After the last World War in Western Europe as well in the States, it was thought that many pilots that luckily survived would fancy an aeroplane, like a car, for their transportation needs. Many designs from that time showed inexpensive general purpose family aeroplanes. Given the available engines, popular performances offered 100 knots with 100 hp and 500 NM range.

The area around Lyon in France is world famous for its tradition of good food and more important in this respect a tradition of design and construction of wooden gliders. Close to the village of Beaune lived Eduard Joly. a Citroen car-dealer and mechanic. He combined his knowledge of gliders with his knowledge of engines and designed and built his first two seater aeroplane around 1950, using fabric and wood, a VW engine and many Citroen car-parts.

In close cooperation with his son in law, Delimontez, many variants emerged from the design table ranging from tiny one seaters (Bebe) to huge four seater ambulances (Mousquetaire).  Putting together the first letters of the names of both designers this family of aeroplanes became known as JODEL's.

What are the Statistics?

This Jodel Ambassadeur carries 110 liters of gasoline (55 in front- and 55 liters in a rear tank) allowing for a 6 hour flight. She takes three people, cruises at 100 knots at low altitudes and covers a distance of over 1000 kilometers. That is still an impressive performance today. The conspicuous bends in the wing got much credit for this.

Theoretically her ceiling is 14,000 feet allowing Willem to take her over the Brenner- and Simplon passes and the Udine corridor below 8000 feet without problems in nice weather. She tends to be a bit underpowered. Originally the engine air-intake was always taking in some hot air preventing carburetor ice at all times. The performance, however, was really not up to standards, so the system was modified and now one has to apply carburetor heat in icing conditions, providing more power at other times.

One seems to appreciate this modification most while in take off "around' MTOW from the short grass runway of Luzern (Switzerland) at 2146 feet high, with puddles from the previous rain, or on a hot day from the lovely runway of heather and loose sand, also of course "around" MTOW, in Belves (France). Flying on board the Jodel is a privilege for all occupants because of its fantastic view in almost any direction. At cruising speed she is rather stable and at maneuvering speed or below she handles nicely allowing for safe formation flying. Stalling is a dangerous affair because of her rather small rudder and the absence of a fin. There are no facilities, like flaps or slats, to delay stalling, just speed-brakes instead. Probably all taking off and landing is strongly discouraged by the designers of this remarkable aeroplane.

How did this JODEL get in Holland?

In 1960 a flying club in the east of Holland bought this Jodel for training purposes after she was newly built in France. In a few years time she made several thousand hours. Thereafter she lived in a gloomy, undocumented life until emerging in 1982. she was in deplorable state and was restored to her old glory by Willem Baggerman.