Caudron C.109

C.109
Caudron C.109 F-PFLN airworthy at Mitry-Mory airfield near Paris in May 1957
Role	Utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Caudron
First flight	May 1925
Number built	24

The Caudron C.109 was a light utility aircraft built in France in the late 1920s.

Design and development

The C.109 was a parasol-winged braced monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed tailskid undercarriage. The pilot and single passenger sat in tandem open cockpits. C.109s were used in a number of record attempts of the day, and were used to set distance records in the under 350 kg class of 868 km on 19 May 1927 (piloted by Juste Thoret), and 1,581 km on 27 October 1927 (piloted by Max Knipping), a women's duration record of 26 hours 47 minutes on 27 July 1929 (piloted by Maryse Bastié), and the first crossing of Mediterranee by a woman, Lena Bernstein (19 August 1929), 2268 km.

Variants

The Caudron C.110, C.112, C.113, C.114, C.116, and C.117 differed from the C.109 chiefly in the choice of engine.^[1][2]

Survivors

At least one aircraft survived to fly postwar, F-PFLN, F-AIQI prewar, being airworthy at Mitry-Mory airfield near Paris in 1957. This aircraft is held in the collection of the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget but is not currently on public display.

Variants

Caudron C.109

Two-seat light utility aircraft.

Caudron C.109.2

One surviving C.109 was fitted with an 63 kW (85 hp) Salmson 5Aq radial engine.

Caudron C.110

Only two aircraft were built. Fitted with a 45 kW (60 hp) Salmson 5AC radial engine.^[1]

Caudron C.114

Fitted with an Anzani 6-cylinder radial engine.^[1]

Caudron C.117

Fitted with a 45 kW (60 hp) Salmson radial engine.^[2]

Operators

 France

• French Air Force

Specifications (C.109)

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 6.15 m (20 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in)
• Height: 2.27 m (7 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 20.0 m² (216 ft²)
• Empty weight: 328 kg (723 lb)
• Gross weight: 555 kg (1,224 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Salmson 9AD, 30 kW (40 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 126 km/h (78 mph)
• Endurance: 4 hours

References

1. Hauet, André (2001). Les Avions Caudrons 1. Outreau: Lela Presse. p. 204. ISBN 2 914017-08-1.
2. Hauet. Les Avions Caudrons. pp. 208–9.

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 239.
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891 Sheet 14.