The Piel CP.70 Beryl is a French twin-seat, single-engine sport aircraft designed by Claude Piel. It was first flown in France in the 1960s and marketed for amateur construction.[1][2]

Design and development

Designed by Claude Piel, the Beryl uses the same wing design as the Piel Emeraude but with a new fuselage, exchanging the Emeraude's side-by-side configuration seating for seating in tandem. As originally designed, the aircraft is fitted with fixed, tricycle undercarriage with a steerable nosewheel. Construction throughout is of doped fabric-covered wood.[2][3][4]

An aerobatic version, designated the CP.750 was also developed. This differs from the basic CP.70 in having a reduced wingspan, fixed tailwheel undercarriage and a slightly longer fuselage. It retains the CP.70's wooden wings, but the fuselage is built of welded steel tube and still covered in fabric.[3]

Operational history

The Beryl has been homebuilt by amateur constructors and in 2009 there were still four examples active on the French civil aircraft register. The prototype F-PMEQ, completed in 1965 with tricycle undercarriage, was still active in 2014 modified as a CP.703 with tail-wheel undercarriage. Examples of the design have also been completed in Brazil and the United States.

Variants

CP.70
Standard variant for homebuilding powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A65-8F or 118 hp (88 kW) Lycoming O-235 engine.[1][4]
Piel Beryl CP.750
CP.750
a CP-70 with 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine with a reduced wingspan, fixed tailwheel undercarriage, and a slightly longer fuselage.[3]
CP.751
CP-750 with 200 hp Lycoming O-360-A2A engine.[5]

Specifications (CP.70)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78, p.496

General characteristics

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Capacity: 1 passenger
  • Length: 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 10.9 m2 (117 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 320 kg (700 lb)
  • Gross weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65-8F , 49 kW (65 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 95 kn)
  • Range: 600 km (372 mi, 323 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,850 ft)

Notes

  1. ^ a b Taylor 1989, p.725
  2. ^ a b Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 100. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. ^ a b c Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78, p.496
  4. ^ a b Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 96. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  5. ^ "French homebuilts gather at RSA rally" 1981, p.545

References

Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piel_Beryl
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