Fauvel AV-36

Fauvel AV-36: The Ultimate Garage-Built Flying Wing

The Fauvel AV-36 is not just a classic sailplane; it is a masterclass in minimalist aeronautics. Designed in France by the visionary Charles Fauvel in the 1950s, this iconic tailless glider proved that you don’t need a massive workshop, an unwieldy fuselage, or an enormous budget to experience world-class soaring. With its stubby fuselage pod and sweeping wings, it remains one of the most clever, space-efficient, and accessible homebuilt designs in aviation history.

Why Is It a Legend?

• The Tailless Wonder: By eliminating the conventional tail and long fuselage boom, Charles Fauvel reduced weight, drag, and storage headaches. At barely 10.5 feet (3.2 m) in length, the central pod fits easily into an ordinary single-car garage or a compact trailer.

• Classic Wood-and-Fabric Construction: There are no exotic composites or difficult metalforming skills required. The AV-36 is built using time-tested cabinetmaker techniques: spruce or pine stringers, birch plywood gussets and skin, and traditional fabric covering. If you have basic woodworking skills, a bandsaw, and a flat workbench, you can build one.

• Incredibly Easy to Motorize: One of the greatest secrets of the AV-36 is just how easily it converts into a self-launching motor glider. Because the fuselage pod ends right behind the cockpit and the twin rudders are mounted on the wings, there is an ideal space to install a small pusher engine (15 to 30 hp—such as a Half-VW, Rotax, or modern paramotor engine). Adding an engine requires minimal structural modification, lets you skip expensive tow planes, and turns the AV-36 into an independent cross-country cruiser.

• Remarkably Docile and Spin-Resistant: Flying wings often have a reputation for being touchy, but not the AV-36. Fauvel designed a proprietary reflex airfoil that gives the aircraft inherent pitch stability. It refuses to spin violently, exhibits a gentle “mushing” stall, and offers exceptionally light, responsive elevator control.

Performance and Key Numbers

Despite its short length, the AV-36 boasts a genuine sailplane glide ratio, allowing it to thermal effortlessly alongside conventional modern gliders.

General Specifications:

• Crew: 1 pilot

• Wingspan: 39 ft 2 in (11.95 m) (AV-361 variant: 41 ft 10 in / 12.78 m)

• Length: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)

• Wing Area: 157 sq ft (14.6 m²)

• Empty Weight: 240 – 275 lbs (110 – 125 kg) (glider version)

• Max Takeoff Weight: 475 – 505 lbs (215 – 230 kg)

• Useful Load: Approx. 230 lbs (105 kg)

• Typical Engine (if motorized): 18 – 30 hp (Half-VW, Briggs Vanguard, Rotax 277, or two-stroke paramotor engine in pusher configuration)

Performance:

• Glide Ratio: 24:1 to 26:1 (exceptional for a compact homebuilt)

• Minimum Sink Rate: Approx. 165 ft/min (0.84 m/s)

• Stall Speed: 34 – 37 mph (55 – 60 km/h)

• Cruise / Best L/D Speed: 45 – 52 mph (72 – 85 km/h)

• Never Exceed Speed (

  VNEVNE​

  ): 105 – 124 mph (170 – 200 km/h)

• Takeoff Distance (Motorized): 200 – 300 ft (60 – 90 m)

In short, the Fauvel AV-36 is the dream project for the pilot who wants genuine soaring performance without the cost of high-end composite gliders or hangar fees. It is compact, simple to construct out of ordinary wood, and easily transformed into a self-launching motor glider for pennies on the dollar.