APEV Pouchel II

Design and development

The Pouchel II replaced the original APEV Pouchel in production. The original Pouchel was constructed using three commercially available aluminium ladders, hence APEV is the Association pour la Promotion des Echelles Volantes, or in English, Association for the Promotion of Flying Ladders. Later the ladder manufacturer grew concerned about liability and refused to supply any more ladders. The Pouchel was then re-designed to use aeronautical rectangular aluminium tubing in place of the original ladders and the new aircraft was designated the Pouchel II. The Pouchel series are all derivatives of the classic 1930s Henri Mignet-designed Mignet Pou-du-Ciel (Flying Flea).

The Pouchel II features a cantilever rear wing with a strut-braced parasol front wing, a single-seat open cockpit without a windshield, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 6 m span front wing and 4 m span rear have a combined area of 12 m2 and both employ NACA 23112 airfoils. The prototype used a 40 hp Rotax 447 two-stroke powerplant, but the 35 hp Rotax 377 is also recommended. The 28 hp Hirth F-33 has also been fitted.

Specifications (Pouchel II)

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Powerplant

Performance

|never exceed speed kmh=120 |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |wing loading kg/m2=18.75 |wing loading lb/sqft= |power/mass= |thrust/weight=

References

References

1. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 122. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
2. APEV. (n.d.). "The Pouchel II, A Ladderless Pouchel".