La Mouette Samson

The La Mouette Samson is a French electric-powered ultralight trike, designed by Gérard Thevenot and produced by La Mouette of Fontaine-lès-Dijon. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1]

Samson
Role Ultralight trike
National origin France
Manufacturer La Mouette
Designer Gérard Thevenot
Status In production (2013)

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category as a single- or two-seater, and also to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules when flown as a single-seater. It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single electric motor in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its single surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. Powerplant options are electric motors of 14 hp (10 kW) for solo use and a 19 hp (14 kW) motor for dual use. Due to its simple design the Samson can be folded up and stowed in the trunk of an automobile, with the wing carried on the roof rack. The aircraft has an empty weight of 70 kg (154 lb) and a gross weight of 220 kg (485 lb), giving a useful load of 150 kg (331 lb).[1]

The aircraft can be fitted with up to three batteries that give an endurance of 40 minutes at full power, or 80 minutes at normal cruise. The standard wing supplied is a 19 m2 (200 sq ft) La Mouette design.[1]

Specifications (Samson)

Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger, maximum of 150 kg (331 lb) total
  • Wing area: 19 m2 (200 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 70 kg (154 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Electric motor powered by up to three batteries of 40 Ah capaicity, 14 kW (19 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed composite

Performance

  • Endurance: 40 minutes at full power
  • Rate of climb: 1.0 m/s (200 ft/min)

References
  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 216. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
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