Builder Notes

You know, there are just a few basic rules. If they are followed, there is no problem, if they are not, anything can happen.

RULE 3. Minimum vertical distance between the two wings, stick full aft : 1/4 of one wing chord

RULE 4. Front wing incidence never negative. May vary between 0 degree and + 12 degrees

RULE 7. The prop/engine axis may have to be fine tuned after the first flight.

Some thoughts about a "Cosandy" flap that is incorporated into the rear wing as a correction to the design in the early 30's.. Some builders like it, some do not. Some builders build them in and then find it unnecessary after flight testing their POU.

The answer is simple. On a well balanced Pou (CG in the right place) with the right wings incidences and A REFLEX AIRFOIL, there is no need for a "Cosandy" flap, in the opinion of Rodolphe GRUNBERG and Paul PONTOIS.

Paul PONTOIS tells the new builder:

You are right to start with a HM-293 (Henri Mignet version, redesigned and updated by Grunberg) or a HM-360 (Henri Mignet original version revised by Pierre Mignet).

Do not try to make your own Pou without previous building and flight experience on one of these great classics. Hundreds of them have been flown. If, afterwards, you want to change the shape of the fuselage, always keep what is crucial, that is, the original weight and balance, the wings areas, the wings incidences, the horizontal and vertical distances between the two wings.

Do not use old plans (in French or in English) of the HM-290 or 360. They are not updated.

From Michel D'ESCATHA March 12, 2001

For the HM FLYING FLEA enthusiasts who may not know from the previous literature, Raymond BUCKLAND's POU REVIEW and elsewhere,

It is VERY IMPORTANT to know that the CENTER OF GRAVITY location must be at 23% to 26% of the distance between the fore-wing's leading edge to the back-wing's trailing edge, with the craft ready to fly with full gas tank and the pilot aboard.

For all the original plans for HM14, HM16, HM18, HM290, HM293 and for two seat craft HM380, HM381, HM382, HM390 as shown in the joined original HM design of his several editions of his book "LE SPORT DE L'AIR".

The 23012 airfoil is obsolete.

You have to use the 23112 or the 34013. Why? because you must have a center of lift which does not move when the incidence angle varies.

With these modern airfoils, you do not need any flap on the rear wing.

The Flying-Flea formula does not stall and does not spin. You can pull the stick full aft, engine at idle or stopped without stalling. It is what is called a parachutal descent. During this descent you can keep a total lateral control. The Pou behaves like a real parachute.

Is the FLYING-FLEA a dangerous aircraft ?

In 1935/36, several hundreds of HM-14, the first Flying-Flea designed
by Henri Mignet, and which had made its first flight in 1934, had been
built and flown.. It was the beginning of the Pou movement in France
and in Europe and a revolution in the aviation world.

About 10 of these pioneers died in fatal crashes.

These accidents were caused mostly by the lack of conformity with the
original plans, but also by the non respect of the correct weight and
balance, as builders found out that a center of gravity moved to the
rear made take-offs shorter for underpowered HM-14s. This could cause
the Poux become unstable and dive when flown at high speed.

Mignet took immediately care of the problem and tunnel tests with full
size aircraft were made. Modifications were brought about to the plans
to make these unrecoverable dives impossible. Since then, the
Flying-Flea certainly is the safest and easiest to fly aircraft in the
world because of its outstanding qualities and its non stall and spin
characteristics, while conventional aircraft keep stalling and killing
their pilots with impunity when their engines fail.

Nevertheless, these accidents were exploited at the time by the
conventional (and wealthy) pilots who were frustrated to see so many
homebuilt aircraft flying from "their" airfields. Such was the social
climate in the 30's in France.

70 years after, the reputation of the Flying-Flea still suffers from
this campaign.

Paul PONTOIS
1890 Rang des chutes,
STE-URSULE (Quebec)
CANADA J0K 3M0
email: pontois@mail.atou.qc.ca

HM293 FRED BYRON has some revised and additional information for his HM293 plans. Please contact him.

HM14 Plans from the 1935 English translation have been updated for changes and improvements. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THESE CHANGES.

French newsletters
Rudolphe GRUNBERG
47310 Roquefort
France
Tel: 05 53 96 77 90
L'amateur Formule Mignet

American newsletter in English
POU RENEW
c/o Independent Register
PO Box 255
Brodhead, WI 53520-0255

HM290 plans. Beautiful hand-drawn, artistic and historical 1946 single sheet drawing of Henri Mignet's HM290 in French with English translation sheets. $5.00 Mr. Del Cross 6600 Jefferson Blvd. Groves, TX 77619

HM290/3, HM360, HM380 plans in English, material, parts, kits Chris B. Falconar
Falconar Avia Inc.
11343-104 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
CANADA T5C-2K7
email falconar@tic.ab.ca

HM293 plans in English
Fred Byron
17 Frances Ave
Wollongbar 2477, NSW
AUSTRALIA
Ph+61 2 66281932
Fax +61 2 66281774

MIGNET factory in France
WEB http://www.percival.fr/mignet/
MIGNET AVIATION
14, rue Henry Mignet
17600 SAINT-ROMAIN-DE-BENET
FRANCE
tél: 33.(0)5.46.02.26.00 - Fax: 33.(0)5.46.02.85.85 Email Avions.Mignet@free.fr

BUTTERFLY information
Guy FRANCOIS
c/o STIMART
2 rue de la Tombe
B-6032 Mont sur Marchienne
BELGIUM
email ardifr@belgacom.net

HM14, HM160, HM293 plans in English, notes, materials FLYING FLEA ARCHIVE USA
P.O. Box 892, Wooster, Ohio
44691-0892, USA
Raymond Buckland

HM293 Rodolphe GRUNBERG plans in French with English translation from Paul PONTOIS

70 US dollars + 8 for mailing
1890 Rang des Chutes-Sainte Ursule
Quebec-J0K3M0-CANADA
Phone 819-228-3159
Fax 819-228-4138
email: pontois@mail.atou.qc.ca

HM-360/380 plans in French
The most complete and thourough
plans I ever saw. I forgot the price, but
it is cheap Plans for Pierre MIGNET

Available Now the Following on CD-ROM
HM14 with mod instructions to upgrade to HM14e. HM8 Plans in French .
HM16 Bebe in English.
HM290/293 in English.
HM297 Fuselage Drawing's in English. All the Above$50.00 Australian each. Plus $10.00 Australian each postage

Address your Money Order to.
Mr Bob Cornwell
90 Station St
Weston 2326
NSW
AUSTRALIA
ozflea@bigpond.com.au

Le but de cette associaion estde regrouper les personnes qui adhèrent au concept du vol économique par la construction et la diffusion des machines volantes dont la structure principale est constituée d'échelles en aluminium afin de rendre abordable le vol ultra léger, libre ou motorisé.

PLANS: Plans du POUCHEL : 500 Francs (uniquement pour les membres de l'association ; port compris)

Nous contacter :
APEV- c/o Daniel DALBY
11 cours Albéric Laurent
13790 PEYNIER
FRANCE