Top speed 54 km/h Length 8.74 m | Wingspan 37 m First flight December 23, 1972 | |
Manufacturer Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts | ||
The HPA Toucan is a British two-seat man-powered aircraft built and flown by members of Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts and was the first two-man man-powered aircraft to fly.
Contents
Development
The Hertfordshire Pedal Aeronauts was formed in 1965, mainly from the staff of Handley Page Limited, to design and build a man-powered aircraft and to compete for the Kremer Prize. Partly funded by a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society construction began in 1967 and was completed in 1972. Following taxying trials the Toucan was first flown at Radlett Aerodrome on 16 June 1972 when three flights were completed. Flown by Bryan Bowen with Derek May as crewman the longest flight was 204 ft (62 m), the Toucan flew again on 3 July 1972 for 2,100 ft (640m) and achieved a height of 15 to 20 ft (4.5 to 6 m).
Design
The Toucan is a mid-wing cantilever monoplane with the fuselage a braced structure of spruce and balsa and covered with Melinex. The wing spars had spruce booms and plywood edges and the ribs were made from balsa and like the fuselage it was covered with Melenix. The landing gear was a non-retractable the main wheel and tailwheel in tandem, it also had small outrigger under the wings. The two crew sit in tandem under a transparent removable cover, the power is generated by the two crew using bicycle pedals which were connected by chains to drive the main wheel and via a shaft a two-bladed balsa pusher propeller mounted at the rear of the tail unit.
Specifications
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74
General characteristics
Performance