CORLEY STORY
At the time of its introduction the gross weight limit was 1050 lbs.
The Toucan is a wonderful virtually unknown airplane. There are not many centerline planes period.
It was designed and developed by Peter Corley.
On another page Bob Chapman, a colleague, gives a fine description of his previous flying and work with earlier machines.
The current two flying Toucans by Canaero have differences that Wikipedia does not alude to since their data is dated.
That is fine and as a history grad they are accurate, BTW that was then and this is now, where the rubber hits the tarmac.
The basic difference in the two flying versions are their two Rotax 503 engines. Though each plane has several differences in length and control surfaces. Having flown both I do not see any different major performance envelope.
Basically, these are twin, centerline, two place, light planes, with STOL like characteristics. They have twin booms, which give them a slight resemblace to the larger "Skymaster"
Unlike some STOL planes that depend on their power to perform the Toucans climb and glide safe due to the wing design. There are always trade-offs. They are really gentle flyers.
There are two other known and potentially flyable Toucans in existance, plus a third hanging in an aviation museum in Edmonton, Canada.
(In many instances you will see "toucan2plus2" it is only a moniker to isolate this plane from others and their fine feathered friends on the web.)
These Toucan models by "Canaero/Novadyne" deserve more exposure. [It is now 2015 a third one is being rebuilt.]
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But we were at the right place at the right time.
I have flown a lot less and a lot later in life than most, that said,
there have been many wonderful moments. My next thoughts are not
a sales pitch, rather a PASSION.
In the first few years of flying the Toucan, no flight deserves more
noteworthy recall than this:
Flying five miles north of the airport and descending from 4000'
the front engine suddenly stopped. A quick attempt to restart failed.
I called a Pan, Pan, Pan, engine out etc. requesting a straight in
to CYEL. An Ontario OPP police chopper had taken off and escorted
me back. Thank you very much.
Peter Bonnel made a long cross counrty flight on one engine.
They may seem like an odd plane to some, but your odds of survival
are far superior.
Thank you Toucan !