APEV Scoutchel

Scoutchel
Role Amateur-built aircraft
National origin France
Manufacturer APEV
Designer Daniel Dalby
Status In production (2012)
Developed from APEV Demoichelle

The APEV Scoutchel (English: Scout ladder) is a French amateur-built aircraft, designed by Daniel Dalby and produced by APEV of Peynier. The aircraft is supplied as plans or as a kit for amateur construction.[1][2][3]

Design and development

The Scoutchel is derived from the earlier APEV Demoichelle, itself an updated version of the pre-First World War Santos-Dumont Demoiselle.[1][2]

The Scoutchel features a strut-braced high-wing, a single-seat open cockpit without a cockpit fairing, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine mounted above the cockpit on the keel tube, in tractor configuration.[1][2][3]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing. The wings are the same as those used on the Pouchel Light and are built around a single aluminium spar, with ribs made from extruded polystyrene with plywood bracing, all bonded to fibreglass leading and trailing edges, covered in Dacron sailcloth. The 8.30 m (27.2 ft) span wing employs a NACA 23112 airfoil and has an area of 9.96 m2 (107.2 sq ft), with an aspect ratio of 8:1. A unique roll control system is used as the aircraft has no ailerons. Instead the wings are pivoted to +4° and -2° to produce and control roll. The wings can be folded for ground transportation or storage.[1][2][3]

Recommended engines are the 35 hp (26 kW) Rotax 377 or the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 two-stroke powerplants, although it can also fit electric motors as well.[1][2][3]

The manufacturer estimates building times at 150 hours from the kit and 300 hours from plans.[3]

Specifications (Scoutchel)

Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.30 m (27 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 9.96 m2 (107.2 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 8:1
  • Airfoil: NACA 23112
  • Empty weight: 130 kg (287 lb)
  • Gross weight: 250 kg (551 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 75 kW (101 hp)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
  • Stall speed: 40 km/h (25 mph, 22 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn)
  • g limits: +4/-2
  • Wing loading: 25.1 kg/m2 (5.1 lb/sq ft)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 93. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ^ a b c d e Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 98. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. ^ a b c d e APEV. "The Scoutchel". Retrieved 19 September 2012.