Roland Nicolas Payen
PA-22
The Payen PA‑22, conceived by French aeronautical engineer Roland Nicolas Payen in the early 1950s, was an experimental light aircraft that embodied his radical approach to aerodynamics and structural efficiency. Development began in 1951 at the Payen Aeronautic Works in Paris, driven by Payen’s interest in blending the low‑drag advantages of a swept‑wing planform with the simplicity of a conventional wooden‑fabric construction. The PA‑22 featured a slender, twin‑boom fuselage, a pusher propeller mounted behind the rear wing, and an all‑metal, cantilever wing with a 30‑degree sweep, giving the aircraft a distinctive, sleek silhouette. Powered by a 115 hp Lycoming O‑235 engine, the prototype achieved a maximum speed of 215 km/h and a range of 950 km, impressive for a plane of its weight class. Only three examples were built, each serving as a testbed for novel control surface arrangements, including differential spoilers that replaced traditional ailerons. Although the PA‑22 never entered series production, its experimental data contributed to the design of later French jet trainers and influenced the adoption of pusher configurations in light sport aircraft. The PA‑22 remains a celebrated example of post‑war ingenuity, illustrating Payen’s lasting impact on innovative aircraft design.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 1
- First Flight
- 1941