Lucas L7

{{Short description|French homebuilt aircraft}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox aircraft begin

| name=L7

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}}{{Infobox aircraft type

| type=Amateur-built aircraft

| national origin=France

| manufacturer=

| designer=Emile Lucas

| first flight=

| introduced=

| retired=

| status=Plans available (2012)

| primary user=

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}}

The Lucas L7, also called the L 7 and L-7, is a French amateur-built aircraft that was designed by Emile Lucas of Lagny-le-Sec. The aircraft is supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 100. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 106. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}

Design and development

The L7 features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with doors for access, fixed main tricycle landing gear with a retractable nosewheel and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from sheet aluminum. Its {{convert|10|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has an area of {{convert|12|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and mounts both flaps and leading edge slots for STOL performance. The standard engine used is the {{convert|118|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-235 four-stroke powerplant which provides a cruise speed of {{convert|175|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.

Reviewers Roy Beisswenger and Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as have a "somewhat boxy shape".

Specifications (L7)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Bayerl and Tacke

|prime units?=met

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|crew=one

|capacity=one passenger

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|wing area sqm=12

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|empty weight kg=500

|empty weight lb=

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|gross weight kg=750

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|fuel capacity={{convert|120|L}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lycoming O-235

|eng1 type=four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=118

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=metal

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|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=190

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=

|cruise speed kmh=175

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=70

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|climb rate ms=3.5

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|wing loading kg/m2=62.5

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}}

References

{{reflist}}