévin, after it had been damaged in an accident. It was equipped with a Volkswagen aircraft conversion of 1600 cc. which resulted in greatly improved performance under power over the original and is still flying in 1999. It is registered as F-CRON under the CNRP (French navigability certificate for amateur-built gliders and motorgliders).
Charles Fauvel also designed a version of the AV-221 with a simplified structure especially for amateur builders and named it the AV-222.
Using the same flying wing formula, the designer/manufacturer Claude Noin in 1995 flew the "Choucas". This is an ultralight motorglider (ULM under French regulations) whose general design concept is extensively inspired by the AV-221/AV-222, but which uses an entirely new structure of composite glass/carbon fiber. This aircraft is available in kit form for the amateur builder from the manufacturer. The Choucas is, in reality, a true successor to the AV-221.
| Characteristics and performance of the AV-221 | |
| Wing span | 15.48 m |
| Length | 5.22 m |
| Wing area | 21.75 m2 |
| Airfoil | Fauvel F4 17% |
| Aspect ratio | 10.6 |
| Empty weight | 325 kg |
| Max gross weight | 530 kg |
| Max. speed | 160 km/h |
| Best glide ratio | 23:1 |
| Min. sink rate | 0.87 m/sec |
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