Aubert Cigale

{{short description|Family of high-wing cabin monoplanes}}  {{Infobox aircraft |name=Cigale |image=Aubert PA-20 photo L'Aerophile May 1938.jpg |caption= |type= |manufacturer=Aubert Aviation |designer=Paul Aubert |first_flight=25 February 1938 |introduction= |retired= |status= |primary_user= |more_users= |produced= |number_built=ca. 35 |variants= }}

The '''Aubert PA-20 Cigale''' ({{langx|en|Cicada}}), '''PA-204 Cigale Major''' and '''PA-205 Super Cigale''' were a family of high-wing cabin monoplanes built in France in the years immediately before and immediately after World War II. The original Cigale was shown at the 1938 Paris Salon but its development was interrupted by the War. The Cigale was a high wing cantilever monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed, tailwheel undercarriage.

==Development== The original two-seat '''PA-20 Cigale''' first flew in 1938 powered by a Train 6T. Various refinements were made, including a change to a Renault 4Pei engine, and the aircraft was redesignated '''PA-201 Cigale'''. This original aircraft was destroyed during the course of World War II, but in 1945, Paul Aubert returned to the design, building another aircraft to the PA-201 standard. This went on to prove highly successful when flown competitively in 1945 and 1946. Aubert further modified his design into a four-seater, flying the '''PA-204 Cigale Major''' on 21 April 1947, and soon building a second example to this standard.

One of the PA-204s was subsequently re-engined first with a SNECMA 4L in 1951 ('''PA-204S'''), and then with a Lycoming O-290-D2B ('''PA-204L''') in 1955 and a Lycoming O-320 in 1956 ('''PA-205 Super Cigale'''). With this engine, Aubert was finally satisfied with the design and built around thirty production examples, eight of which went to Aéroclub Air France.

==Variants== ;PA-20 Cigale :Pre-war prototype two-seat trainer.<ref name="orbis" /> ;PA-201 Cigale :Post-war development.<ref name="orbis" /> ;PA-204 Cigale-Major :Improved four-seat variant with a Renault 4Pei inverted inline engine. Prototype flew in 1949, with production from 1954.<ref name="orbis" /><ref name="jawa55 p131">Bridgman 1955, p. 131.</ref> ;PA-204S Super Cigale :Further developed with a Régnier 4L02 engine.<ref name="orbis" /> ;PA-204L Super Cigale :Final production variant with an Avro Lycoming engine with a range of power output between 135 and 180 hp.<ref name="orbis" />

==Specifications (PA-204L)== thumb|Aubert PA-20 3-view drawing from L'Aerophile May 1938 {{Aircraft specs |ref=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft,<ref name="orbis">{{cite book |title=The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft |publisher=Orbis Publications |location=London |date=1985 |page=320}}</ref><ref name=JAWA58-59>{{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59 |editor1-last=Bridgman |editor1-first=Leonard |year=1957 |publisher=Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. |location=London |page=142}}</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=1 |capacity=3 passengers |length m=7.50 |length note= |span m=10.00 |span note= |height m=2.40 |height note= |wing area sqm=12.90 |aspect ratio=7.8 |airfoil= |empty weight kg=640 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=1250 |max takeoff weight note= |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Lycoming O-320 |eng1 type=flat-four piston engine |eng1 hp=150 |eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Hartzell constant-speed propeller |prop dia m= |prop note=

|max speed kmh=255 |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh=230 |cruise speed note=70% power *'''Landing speed:''' {{cvt|90|km/h|mph kn}} |range km=1880 |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=4500 |ceiling note= |climb rate ms=4.5 |climb rate note=at sea level |more performance=<br/> *'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|230|m|0}} *'''Landing run:''' {{cvt|120|m|0}} *'''Fuel consumption:''' {{cvt|32|L/h|USgal/h impgal/h|0}} |avionics= }}

==References== {{Commons category|Aubert PA-20 Cigale}}{{reflist}}

* {{cite book|last=Bridgman|first=Leonard|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56|year=1955|publisher=The McGraw-Hill Book Company|location=New York}} * {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=83 }} * {{cite book |title=World Aircraft Information Files |publisher=Bright Star Publishing|location=London |pages=File 889 Sheet 83}} *{{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing}}

==External links== * [http://www.aviafrance.com/constructeur.php?ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=124 An overview]

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Category:1930s French civil utility aircraft Cigale Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1938