"Edelweiss"

History of the RD 02r Edelweisse
This two-seater, coast to coast all metallic has since a long time conquered his letters of effective plane nobilities (210 km/hs in landing with a Walter-Mikron motor developing 65 cvs to 2600 trs/mns) and is reputed healthy to pilot. Christened Edelweiss, he/it makes still the admiration of specialists so much by his/her/its structural conception that by his/her/its realization. This device distinguishes itself hydraulically by a metallic construction in dural and a train retractable tricycle. In spite of the weak strength employee and thanks to a very advanced sharpness, this device has some remarkable performances. Well that his/her/its conception goes up again to nearly a half century, it is at the present hour again to the light plane tip. Let's let speak his/her/its inventor Roland Duruble: Conceived primitively in 1945 for a classic realization in wood, of the the beginning of the construction in 1946, we had serious disappointments with the alone glue that we could find then, the Caurite. Our team (Legrand, Chanut and me even) received the stroke of grace when, the fuselage already very advanced, the Office Véritas informed us that the contreplaquéses aviation that we used, being glued to the tégo-movie, could not be accepted!.... I took therefore, after consultation of my friends, besides strong little enthusiastic, my rule to count at the same time as I procured myself the three books of Vallat. I will never tell enough what I owe to these books that are to the work of a big technician and a perfect pedagogue and I am happy to be able to thank it to the passage. I attacked grants the survey of the metallic prototype that, of thread in needle, didn't have anything of common anymore with the one as wood. Our goal was to show that one was able to, with 65 cvs, to make a metallic taxicab to the honorable performances. Several years of study and the first drawings left. But where to construct? Nothing stopping us, we began with the framework of a Bessonneau, to make a shop where we worked (12 nearly all Saturday afternoon and Sundays until 1956. To this moment, we had only achieved the fuselage and featherings. An unforeseen event me accommodating to change domicile, our plane were transported at Legrand, where we finished, end 1961 the prototype. The assembly and the termination were achieved to the airfield of Boos, where our friends of the Aerial Circle, his/her/its president MR. Beaurepaire in head, made us a cordial welcome. July 7, 1962, edelweiss, without drum nor trumpet, took off, having to his side (I had not read Pierre Bonneau) MR. Legrand and myself to commands. Tests of the CNRA passed June 24 in presence of M. the engineer Caroure and of the district chief MR. Pigeon. I already excused myself close to the very nice M. Cayla (3) of him to have taken by anticipation the name of baptism of the magnificent glider that he/it achieved and the fact to know that he/it had the same idea that I don't flatter myself that a few. The device is provided of the motor Walter Mikron 4-III n°s 36266 of a 65 cv strength. Tests have been driven by R. Duruble and the instructor Giffard, in particular for tests of décrochage. The first notebook of road is dated of August 13, 1963 and the CNRA n° 270952 is delivered August 19, 1963, partner to the file n° 341 of August 23, 1963. The device is presented to the gathering of the amateur constructors of the Network of the air Sport that was held to Rouen-Boos the 16, 17 and 18 August 1963 and makes thick sensation. The device has been presented the following year to the gathering of Graulhet where it has been rewarded by a special price offered by the Society of the Duralumin. To Rouen Boos, July 06, 1965, to the first visit of the CNRA renewal, the device totals 163 hs 15 of flight. On occasion an accident occurred March 13, 1966 on the airfield of Chavenay, the device is sequenced R March 16, 1966. Him revole April 2 is reclassified V then April 21. Visit of renewal of the CNRA August 9, 1968 in Rouen: V with 293 hs 20. Visit of renewal of the CNRA July 25, 1970 in Rouen: V with 410 hs 05. Visit of renewal of the CNRA August 02, 1972 in Rouen: V with 522 hs 05. Visit of renewal of the CNRA July 24, 1974 in Rouen: V with 587 hs 55. Visit of renewal of the CNRA July 19, 1976 in Rouen: V with 676 hs 35. Visit of renewal of the CNRA July 13, 1978 in Rouen: V with 736 hs 35. An incident of jet arrives March 23, 1979 with Duruble to commands and duct to a loss of 600 trs/mns, quickly recovered. Visit of renewal of the CNRA July 10, 1980 in Rouen: V with 836 hs 45. February 21, 1981, the motor falls in breakdown between Rouen and Le Havre and a hovered permits to reach the land of Saint Roman of Colbosc. Roland Duruble benefits the general overhaul that he undertook in the shop well equipped of the GRAL to Boos for engine his RD-02 with a Revmaster 2100D n°s 2496 made in USA....with some problems! This bone capital was sold him (18 000 FS, taxes and harbor understood) for 75 cvs to 3450 trses mns with a twin-bladed metallic constant Maloof speed. Takes like basis of reference on the advertisement of Revmaster, this beater proved out to be.... to not be anymore available war. However, with a twin-bladed in wood instead of the metallic of 7 kg foreseen of origin, the starter of the 2100D doesn't want anything anymore knowledge to play his/her/its role. Questioned and requestionné by a Duruble that, loser patience after months of muteness finishes by sending him an advisable letter, Revmaster brings back performances of his/her/its mill to 65 cvs for 3200 trses mns, although assorted of 200 supplementary hs of potential (1000 hs instead of 800). Roland Duruble also benefits this overhaul to redo the electric circuit, to modify the dashboard by addition of a central console and to replace the windshield, completely. He/it finally brought up the helix Warnke A.C.S. n° 382. The new file of CNRA is put down by Roland Duruble June 1st, 1982 and is recorded under the n° 0341-2 September 22, 1982 by the Office Certification. The device redone tests in flight of the CNRA of August 21 to September 2, 1982 and this date, the pilot notes a vario of + 1,5 m/ses to 11500 fts, what is pretty for such a machine. The CNRA is renewed therefore October 7, 1982 with 877 hs 23. One will note several successive regulating incidents on this motor and the CNRA is renewed in Rouen October 8, 1984 to the whole of 947 hs 25. The device is sold to M. Jacques Plumet of which one finds the first then July 23, 1985 then it is escorted toward Carpentras his new harbor of attachment. The Certificate of registration n° B-8 089 of the precise 24 March 1986 coordinates of the new owner. Henceforth, he/it is taken in charge by PROVENCE AIR SERVICE that adjusts the motor October 09, 1985 and shock absorbers of train November 14. To new, the CNRA is renewed to Carpentras then October 3, 1986 with 1001 hs 12 November 10, 1988 with 1010 hs 05, October 26, 1990 with 1053 hs 06 and in short October 23, 1992 with 1081 hs 13. The last reported flight is October 23, 1993 with 1097 hs 39. On proposition of the Colonel Wuillefert, Mr Plume phones us January 12, 1994 and propose to give us his/her/its plane. He/it confirms us his/her/its intention in a letter of confirmation with photos dated of January 17 and in return the GPPA, all happy returns him, the 21 one letter of acceptance and thanks. Henri Degoul,chef of shop of the GPPA writes February 3 to Serge Gastan of Rouen, that knows the machine well to ask for the technical precisions on the démontage of the RD-02. This one answers by telephone February 25 and give all necessary information. March 2, Henri Degoul and Jacques Martineau leave to Carpentras. Démontage of the plane and stake on tows the 3 and return the 4. The device is unloaded the 5 then brought up March 8. Documents of property mutation are sent the 5 and the Certificate of registration n° B08089 is delivered us March 18, 1994.