[1] They are compact, single-seat, single-engine monoplanes with low, cantilever wings.

[2][3] The pilot sits in a fully enclosed cockpit and the tailwheel undercarriage is fixed.

[2][3][4] Although designed to be built of wood,[3] the first CP.80 to fly (registered F-PTXL and named Zef) was built from composite materials by Pierre Calvel and beat even the designer's own CP.80 into the air.

[2] Calvel's CP-80 was entered in the French Formula One air races in 1976, but failed to qualify.

[5] Data from [7]General characteristics Performance