Parnall Pixie  The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was flown successfully by Norman Macmillan. It had two sets of wings, one for cross-country flights and the other for speed; it later appeared as a biplane which could be converted into a monoplane. Though only three Parnall Pixies were built, they appeared with a remarkable variety of wings; a normal span monoplane (Pixie I); a short span monoplane (Pixie II); a biplane readily convertible to a monoplane (Pixie IIIA); and a non-convertible monoplane version of the latter, with a greater span than the Pixie I. The first Pixie was designed to compete in the Lympne Light Aeroplane Trials of 1923, organised by the Royal Aero Club for what they described as single-seat motor-gliders. The intention was to develop economical private aviation, so the engine size was limited to 750 cc with immediate consequences for aircraft size and weight. Various sponsors provided attractive prizes, particularly the total of £1500 jointly from the Duke of Sutherland and the Daily Mail. The event took place from 8–13 October 1923. There were many entrants from the British aviation industry, including the de Havilland Humming Bird, Gloster Gannet and Vickers Viget. The Pixie I first flew, at Filton on 13 September 1923, in good time for the competition. The sole Pixie I & II, registered "G-EBKM", was the same aircraft apart from the wings and engine. The common fuselage was built around four spruce longerons, stiffened by diagonals or plywood sheet, though most of the fuselage was fabric covered; it had with a rounded decking. The single cockpit was at mid wing chord. The engine was mounted on steel tubes fixed to the ends of the longerons, with a firewall between engine and pilot. There was a triangular tailplane bearing a single piece elevator, with hinge just at the end of the fuselage where there was also a small tail skid. The fin was also triangular, though its trailing edge, carrying the rudder hinge, leant slightly forward, helping the large and almost semi-circular rudder to clear the elevator. The main undercarriage was unusual and looked rather vulnerable. Two steel tubes formed an inverted V, joined at the top to the upper fuselage internally and emerging below to meet a cross-axle at points not much further apart than the width of the fuselage.