Origins and Initial Design
In the early 1950s, French engineer Claude Piel developed his latest project for a light multi-purpose aircraft. This aircraft, named Piel CP-40 Donald, was a single-seat, strut-braced high-wing monoplane, equipped with a four-cylinder Volkswagen engine producing 25 hp (19 kW).
First Flight and Early Modifications
The first flight of the prototype (F-PGYE) took place on June 16, 1953. In 1959, the engine was replaced with a Percy engine producing 45 hp (34 kW), and the designation was changed to CP-41.
Evolution and Later Variants
Two more aircraft were assembled from a set of drawings and differed mainly in their power plants. In August 1970, the CP-401 (F-POIU) took off with a four-cylinder air-cooled Continental A65 engine producing 65 hp (48 kW). In 1977, it was reconfigured into a CP-402 with a Rectimo engine of 40 hp (30 kW).
The second CP-402 (F-PRAK) was completed in 1992 with a 1.6-liter Volkswagen engine producing 45 hp (34 kW). This aircraft flew until the mid-2010s.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | CP-40 |
| Wingspan, m | 7.20 |
| Length, m | 5.00 |
| Wing area, m2 | 10.00 |
| Empty weight | 196 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 400 |
| Fuel, l | 35 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Volkswagen |
| Power, hp | 1 x 25 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 190 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 110 |
| Practical range, km | 440 |
| Rate of climb, m/min | 78 |
| Service ceiling, m | 2200 |
| Max. operational load | 3.8 |
| Crew, crew | 1 |
Image gallery of the Piel CP-40 Donald
