Lafay Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | |
|---|---|
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | Brazil |
| Manufacturer | Lage & Irmãos |
| Designer | Louis Etienne Lafay |
| First flight | 18 May 1920 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Rio de Janeiro was a Brazilian single-engine, biplane utility aircraft.[1][2][3][4]
Design and development
[edit]It was based on the Caudron G.3. Built almost entirely of wood and canvas, it had three seats.[1] It has a Gnome et Rhône engine, of the push–pull configuration, with a fixed pitch propeller made of wood.[1] The reinforced landing gear included four wheels and two fixed skids, with a rear skid. It was nicknamed Cochon (in English: Hog).[5]
Operational history
[edit]First flew daily, since the first flight, and was maintained without any changes, which proved its safety. Moreover, since its departure from the Lage & Irmãos workshops, it had already transported 200 passengers and made a Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo air bridge trip. Another important factor is that with two passengers on board, it reached an altitude of 2000 meters in 22 minutes.[6]
Specifications
[edit]Data from Pereira (1986)[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 3
- Length: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
- Upper wingspan: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 25 m2 (270 sq ft)
- Powerplant: 1 × Gnome Λ80 Lambda 7-cylinder rotary engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
- Propellers: 2 fixed-pitch propeller-bladed
Performance
- Service ceiling: 2,200 m (7,200 ft)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Pereira, Roberto (1986). História da Construção Aeronáutica no Brasil 1910-1976. Vol. 1. São Paulo: Editora Aquarius. p. 16. ISBN 9788585262693.
- ^ "O Avião Nacional" [The National Aircraft]. Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro. 19 May 1920. Retrieved 14 Mar 2022.
- ^ "O Aeroplano Construido Pelo Capitão Lafay" [The Airplane Built by Captain Lafay]. A Noite (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 1920. Retrieved 14 Mar 2022.
- ^ "No Campo dos Affonsos" [At Campo dos Affonsos]. Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro. 19 May 1920. Retrieved 16 Mar 2022.
- ^ "Um Avião Quasi Todo de Material Nosso" [An Airplane Almost All of Our Own Material]. Correio da Manhã (Brazil) (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 Apr 1920. Retrieved 14 Mar 2022.
- ^ "Os Progressos da Aviação Nacional" [The Advances in National Aviation]. Gazeta de Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro. 12 May 1920. Retrieved 16 Mar 2022.
Further reading
[edit]- Susana Alexandria, 1910 - O Primeiro Voo do Brasil, Ed. Aleph, São Paulo, 2010. ISBN 978-85-7657-095-0.