Cosmos Samba

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title: "Cosmos Samba" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1990s-french-ultralight-aircraft", "single-engined-pusher-aircraft", "ultralight-trikes"] description: "French ultralight trike" topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos_Samba" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary French ultralight trike ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]

Field	Value
name	Samba
aircraft_type	Ultralight trike
national_origin	France
manufacturer	Cosmos ULM
status	In production
::

| name = Samba | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Ultralight trike | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = France | manufacturer = Cosmos ULM | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = In production | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The Cosmos Samba, named after the dance of the same name, is a French ultralight trike that is produced by Cosmos ULM of Fontaine-lès-Dijon, France. The aircraft is supplied as a complete aircraft and is not available as a kit.

Design and development

The Samba is a minimalist aircraft, sometimes referred to as a nanolight-trike. It was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 210 lb. It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat, open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing. The Tedlar-covered single surface wing is a French La Mouette Topless M design that uses an internal Kevlar cross-bar reinforcement in place of a kingpost and ground wires. The lower flying wires are retained, however, giving the aircraft a load rating of +6/-3g. Control is weight-shift via an "A" frame control bar.

The lack of the kingpost and associated cables allows the Samba a top speed of 93 km/h on only 16 kW of power provided by a Zenoah G-25 single cylinder, two stroke powerplant. Because of its low drag the aircraft is suitable for power-off soaring flight and the engine can be restarted in flight.

The Samba can be disassembled for storage or car-top transport in 20 minutes.

Specifications (Samba)

|ref=Cliche, Bertrand and Purdy |prime units?=met General characteristics

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft=6 |length in= |length note= |span m=10.12 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=152 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=210 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=450 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=10 L |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Zenoah G-25 |eng1 type=single cylinder, two stroke aircraft engine |eng1 kw=16 |eng1 hp=

|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note=

Performance

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=93 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=45 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=25 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles=80 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=18000 |ceiling note= |g limits=+6/-3 |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=600 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin=300 |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=

|see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists=

References

References

1. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 98. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
2. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page C-8. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
3. Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 142. BAI Communications. {{ISBN. 0-9636409-4-1

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