SECAN Courlis

Development

The Courlis was an all-metal high-wing cantilever monoplane with twin booms supporting a tail unit. It was powered by a 190 hp (142 kW) Mathis G8R piston engine mounted in the rear fuselage in a pusher configuration. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear and had four seats in the enclosed cabin. The prototype, registered F-WBBF, first flew on 9 May 1946. Production was started and a total of 144 aircraft were completed with a number being exported to South America. Problems with the engine resulted in the withdrawal of the engines type certificate and some airframes were never fitted with an engine and scrapped. The company did test fit the aircraft with a 220 hp (164 kW) Mathis engine but production was ended.

The aircraft flew for some years, owned by French private pilots, but by the mid-1950s, most had been withdrawn from service, with many being stored at Mitry-Mory airfield near Paris.

In 1961 the design was revised as the SUC-11G Super Courlis with a 240 hp (179 kW) Continental O-470M engine, but was abandoned after a prototype was built.

Variants

SUC-10 Courlis

Production variant with a 190hp Mathis G8R engine, 144 built (not all flown).

SUC-11G Super Courlis

Improved design with a 240hp Continental O-470M engine, only one built.

Aircraft on display

One aircraft is held by the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget, Paris, France, but is not currently (2007) on public display.

Specifications (SUC-10 Courlis)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (pilot)

Capacity: 3 passengers

Length: 8.18 m (26 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 12.35 m (40 ft 6 in)

Height: 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)

Wing area: 19.10 m² (205.6 sq ft)

Empty weight: 1,015 kg (2,238 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 1,560 kg (3,439 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Mathis 8G40 air-cooled inverted-V piston engine, 149 kW (200 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph; 113 kn)

Range: 1,000 km (621 mi; 540 nmi) with pilot and three passengers

Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,500 ft)