Aviafiber Canard-2FL

M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Aviafiber Canard-2 FL

  This unusual single-seater ultra-light sailplane of Swiss design reflects hang-gliding influence in that it is foot-launched by the pilot like a hang glider and, after launching, the pilot swivels up into a prone position on a sliding board and closes both the head and the leg doors which were open when he was running along in the upright position. This method of launching, which would be impractical with a conventional fuselage, partly explains the 'parasol monoplane' configuration in which the main wing at the rear is supported by Vee-form pylons which act both as lifting surfaces and 'vertical' fins and is, also supplemented by a fixed-incidence canard foreplane. This layout results in an overall length of only 5m (16ft 4 3/4 in) and enables an aspect ratio of 20 to be used with a modest wing span of 13.5m (44ft 3 1/2 in), which avoids the risk with a more conventional wing of digging in a wing tip while running up to the launch. The Canard-2 FL was designed by Dipl-Ing Hans U. Farner, who was also responsible for the Colibri 1 SL canard powered glider, and made its first flight on 7 September 1977; production was due to begin in the spring of 1978, achieving an output of as high as 20 per month by August that year, and a powered version of the Canard-2 FL was due for completion in the summer of 1978. The wing, which like the Vee-form pylons and canard foreplane, has a Wortmann FX-63-137 section, is a single-spar structure with a vacuum-formed shell of laminated resin and glassfibre and a core of styrofoam plate; conventional ailerons are featured. The vee-tail pylons have a similar structure and their trailing edges, which are movable to act as air brakes, have a core of solid hard foam unlike the styrofoam of the wings, while the ailerons have cores of hard foam cells. This type of structure is very light, as it has to be for a foot-launched aircraft, and results in an empty weight of only 108 lb. The one-piece canopy/windscreen is open at the rear and for landing there is a retractable front skid and a non-retractable tailskid. A monowheel is optional for downhill rolling take-offs.

Data: Canard-2 FL
Span: 44 ft 3 1/2 in
Length: 16 ft 4 3/4 in
Height: 5 ft 11 in
Wing area: 139.9 sqft
Aspect ratio: 20.0
Empty weight: 108 lb
Max weight: 372 lb
Max speed: 62 mph
Stalling speed: 24 mph
Min sinking speed: 1.64 ft/sec at 31 mph
Best glide ratio: 31:1 at 37.5 mph

Farner HF Colibri 1 SL

  Designed, built and test-flown by Dipl-Ing Hans U. Farner, who was also responsible for the Aviafiber Canard-2 FL ultra-light foot-launched sailplane, the Colibri single-seat motor glider is one of the most bizarre-looking aircraft in this class ever to be built. Its most distinguishing feature is a canard foreplane of constant chord and constant section mounted on a telescopic 'elephant's trunk' extension of the long tapering nose to vary the moment arm; this extension can be pivoted about the fuselage's longitudinal axis, permitting the overall length to be varied in flight. Adjustment of the telescopic nose permits the foreplane incidence to be varied, yaw control being achieved by pivoting the canard surface about the fuselage longitudinal axis, and pitch control by varying the canard's moment arm by means of the 'elephant's trunk' extension. The very short, narrow main part of the fuselage has the pilot sitting just in front of the wing, the rear fuselage ending in a split-wedge section which acts as the vertical fin when closed and as an air brake when opened. The retractable tricycle landing gear is of narrow track limited by the fuselage width, and rather short wheelbase. The main gull wing is of very high aspect ratio (31.7) mounted on top of the fuselage at the rear, and unbraced. It has dihedral on the constant chord and constant section (Wortmann FX-61-184) inner panels, and anhedral on the all-moving outer panels which have leading edge taper and a Wortmann FX-60-1261 aerofoil section, the same as that of the canard foreplane. No flaps or ailerons are fitted, roll control being achieved by operating the all-moving wing tips (or 'tiperons') with dynamically irreversible drive. Engines are two 13.6hp McCulloch MC-101A single-cylinder two-stroke engines of 123cc mounted aft of the cabin and driving, through a reduction gear, a two-blade pusher propeller aft of the wing trailing edge. The propeller blades can be folded to the rear when not in use, for soaring flight. Fuel capacity is 4.6 Imp gallons. A two-seater version of this unusual Swiss motor glider is also under development.

Span: 57 ft 5 in
Length: 23 ft 7 1/2 in
Height: 4 ft 9 in
Wing area: 103.9 sqft
Aspect ratio: 31.7
Empty weight: 562 lb
Max weight:798 lb
Min sinking speed: 1.80 ft/sec at 48 mph
Best glide ratio: 41-43:1 at 63 mph
Take-off run: 394 ft