Piel CP-40 Donald

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