The SPCA Météore 63 (French for "Meteor") was a flying boat built in France in the 1920s for use as an airliner.[1] It was the first product of the SPCA company (Société Provençale de Constructions Aéronautiques), founded by Laurent-Dominique Santoni when he left CAMS in 1925.[5]
The Météore was a conventional biplane design for its day, with single-bay wings of unequal span braced with struts and wire.[4][6] The lower wing was mounted to the top of the aircraft's hull, with trusswork above it that carried three engines mounted tractor-fashion in the interplane gap.[4][6] The lower wing also carried outrigger pontoons near its tips.[4][6] The empennage was of conventional design, with the stabilizer carried part-way up the fin.[4][6] The flight deck was open but the separate cabin, with seating for six passengers, was fully enclosed within the hull and electrically heated.[6] The structure was of timber throughout except for the struts that carried the engines, which were steel tube.[6] The wings were covered in fabric.[6]
Operational historyEdit
In 1926, SPCA entered a Météore in a competition for transport seaplanes organised by the French Undersecretariat for Aeronautics,[6] the Grand Prix des Hydravions de Transport Multimoteurs (Grand Prize of multi-engine transport seaplanes).[4] Piloted by Ernest Burri, the Météore won first place and a FF 100,000 prize.[7] It was also the first French transport seaplane to which Bureau Veritas awarded a first-class airworthiness certificate.[6] The same year, Lignes Aériennes Latécoère trialled the type on a mail route between Marsailles and Algiers,[6] the first trip taking place on 22 October.[4]
Because of the Météore's long range, Air Union Lignes d’Orient (AULO) ordered an example in January 1927.[4][8] In October that year, Maurice Noguès flew it from Marsailles to Beirut but crashed and sank off Naples during the return journey.[4][8] Nevertheless, AULO purchased a second example in May 1928, and with this aircraft inaugurated a regular service between the two cities on 6 June 1929.[8] On 17 February 1931, the Météore also established the Paris–Saigon route for Air Orient, which had been formed by a merger of AULO and Air Asie the previous year. Over its lifespan, the Météore covered 100,000 km (62,000 mi).[4]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SPCA Météore 63.
l'Association des Amis du Vieux La Ciotat. "La SPCA". Le Musée de l' Association des Amis du Vieux La Ciotat. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
"French Competition for Transport Seaplanes". Flight: 491. 12 August 1926. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
Hartmann, Gérard (2000). (PDF). Dossiers historiques et techniques aéronautique française. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-11-05. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
Liron, Jean (June 1989). "Les SPCA: Le Météore 63 et Le SPCA I type 10". Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 235. pp. 19–28.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
"The Paris Aero Show 1926". Flight: 775–91. 2 December 1926. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
Parmentier, Bruno (1998). "S.P.C.A. 'Météore' 63". Aviafrance. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
October 20, 2023
spca, météore, french, meteor, flying, boat, built, france, 1920s, airliner, first, product, spca, company, société, provençale, constructions, aéronautiques, founded, laurent, dominique, santoni, when, left, cams, 1925, météore, 63role, airliner, national, or. The SPCA Meteore 63 French for Meteor was a flying boat built in France in the 1920s for use as an airliner 1 It was the first product of the SPCA company Societe Provencale de Constructions Aeronautiques founded by Laurent Dominique Santoni when he left CAMS in 1925 5 Meteore 63Role Airliner 1 National origin FranceManufacturer SPCAFirst flight 3 September 1925 1 Primary user Air Union Lignes d Orient 2 3 4 Number built 3 1 Contents 1 Design 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Specifications 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesDesign EditThe Meteore was a conventional biplane design for its day with single bay wings of unequal span braced with struts and wire 4 6 The lower wing was mounted to the top of the aircraft s hull with trusswork above it that carried three engines mounted tractor fashion in the interplane gap 4 6 The lower wing also carried outrigger pontoons near its tips 4 6 The empennage was of conventional design with the stabilizer carried part way up the fin 4 6 The flight deck was open but the separate cabin with seating for six passengers was fully enclosed within the hull and electrically heated 6 The structure was of timber throughout except for the struts that carried the engines which were steel tube 6 The wings were covered in fabric 6 Operational history EditIn 1926 SPCA entered a Meteore in a competition for transport seaplanes organised by the French Undersecretariat for Aeronautics 6 the Grand Prix des Hydravions de Transport Multimoteurs Grand Prize of multi engine transport seaplanes 4 Piloted by Ernest Burri the Meteore won first place and a FF 100 000 prize 7 It was also the first French transport seaplane to which Bureau Veritas awarded a first class airworthiness certificate 6 The same year Lignes Aeriennes Latecoere trialled the type on a mail route between Marsailles and Algiers 6 the first trip taking place on 22 October 4 Because of the Meteore s long range Air Union Lignes d Orient AULO ordered an example in January 1927 4 8 In October that year Maurice Nogues flew it from Marsailles to Beirut but crashed and sank off Naples during the return journey 4 8 Nevertheless AULO purchased a second example in May 1928 and with this aircraft inaugurated a regular service between the two cities on 6 June 1929 8 On 17 February 1931 the Meteore also established the Paris Saigon route for Air Orient which had been formed by a merger of AULO and Air Asie the previous year Over its lifespan the Meteore covered 100 000 km 62 000 mi 4 Operators EditLignes Aeriennes Latecoere Air Union Lignes d OrientSpecifications Edit nbsp SPCA 63 3 view drawing from NACA Aircraft Circular No 41Data from Parmentier 1998General characteristicsCapacity six passengers Length 13 05 m 42 ft 10 in Wingspan 21 20 m 69 ft 4 in Height 5 21 m 17 ft 1 in Wing area 103 0 m2 1 108 sq ft Empty weight 3 400 kg 7 480 lb Gross weight 5 200 kg 9 240 lb Powerplant 3 Hispano Suiza 8Ac 130 kW 180 hp eachPerformance Maximum speed 167 km h 104 mph 90 kn Range 970 km 606 mi 527 nmi Service ceiling 4 500 m 14 800 ft See also EditRelated lists List of flying boats and floatplanesNotes Edit a b c d Parmentier 1998 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft p 2860 Taylor 1989 p 835 a b c d e f g h i j L Association des Amis du Vieux La Ciotat Hartmann 2004 p 8 a b c d e f g h i j The Paris Aero Show 1926 p 788 French Competition for Transport Seaplanes p 491 a b c Hartmann 2000 p 6References Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to SPCA Meteore 63 l Association des Amis du Vieux La Ciotat La SPCA Le Musee de l Association des Amis du Vieux La Ciotat Retrieved 2011 03 03 French Competition for Transport Seaplanes Flight 491 12 August 1926 Retrieved 2011 03 03 Hartmann Gerard 2000 Les hydravions FBA d Air Union PDF Dossiers historiques et techniques aeronautique francaise Archived from the original PDF on 2004 11 05 Retrieved 2011 03 03 Hartmann Gerard 2004 Les hydravions CAMS PDF Dossiers historiques et techniques aeronautique francaise Retrieved 2011 03 03 Liron Jean June 1989 Les SPCA Le Meteore 63 et Le SPCA I type 10 Le Fana de l Aviation in French No 235 pp 19 28 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft London Aerospace Publishing The Paris Aero Show 1926 Flight 775 91 2 December 1926 Retrieved 2011 03 03 Parmentier Bruno 1998 S P C A Meteore 63 Aviafrance Retrieved 2011 03 03 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SPCA Meteore 63 amp oldid 1176736167, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
