Colomban Cri-cri#Variants
{{Short description| French twin-engined ultra-light aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2021}}
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{{Infobox aircraft
|name=Cri-Cri
|image=Colomban MC-15 "Cri-Cri" - AirExpo Muret 2007 0122 2007-05-12.jpg
|caption=French-built homebuilt Cri-Cri at Airexpo 2007
|type=Homebuilt recreational aircraft
|manufacturer=
|designer= Michel Colomban
|first_flight=19 July 1973
|introduction=1973
|retired=
|primary_user=
|more_users=
|number_built=
|status=
|developed_from =
|variants=
}}
File:1984 Colomban MC-15 Cri-cri at Cotswold Airport arp.jpg
The Colomban Cri-Cri, also spelled Cricri, is the smallest twin-engined crewed aircraft in the world, designed in the early 1970s by French aeronautical engineer Michel Colomban.
The name Cri-Cri comes from the nickname of Christine, one of Colomban's daughters.{{cite web|url=http://frederic.secchi.free.fr/Modeles/MC-15.htm|title=MC-15 Cri-Cri|work=free.fr|access-date=29 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Sciences/Le-plus-petit-avion-du-monde-Cricri-un-moustique-sur-l-aile-des-geants-808084|title=Le plus petit avion du monde – Cricri, un moustique sur l'aile des géants|work=parismatch.com|date=August 2015 |access-date=15 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ailesahs.com/wp/?page_id=380|title=Le MC-15 "Cri-cri" – Ailes Anciennes de Haute-Savoie|work=ailesahs.com|access-date=15 March 2017|archive-date=18 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818230716/http://www.ailesahs.com/wp/?page_id=380|url-status=dead}} 'Cri-cri' 'or 'cricri' is also the French term for the sound of a cricket or a cicada, or an informal name for the insects themselves,{{cite web|url=http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/cricri|title=CRICRI : Définition de CRICRI|work=cnrtl.fr|access-date=15 March 2017}}{{cite web|url = http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/q0275.shtml|title = Cri-Cri Homebuilt Aircraft|access-date = 12 March 2017|last = Swanson|first = Molly|work = aerospaceweb.org|date = 28 May 2006|quote=Colomban dubbed his unique aircraft the Cri-Cri, French for "cricket", after the nickname of his daughter.}} but it is unclear if this double meaning was intended by Colomban himself.
Design and development
Colomban designed the aircraft to be easy to build and fly, and the closeness of the two engines to each other, around the centreline, meant that it could be flown by pilots only qualified to fly single-engined aircraft because even with the complete failure of one engine, with hands and feet off the controls, the only effect would be a gentle turn. The cockpit canopy was carefully designed to direct effective airflow over the tail surfaces in this situation. The plans-built aircraft was also designed to be easy to store in a garage and tow on a trailer, with assembly and disassembly each taking only five minutes.{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=John W.R. |title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1979-80 |date=1979 |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company |location=London |isbn=0-354-00589-8 |page=471}}
The Cri-Cri features a cantilever low-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and twin engines mounted on pylons to the nose of the aircraft in tractor configuration. The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet glued to Klegecell foam. Its {{convert|4.9|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing employs a Wortmann 21.7% mod airfoil, and has an area of {{convert|3.1|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}. The aircraft is also capable of aerobatics within the limitations of twin-engined aircraft.{{Cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|access-date = 7 October 2012|last = Lednicer|first = David|year = 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420012244/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|archive-date = 20 April 2010|url-status = dead}}Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 116. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
The first flight of the prototype was made on 19 July 1973 and within a few days it had proved to be easy to fly and capable of aerobatics, being stressed to +10g and -5g. It was powered by two Rowena 6507J single cylinder two-stroke engines, each giving {{convert|6.7|kW|hp|abbr=on}} and weighing {{convert|6.5|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}.
Variants
;MC-10 Cri-Cri
:Prototype and early examples
;MC-12 Cri-Cri
:Model with a cruising speed of 185 km/h (100 knots, or 114.9 miles per hour) and range of 500 km (310.6 statute miles, 270 nautical miles).{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
;MC-15 Cri-Cri
:Model powered by two JPX PUL 212 {{convert|15|hp}} engines.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 110. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
;MC-15 Cri-Cri Jet
:Model powered by two PBS VB TJ20 {{convert|210|N}} turbojet engines.{{cite web|url = http://www.pbsvb.com/customer-industries/aerospace/aircraft-engines/tj-20-turbojet-engine|title = TJ20 Turbojet Engine|access-date = 8 December 2016|author = První brněnská strojírna Velká Bíteš, a. s.|archive-date = 8 May 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180508193046/http://www.pbsvb.com/customer-industries/aerospace/aircraft-engines/tj-20-turbojet-engine|url-status = dead}}
Operational use
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 varying performance. Most versions can climb with one engine inoperative.{{Cite web|url = http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2011/January/1/Big-fun-in-a-small-package|title = Big fun in small package |access-date = 1 December 2014|year = 2014}}
In June 2010, EADS partnered with Aero Composites Saintonge and the Greencri-cri Association to present an electric-powered Cri-Cri at the Green Aviation Show in Le Bourget. The modified airframe with composite components can fly for 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.{{cite web|url = http://classic.eads.net/1024/en/pressdb/pressdb/20100618_eads_cri-cri.html|title = Cri-Cri, the all-electric aircraft|access-date = 7 October 2012|last = EADS|author-link = EADS|date = 18 June 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100629192653/http://classic.eads.net/1024/en/pressdb/pressdb/20100618_eads_cri-cri.html |archivedate = 29 June 2010}}
On September 5, 2010 Electravia accomplished a world record speed of 262 km/h (162.33 mph) for a lithium polymer-powered aircraft using a Cri-Cri with two electric motors (each producing 25 hp) during the attempt. The company claimed engine and cooling drag reductions of 46 per cent versus the conventional combustion engine arrangement.{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|title=Cri Cri sets electric speed record|date=January 2011}}
File:Cri-Cri (F-PRCQ).jpg at the 2011 MAKS airshow]]
On 9 July 2015 the electric-powered Electravia version of the design flew across the English Channel hours before the Airbus E-Fan,{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/engineering/11729838/Airbus-E-Fan-2.0-set-to-recreate-aviation-history-with-cross-Channel-flight-only-this-time-its-electric.html|title=French pilot in tiny one-seater beats Airbus to first electric cross-Channel flight|work=telegraph.co.uk|date=10 July 2015 |access-date=8 December 2016}} becoming the third electric aircraft to do so. It was pulled aloft by another aircraft and did not take off on its own.{{cite web|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Did-Duwal-Beat-Airbus-Across-the-Channel-224410-1.html|title=Did Duwal Beat Airbus Across the Channel?|work=AVweb|date=10 July 2015 |access-date=10 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/Airbus-Asterisked-Record-224408-1.html|title=Airbus' Asterisked Record|last=Bertorelli|first=Paul|work=AVweb|date=9 July 2015 |access-date=10 July 2015}} The first was the MacCready Solar Challenger in 1981{{cite web|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/First-Electric-Powered-Channel-Flight-Was-34-Years-Ago-224415-1.html|title=First Electric-Powered Channel Flight Was 34 Years Ago|work=AVweb|date=12 July 2015 |access-date=13 July 2015}} and the second used electric motors powered by hydrogen.{{cite web |url=http://blog.cafefoundation.org/man-of-la-manche/ |title=Man of La Manche |publisher=CAFE Foundation |access-date=10 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713043939/http://blog.cafefoundation.org/man-of-la-manche/ |archivedate=13 July 2015 }}
Specifications (MC 15)
{{Aircraft specs
| ref = Michel ColombanCri-Cri MC 15 Information Pack – Michel Colomban
| prime units? = met
| genhide =
| crew = one
| capacity =
| length m = 3.9
| length ft =
| length in =
| length note =
| span m = 4.9
| span ft =
| span in =
| span note =
| height m =
| height ft = 3.76
| height in =
| height note =
| wing area sqm = 3.1
| wing area sqft =
| wing area note =
| aspect ratio =
| airfoil = Wortmann 21.7
| empty weight kg = 78
| empty weight lb = 172
| empty weight note =
| gross weight kg =
| gross weight lb =
| gross weight note =
| max takeoff weight kg = 170
| max takeoff weight lb =
| max takeoff weight note =
| fuel capacity = 6.9 Gallons
| more general =
| eng1 number = 2
| eng1 name = JPX PUL 212
| eng1 type = single-cylinder piston engines
| eng1 kw =
| eng1 hp = 15
| eng1 note =
| power original =
| prop blade number = 2
| prop name =
| prop dia m =
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| perfhide =
| max speed kmh = 220
| max speed mph = 136.7
| max speed kts = 118.8
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| cruise speed kts = 100
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| never exceed speed kmh =
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| range km =
| range miles =
| range nmi = 250
| range note =
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| endurance =
| ceiling m = 3700
| ceiling ft =
| ceiling note =
| g limits = +4.5 -2.5
| roll rate =
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| climb rate ms =
| climb rate ftmin = 1300
| climb rate note =
| time to altitude =
| lift to drag =
| wing loading kg/m2 = 55
| wing loading lb/sqft =
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See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/cricri/cricri-jet.jpg Photo of Nicolas Charmont's Cri-Cri F-PZPR with jet engines]
{{Colomban aircraft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colomban Cri-Cri}}
Category:1970s French sport aircraft
Category:Twin-motored electric aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1973
Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft