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Fauvel AV.222
 AV.222
After having designed and flown the AV-221, Charles Fauvel developed a version for amateur construction, the AV-222. Lighter and of a less complex structure, this flying wing could be disassembled into three sections (the center section had no dihedral). It had a laminar airfoil (optional, or the more conventional Fauvel airfoil), and could be equipped with a choice of a classic landing gear or a mono-gear - a non-retractable monowheel from a Piper Cub in a large under-fuselage fairing supplemented by outrigger wheels under the wings and a small steerable tailwheel. Tthe last being the recommended one because it is lighter, more economical to fabricate and easier to install, and a single fin and rudder. The craft mounted either a Rectimo engine (40 HP), Limbach (60 HP) of Volkswagen origin, or the 2-cycle Rotax. The Rectimo and Limbach engines drive a two-blade fixed-pitch wooden propeller of 3ft 5.25in diameter. Fuel tanks could contain up to 30 liters (with 45 as an option).
The AV 222 was fitted with a conventional landing gear with twin main wheels to improve handling over rough ground; this new undercarriage consisted of cantilever self sprung laminated glassfibre legs and Duruble wheels with hydraulic brakes and streamlined wheel fairings. With the new undercarriage a larger dorsal fin was fitted to compensate for the smaller side area of the spats compared to the monowheel fairing.
In February 1971 M Fauvel decided to end the commercial production of his sailplanes, but plans of the AV 222 were available for amateur constructors, who were building examples of this version in France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA.
Several sets of AV-222 plans were sold in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom and in the United States. The first AV-222 flying wing, constructed by Hans Martinson and registered SE-XSL, flew in Sweden in May 1992, while several other construction projects are pursued in France, Germany and in the United States.
AV 222
Engine: Limbach, 45 kW / 60 hp
Span: 53 ft 9.75 in / 16.4 m
Length: 17 ft 1.5 in / 4.95 m
Wing area: 247.6 sq ft / 23.05 sq.m
Airfoil: Fauvel F2 17%
Aspect ratio: 12
Empty weight: 716 lb / 350 kg
Max weight: 1,212 lb / 650 kg
Water ballast: None
Max wing loading: 23.91 kg/sq.m / 4.89 lb/sq ft
Min sinking speed: 2.85 ft/sec / 0.87 m/sec at 46 mph / 40 kt / 74 km/h
Best glide ratio: 26:1 at 53 mph / 46 kt / 85 km/h
Max. speed: 210 km/h
Stalling speed: 40 kt / 74 km/h
Take-off run: 361 ft / 110m
Rate of climb at sea level: 591 ft/min / 180 m/min
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