Philippe Moniot and his designs (Siren, CERVA, Issoire Aviation, Rex Composites)

[Stargazer]

When I decided to create this topic, my intention was to take Moniot aircraft out of the Wassmer topic because I thought they didn't belong there — indeed, Wassmer Aviation, based in Issoire (pronounced "iss-wahr"), a city in the Auvergne region of France, had existed since 1905. The truth, however, is that there are many connections between Moniot and Wassmer, which makes it a little harder to tell them apart. For instance, Moniot worked as an engineer at Wassmer, designed the "Sagittaire" for Wassmer, but also the "Silène" for SIREN... both were produced by CERVA, which was a Wassmer/SIREN consortium... Issoire Aviation, which replaced Wassmer, produced gliders that had nothing to do with Moniot, but eventually, Moniot's Rex Composites (which was also based in Issoire), purchased Issoire Aviation! Moniot himself kind of promotes the idea of a Wassmer-Issoire-Rex Composites continuity with the Wassmer WA-83 prototype welcoming visitors and employees at the entrance of the Issoire factory...

And yet, a vast majority of Wassmer aircraft having nothing to do with Moniot, it still seems logical to separate them. First of all, I've attempted to establish a chronology of the essential dates in Moniot's career (I've focused on Moniot's purely aviation companies, but he also created and/or purchased several other companies, all related to composite materials, machining or precision mechanics):

• 1965: Philippe Moniot graduates as an engineer from the Arts et Métiers in Lille, and begins his career at Wassmer Aviation.
• 1969: Wassmer Aviation's WA-51 "Pacific" becomes the world's very first all-composite aircraft to be certified.
  Although it was not designed by Moniot, his expertise in composite materials was essential to the program and its derivatives.
• 1971:
  • Wassmer Aviation files for bankrupcy, but after restructuring it resumes its activities as the Société Nouvelle Wassmer Aviation.
  • To answer to a military specification for an all-metal 5/6-seater, Wassmer Aviation and SIREN S.A. (producer of the "Edelweiss" sailplanes) associate and establish the CERVA (Consortium Européen de Réalisation et de Ventes d'Avions), leading to the CE-43 "Guépard".
• 1974: Introduction of the CERVA (Wassmer) CE-75 "Sagittaire", a performance sailplane designed by Philippe Moniot.
• 1975:
  • Certification of the CERVA (SIREN) CE-78 "Silène" (production development of the CE-75), the world's first two-seat sailplane of all-sandwich construction, designed by Philippe Moniot.
  • The CERVA CE-44 "Couguar" and CE-45 "Léopard" derivative versions of the CE-43 are developed.
• 1977:
  • First flight of the SIREN D-77 "Iris" prototype, designed by Philippe Moniot.
  • Wassmer is in deep financial difficulties and ends its activities.
  • End of the CERVA consortium as a result.
• 1978:
  • The CE-78 becomes the SIREN E-78 "Silène".
  • SIREN takes over the Wassmer factory and part of its workers to create a subsidiary called Issoire-Aviation.
  • Philippe Moniot starts working for the new company as their technical supervisor.
• 1979: The production version of the SIREN D-77 "Iris" is introduced.
• 1981: Issoire-Aviation starts production under licence of the Finnish Eiravion/PIK PIK-20E motorglider.
• 1984: Issoire-Aviation starts production under licence of the Finnish PIK-30 motorglider.
• 1986: Philippe Moniot leaves Issoire-Aviation and creates Rex Composites at Issoire, to develop high performance composites for aviation.
• 1989: The APM-10 "Flamingo" glider prototype is designed by Avions Philippe Moniot and built by Rex Composites.
• 1992: Les Industries de Composites d'Auvergne Réunies (ICAR) starts work on what will eventually become the "Lionceau".
• 1994:
  • First certification of Rex Composites by Eurocopter for the fabrication of high performance composite components and sub-assemblies.
  • SIREN is in deep financial trouble and is taken over by Indraero.
• 1995:
  • Rex Composites purchases the Issoire-Aviation branch from Indraero.
  • Avions Philippe Moniot introduces the APM-20 "Lionceau" two-seater.
• 1999:
  • Rex Composites starts production of the APM-20 "Lionceau".
  • The first APM-20 prototype becomes the APM-21 "Lion" prototype.
• 2000: Rex Composites produces 59 "Sperwer" tactical drones for SAGEM.
• 2002: Jacques Moniot (the son) becomes CEO of Rex Composites.
• 2003: An experimental unmanned version of the "Lionceau", the APM-22 "Liondo", is test-flown.
• 2005: The APM-30 "Lion", a three-seat development of the APM-21 prototype, is produced.
• 2006: APM launches the "Lion" program.
• 2007: Certification of the APM-30 "Lion".
• 2009: Introduction of the APM-40 "Simba" four-seater at the Paris-Le Bourget Airshow.
• 2011:
  • The "Simba" gets its EASA certification.
  • Rex Composites becomes REXIAA, and Moniot's eight companies all become part of the REXIAA Group.
• 2015: Production of the Lycoming engine for the APM-40 is discontinued.
• 2016: The APM-41 project is launched to replace the APM-40.
• 2017: First flight of the APM-41 "Simba 915 iS", which is the very first aircraft to use the Rotax 915 iS engine.

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CERVA
NOTE: All CERVA designs are listed here for the sake of completion, but only the last two invoved Philippe Moniot directly.

• CE.43 "Guépard": four-seat multipurpose low-wing monoplane with 250 hp Avco Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engine (1971); 3 prototypes built [F-WSNJ > -BSNJ (n°01), static (n°02), F-BSQJ (n°03, then n°433).
• CE.43 "Guépard": production version similar to the prototypes (1973); 40 built, including 30 for the military [F-BTLM (n° 434), F-BTLU (n° 436) … ]
• CE.44 "Couguar": similar to CE.43 but with 285 hp Continental 6-285 B3 "Tiara" engine (1976); 2 built [F-WVKF (n° 01), F-BXCE (n° 459)].
• CE.45 "Léopard": similar to CE.45 but with 310 hp Lycoming TIO-540 engine (1975); 1 temporary modification, likely never completed or flown.
• CE.75 "Sagittaire": side-by-side seating mid-wing performance sailplane (1974), designed by Philippe Moniot; 2 built [F-CCFF (n° 01), ? (n° 02)]
• CE.78 "Silène": production version of the CE.75 (1974), designed by Philippe Moniot; about 30 built.

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SIREN
NOTE: The company produced C.30, C.30 S and C.34 sailplanes between 1962 and 1968, years before its association with Wassmer in the CERVA consortium. This list includes Philippe Moniot designs only.

• D-77 "Iris": single-seat mid-wing performance sailplane (1977), designed by Philippe Moniot; 1 prototype built [F-WAQA (n° 01)].
• D-77 "Iris": production version (1979); 1 modification and 2 built [F-WAQA > F-CAIA (n° 01), ? (n° 02), G-BMBR (n° 03)].
• E-78 "Silène": redesignation of the CERVA CE-78 (1978); 3 built [included F-CFEB].

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Issoire-Aviation

• IA-80 "Piranha": redesignation of the Wassmer WA-80.
• PIK-20 E2F: production under licence of Finnish Eiravion/PIK PIK-20E motorglider (1981); 16 built [F-CFPA (n° 703), F-CFPD (n° 710) … ]
• PIK-30: production under licence of Finnish PIK PIK-30 motorglider (1984); 14 built.

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Avions Philippe Moniot
NOTE: Apparently, this is the name of the design bureau; the aircraft are produced under the name Rex Composites.

• APM-10 "Flamingo": single-seat midwing sailplane (1989); 1 built.
• APM-20 "Lionceau": side-by-side seating multipurpose low-wing monoplane with an 80 hp Rotax 912A2 engine (1995). 3 prototypes built [F-WWMP (n° 01), static (n° 02), F-WWXX (n° 03)].
• APM-20 "Lionceau": production version with 912A2, later 912UL engine (1999); 21 built [F-WWXX (n° 4), F-GRRE (n° 5),-GRRH,-GRRL,-GRRO,-GRRX, etc.]
• APM-21 "Lion": first APM-20 prototype modified with winglets and a Rotax 912 ULS engine (1999); 1 modification [F-WWMP (n° 01)]
• APM-22 "Liondo": experimental unmanned version of the APM-20, engine type unknown; one built.
• APM-30 "Lion": production version of the APM-21 but as a three-seater, with 100 hp Rotax 912S engine (2005); at least 4 built [F-HADO, F-HAHF, F-HFIK, F-HFRM].
• APM-40 "Simba": four-seat development with 125 hp Lycoming IOF-240B engine (2009); prototype was [F-WILD].
• APM-41 "Simba 912 iS": similar to APM-40 but with 141 hp Rotax 915iS engine instead (2017); prototype was [F-HGRR].