The Jodel DR1050 Excellence and Ambassadeur are part of a family of

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

built aircraft, designed by

Jean Délémontez Jean Délémontez (9 June 1918 – 7 July 2015) was a French aircraft designer. He was born in Lyon in June 1918. He is best known for his work with his father-in-law, Édouard Joly, on the Jodel range of light aircraft and his collaboration with P ...

(the principal designer of Jodel aircraft) in collaboration with Pierre Robin, as a development of the Jodel D.10 project. The aircraft was built from 1958 to 1967 both by Centre-Est Aeronautique (CEA) (see

Robin Aircraft Robin Aircraft is a French manufacturer of light aircraft. It succeeds to ''Centre-Est Aéronautique'', ''Avions Pierre Robin'' and Apex Aircraft (''Avions Robin'' and ''Robin Aviation''). History Centre-Est Aéronautique was formed by Pierre R ...

) and by

Société Aéronautique Normande Société Aéronautique Normande (SAN) was a French aircraft manufacturing business based at Bernay-Saint-Martin, Bernay. It was formed in 1948 and failed in 1968. History The company was started on 1 May 1948 at Bernay-Saint-Martin by Lucien Que ...

(SAN)Jackson 1974, pp. 373-4 but since the demise of the latter in 1968 has only been supplied as plans.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12'', page 95. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 99. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.

Design and development

The original aircraft was designated the DR.100 and features a cantilever

low-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing config ...

, a three-seat enclosed cockpit, fixed, tailwheel

conventional landing gear Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft Landing gear, undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the Center of gravity of an aircraft, center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail ...

with a single engine in

tractor configuration In aviation, a tractor configuration is a propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft with its engine mounted with the propeller in front, so that the aircraft is "pulled" through the air. This is the usual configuration; the pusher configuration ...

. This was developed ultimately to the DR1050M1 Sicile Record with swept fin and many other refinements such as

wheel pants An aircraft fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, Third Edition'', page 206. Aviation Supplies & Academics Inc, Newcastle Washington, 1997. ...

and improved canopy. Versions were manufactured by both SAN and CEA and variously named Ambassadeur, Excellence, Sicile, and Sicile Record. At least 618 of the family were constructed, 286 by SAN and 332 by CEA, between 1958 and 1965.

Tricycle landing gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', that is arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has one or more nose wheels in a single front undercarriage and two or more main wheels slightly aft of th ...

is optional on home-built aircraft. This design was further developed by CEA as the DR200/220/250 series and subsequently as the

Robin DR400 The Robin DR400 is a single-engine wooden monoplane produced by Robin Aircraft (formerly "Avions Pierre Robin"). The Robin DR400 is widely used in flight schools and for private use in France. Description The Robin DR400 was released in 1972, ...

series. The aircraft is made from wood, with its flying surfaces covered in doped

aircraft fabric Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...

. Its span wing employs a NACA 23012

airfoil An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is a streamlined body that is capable of generating significantly more Lift (force), lift than Drag (physics), drag. Wings, sails and propeller blades are examples of airfoils. Foil (fl ...

and has an area of . The standard engine used is the

Continental O-200 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in3 (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

powerplant.

Variants

; DR.100 :Original version with

Continental C90 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in3 (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

engine.Taylor 1961, p. 45 ;DR.105 :First production version with Continental O-200-A engine. ;DR.1050 :Improved version with Continental O-200-A engine or with

Potez 4E The Potez 4E is a French air-cooled flat-four piston engine of the 1960s. It was unveiled at the 1959 Paris Air Show, entered production in 1960 and is rated at 78 kW (105 hp). It remained in production until 1965 when Potez abandoned ...

engine (as DR.1051).Taylor 1965, p. 35. ;DR.1050M :Modified version of DR.1050, with swept fin, one piece all-moving tailplane and available with Continental O-200-A or Potez 4E engines (as DR.1051M).Taylor 1965, p. 54. ;DR.1050M1 :Final version of DR.1050, with one piece all-moving tailplane and available with Continental O-200-A or Potez 4E engines (as DR.1051M1).

Specifications (DR1050)

References

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External links

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Photo of a DR1050
{{Jodel aircraft Homebuilt aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Excellence Low-wing aircraft Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear