Specials by Charles Ollivier

Charles Ollivier, famous for his Potez engine overhauls, has over the years constructed a number of interesting Jodel based aircraft, featuring retractable gear, larger engines, sloped windscreens, tricycle undercarriage and a number of other mods.

The first was the Collivier CO-01. In 1989 Charles Ollivier bought a damaged DR250 and proceded to fit an inward retractable main undercarriage to the wing. It even had doors to cover the lower part of the wheels when retracted. The windscreen was raked at a shallower angle and a three blade prop fitted to the 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine. Max cruise speed was 124 kts.

Then In 1993 he built the CO.02 four seater also with an inward retracting undercarriage but powered by a 180 hp Lyc. O-360 engine of 180 hp. and registered asF-PCMG. Max cruise speed was 135 kts.

In 1997 Charles brought out his Collivier CO-03 based, it appears , on the DR300 Robin series. (This according to Frank Rogers, looking at the aircraft closely at Cranfield some time ago, I thought it was a DR1050 or DR250 derivative, as the tail is not tall enough for it to be a DR300 - HT). It has a rearward retracting nose wheel and inward folding main wheels, is powered by a Lyc.O-320 160 hp engine and has wing root tanks and a metallic paintjob. Max cruise speed was again 124 kts.

He then went on to put a Renault 18 diesel engine in the nose of a DR300. There have been raving reviews from the press, but the numbers didn't quite add up. Ollivier opted for a direct drive setup with a small prop turning over 3000 rpm in order to let the engine make some power. I've been told that eventually, he decided to drop the whole thing and refitted a Potez to the airframe as he wanted an engine with a bit more 'grunt'.

According to Graham Clarke: "Charles Ollivier tells me he has decided to build no more. I have no details about the relative merits and demerits of his other retractables, but the next time I see him I will go armed with a list of questions and a tape recorder. He is now concentrating on Potez overhauls and flying. He is, after all, 'retired'"

This can prove to be another intesting story....