La Mouette
 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Gérard Thevenot and Jean-Marc Thevenot |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Hang gliders, ultralight trikes, paramotors, paragliders, powered parachutes |
| Divisions | Helite |
| Website | www.lamouette.com |
La Mouette (English: Seagull) is a French aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Fontaine-lès-Dijon. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of hang gliders, paragliders and ultralight trikes. At one time they also produced paramotors.[1][2][3]
Founded in 1974 by brothers Gérard Thevenot and Jean-Marc Thevenot, the company was formed to produce versions of the American Seagull hang glider. Their glider was named La Mouette, after which the company was named. In 1979 they produced the La Mouette Atlas which remained in production through 2012 and of which there are over 8000 examples flying.[4]
In 1986 the company started building paramotors and in 1995 introduced the "topless" hang glider, deleting the kingpost and upper flying wires.[4]
In 2010-11 the company developed an electric aircraft, the Samson.[5]
The company also built a rigid wing hang glider, the Tsunami and a powered parachute, the Skydancer under the brand Helite. Helite is today a company that specializes in air bag designs.[1][6]
Aircraft[edit]
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | 1979 | more than 8000 | hang glider |
| Profil | hang glider | ||
| Hermes | hang glider | ||
| Racer | hang glider | ||
| Sphinx | hang glider | ||
| Top Model | hang glider | ||
| Topless | 1995 | hang glider | |
| Top Secret | hang glider | ||
| Helite Tsunami | rigid wing hang glider | ||
| Cosmos | ultralight trike | ||
| O2B | ultralight trike | ||
| Revo | ultralight trike | ||
| Samson | ultralight trike | ||
| Skybike | paramotor | ||
| SR 210 | mid-2000s | paramotor | |
| ZR 250 | mid-2000s | paramotor | |
| Helite Skydancer | powered parachute |
References[edit]
- ^ a b Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, pages 45-46 and 82. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page D-27. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
- ^ Downey, Julia: 2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 52. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
- ^ a b La Mouette (n.d.). "History". Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 216. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ "Helite airbag technology expert for sports with high accident rate". helite.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.