Pouchel

Basic UltraLight Motorized welcome to the world of low-budget flying

A very basic airplane made out of ... ladders! The ladders are used to construct the fuselage and the spars. Can it be done easier??

The Pouchel is a Pou du Ciel or "Flying Flea". Its has the same easy and forgiving steering as the Pou du Ciel of Henri Mignet. (Permission to use this picture by Daniel Dalby)

Here you see a detail of the Pouchel. The pilot sits on a fabric between two steps of the fuselage ladder. OK, cold in winter, but ... you fly. (Permission to use this picture by Daniel Dalby)

Here you see a Pouchel in construction. It is missing its front wing. Clearly can be seen the main parts: ladders and foam. (Permission to use this picture by Daniel Dalby)

  • Seats: 1 Span front wing: 6 m (19,7 ')
  • Span rear wing: 4 m (13,1')
  • Cord: 1,2 m (3,9')
  • Airfoil: NACA 23112
  • Wing area: 12 m2 (129 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 80 kg!!! (176 lbs)
  • Maximum charged weight: 170 kg (375 lbs)
  • Vne: 120 km/h (74,5 mph)(speed not to exceed)
  • maneuvering speed: 100 km/h (62 mph) +4g / -2g

The first editions were with ladders. Daniel Dalby's supplier of the ladders ordered to stop making airplanes with them. So ...he redesigned the airplane into being build with rectagular tubes. And ...the simplicity of the design stayed. Great! In the video below you see the new edition.

More info at www.pouchel.com