Cri-Cri

[JamesTigris]

Hi all,

I was at Kemble the other week for the Vintage Flying Weekend (highly recommended by the way!) and saw an absolutly amazing aircraft (which must have been classed as a microlight) called a Cri-Cri.

It was a very small single-seater with two single cylinder engines mounted on individual 'pylons' the front.

Does anyone else out there operate this type of aircraft?? I would be very interested to hear from you as they're astonishing aircraft!

-JT

[Lightning6]

An exciting aircraft indeed, it's been around a few years now, some interesting reading here:-

Colomban Cri-cri - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Lightning6]

YouTube video here:-

YouTube - World's Smallest Twin

[hatzflyer]

Its not a microlite, just because its small don't make it a microlite.There are defined criteria which include wing area/loading etc to qualify as a microlite.
It is an approved design in this country and comes under the LAA.
There is at least one flying in France with 2 jet engines.( the design is very popular over there!

[shortstripper]

They've been around for years and look great fun. I'm pretty sure they're not classed as microlights though. However, I'm also pretty sure they're classed as SEP despite the two engines.

Discussed many times on here if you do a search.

SS

[Rod1]

It is not a micro, but it is extremely aerobatic. Have a look at;

www.dynaero.com

Rod1

[Tinstaafl]

How could it be classed as SEP?

[PBY]

In Canada, you can log the time as normal multi-engine hours.

[k12479]

How could it be classed as SEP?

Because it has centerline thrust, or close to, a bit like the Cessna 337 which is also treated slightly differently than normal twins?

[Tinstaafl]

Even a C337 is logged in the multi column. Centerline thrust or asymmetric thrust is irrelevent for logging purposes, only for the type of training needed before you're allowed to fly the thing. Many other aircraft have closely mounted engines within the fuselage or otherwise near the centerline.

To carry it to silly extremes, how would you log something like an Electric Lightning? It most certainly has more than one engine (Two big f**kers, in fact), but mounted one above the other.


Anyway, I'd love to own a Cri-cri. What a great little runabout. I wonder if I could get one IFR approved? In the US, that is. Maybe install a glass panel with integrated solid state gyros to save weight. Or a Garmin 430 for a nav/com

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

I've flown the Cri-Cri, and logged it as Multi engine time, but then I have an MEP rating. Its a superb little aeroplane, and a shame there's not more around.

[wet wet wet]

Will the Cri-Cri fly at all on one engine? If not then the only thing to do in the event of an engine failure is to land. So maybe you can fly it on a SEP rating since asymmetric flight is not an option.

[LH2]

Sep / Mep

This has been discussed before. In any event, it probably depends on which jurisdiction you consider.

In France, it is considered a single engine plane, which according to extrapolation from my very rudimentary Norwegian supplemented with lots of imagination, this Swedish page appears to confirm:

Behöver man ME-behörighet för att få flyga det?
Nej, inte i Frankrike i alla fall. Avståndet mellan motorerna är litet, så det betraktas som enmotorigt. Eftersom planet fortfarande är Franskregistrerat är det deras certifikatregler som gäller, och därför kan jag flyga det på SEP. Svenska Luftfartsstyrelsen kommer utvärdera om det behövs ME när planet väl svenskregistreras.

So the trick for those looking for cheap ME hours would be to hire a C-reg cri-cri

[Lightning6]

For those that don't read Swedish, here's a Google translation :-

Do you need ME permission to get to fly it?
No, not in France anyway. The distance between the engines are small, so it is considered as single-engine. Since the planet is still French Registered, it is their certificates rules that apply, and therefore I can fly it on the SEP. Swedish Civil Aviation Administration will assess the need for ME when the plane well Swede recorded.

[SNS3Guppy]

I've wanted a cri-cri since they were first introduced...and one of these years...

A goofy looking little airplane, I've always been impressed that it can do what it does on such little engines and propellers. Sort of like watching an F-117...that it flies at all is somehow just a very neat thing.

If you do a little digging on the web, you'll find some video of one flying with small model airplane turbojet engines.

I couldn't care less about logging the time, but it looks like a lot of fun to fly.

It also looks like it might get very hot in the cockpit in the summer.

[2hotwot]

I saw one of the first ones at Cranfield PFA Rally some years back. Very impressive. I was impressed when it leapt into the air and roared past the crowd. Amazed when it rolled inverted and stunned when it completed an outside loop. After landing three people picked it up and carried it back to the aircraft park.
Plenty of people started building them but very few flew. What was the problem, anyone?

[vanHorck]

There was one based at Fowlmere many years ago, I seem to remember it had an open cockpit but I am not sure.

I thought it was scary being so tiny but at the same time fascinating.

How many are registered in the UK?

[kevmusic]

I've seen them displayed at the Biggin Air Fair (and elsewhere) time out of mind. Great little planes.

[airborne_artist]

There are eight on G-Info, but only G-SHOG is shown as having a current permit.

[mike172]

I seem to remember reading that it flew very well on one engine.