Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft
Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft Group · United Kingdom · first flew 1971 · glider
The Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft, also known as Dumbo and later Mercury, is a British single-seat man-powered aircraft built and flown by members of the Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft Group.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Very long low wing of 36.69 m span covered in Melinex
- Pilot in an enclosed cockpit pedalling bicycle pedals
- Two-bladed balsa pusher propeller and tandem bicycle-wheel landing gear
An aircraft with an enormous low cantilever wing and a small fuselage of aluminium tube, balsa and Melinex. The pilot pedals to turn a pusher propeller.
Specifications
- The Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 36.69 m (120 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 25.5 km/h (16 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The group formed in late 1967 with members from the British Aircraft Corporation factory and the local Royal Aeronautical Society chapter. Construction began in 1968, and the aircraft was assembled at Wisley and flown for the first time from Weybridge on 18 September 1971.
Variants
Only one was built. It was renamed Mercury when it passed to another group at RAF Cranwell.
Where you'll see it
Christopher Lovell flew it a distance of 46 metres at a height of 3 ft (0.9 m). Only two flights were made at Weybridge.
Related aircraft
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