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The Piel CP.70 Beryl is a French twin-seat, single-engine sport aircraft designed by Claude Piel. It was first flown in France in the 1960s and marketed for amateur construction.[1][2]

Piel CP.70 Beryl
The prototype CP.70 Beryl F-PMEQ at Beynes-Thiverval airfield near Beynes, Yvelines near Paris in August 1965
Role	Sport aircraft Type of aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Homebuilt
Designer	Claude Piel
First flight	ca. 1965
Status	in current operation
Primary user	private pilot owners

Design and development

Designed by Claude Piel, the Beryl uses the same wing design as the Piel Emeraude but with a new fuselage, exchanging the Emeraude's side-by-side configuration seating for seating in tandem. As originally designed, the aircraft is fitted with fixed, tricycle undercarriage with a steerable nosewheel. Construction throughout is of doped fabric-covered wood.[2][3][4]

An aerobatic version, designated the CP.750 was also developed. This differs from the basic CP.70 in having a reduced wingspan, fixed tailwheel undercarriage and a slightly longer fuselage. It retains the CP.70's wooden wings, but the fuselage is built of welded steel tube and still covered in fabric.[3]

Operational history

The Beryl has been homebuilt by amateur constructors and in 2009 there were still four examples active on the French civil aircraft register. The prototype F-PMEQ, completed in 1965 with tricycle undercarriage, was still active in 2014 modified as a CP.703 with tail-wheel undercarriage. Examples of the design have also been completed in Brazil and the United States.

Variants

CP.70

Standard variant for homebuilding powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A65-8F or 118 hp (88 kW) Lycoming O-235 engine.[1][4]

CP.750

a CP-70 with 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine with a reduced wingspan, fixed tailwheel undercarriage, and a slightly longer fuselage.[3]

CP.751

CP-750 with 200 hp Lycoming O-360-A2A engine.[5]

Specifications (CP.70)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78, p.496

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
• Height: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 10.9 m² (117 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 320 kg (700 lb)
• Gross weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65-8F , 49 kW (65 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 95 kn)
• Range: 600 km (372 mi, 323 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,850 ft)

Notes

References

• "French homebuilts gather at RSA rally". Flight International: 545. 22 August 1981. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
• Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Publishing.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.

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