Wassmer WA-51 Pacific

WA-51 Pacific
	Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic
Role	Four-seat cabin monoplane
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Société Wassmer
First flight	18 March 1966
Produced	1969–1977
Number built	154

The Wassmer WA-51 Pacific is a French four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Société Wassmer. Different-powered variants include the Wassmer WA-52 Europa and the Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic. It was the world's first composite material-built aircraft.^[1]

Design and development

Having manufactured glass-fibre cowlings for Bébé, D112 and D120 Jodels, increasing number of glass-fibre parts for their Javelot, Bijave and Super-Javelot gliders, and then Super-IV aircraft, in 1966 Wassmer first flew the glass-fibre WA-50 prototype, a single-engined four-seat cabin monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. Originally designed as a three-seater powered by a 115cv Potez engine, engine unavailability at the time resulted in a 150cv Lycoming O-320 being used instead and the aircraft becoming a 4-seater.^[1] Using the same profile as the Super-IV but only 8.6m span, and compensated with large slotted flaps, the wings were formed from two moulded halves and contained two 70 litre fuel tanks.^[1] The fuselage was also manufactured as two halves, and featured butterfly doors.

The design entered production as the WA-51 Pacific with a fixed tricycle landing gear. The low-wing cantilever monoplane was powered by a nose-mounted 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320-E2A piston engine. A variant, powered by a 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming IO-320-B1A was called the WA-52 Europa. Further refinements produced the 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A1LD powered WA-54 Atlantic.

Variants

WA-50: Prototype with retractable landing gear, first flew 22 March 1966, one built, registration F-WNZZ.^[2] Fuselage is color molded with integral leading edge fuel tanks.^[3]
WA-51 Pacific: Production version first flown in 1969 with a 150hp (112kW) Lycoming O-320-E2A engine, 39 built.
WA-52 Europa: As WA-51 with a 160hp (119kW) Lycoming IO-320-B1A engine, 59 built.
WA-53: Proposed variant with a 125hp Lycoming engine, not built.
WA-54 Atlantic: WA-51 with refinements and a 180hp (134kW) Lycoming O-360-A1LD engine, 55 built.

Specifications (WA-54 Atlantic)

3-view line drawing of the Wassmer WA-54

Data from Mondey.

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (pilot)
Capacity: 3 (passengers)
Length: 7.50 m (24 ft 7.25 in)
Wingspan: 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.26 m (7 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 12.40 m² (133.47 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 7.125
Empty weight: 620 kg (1,367 lb)
Gross weight: 1,130 kg (2,491 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360-A1LD , 134 kW (180 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 280 km/h (174 mph, 151 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 260 km/h (162 mph, 141 kn) at 1,675 m (5,500 ft)
Range: 1,340 km (839 mi, 729 nmi)
Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,760 ft)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Battarel 1966
^ Corny. "WA50". historique.wassmer.free.fr. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
^ Fricker, John (October 1966). "Foreign Accent". Flying. Vol. 79, no. 4. p. 31.

Bibliography

Battarel, Michel (1966). Chez Wassmer, l'avion "tout plastique" devient une réalité. Air et Cosmos, 141 pp. 36–38
Mondey, David (1981). Encyclopedia of The World's Commercial and Private Aircraft. New York: Crescent Books. p. 245.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
Simpson, R.W. Airlife's General Aviation. England: Airlife Publishing. p. 336. ISBN 1-85310-194-X.

[Battarel-1] Battarel 1966

[2] Corny. "WA50". historique.wassmer.free.fr. Retrieved 28 February 2018.

[3] Fricker, John (October 1966). "Foreign Accent". Flying. Vol. 79, no. 4. p. 31.

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