History

Brief history of the CP301

(extracts, pictures from the book of Patrick EHRHADT and Jean MOLVEAU, CLAUDE PIEL HISTOIRE DE PIERRES PRÉCIEUSES, Ed. Le Trait d’Union)

Claude Piel (1916 – 1982) is a representative of how much an aircraft home-builder can contribute to the development of light aviation. The list of his production with his own signature is impressive, in particular the famous CP30 Emeraude. It ranges from the CP10 "Pinocchio", his first creation began in 1943, on which he crashed in 1949, to the derived of the CP100, the most popular CAP10, and with the CP20, CP40, CP60. Logically, the lineage began with a single-wing and single-seater, the CP20 Pinocchio. Conforming to the fashion of the "Piper-Cub" type of the 50s, it went on with the CP40 single-up-wing. This one, under motorised, did not give satisfaction and the production was stopped rapidly.

The coming of the CP30 in 1954, originally built to be a continuation of the previous aircraft, revealed itself to be the best training aircraft. With the success of the CP20 during the meeting of Montargis, C. Piel thought of the creation of a double-seater aircraft in 1951. The conversion to the CP30 was made easy with the achievement of the CP20 records. Further modifications came with the widening of the fuselage, the increasing of the payload and the strengthening of the structure to withstand the power increase. In 1956, taking advantage of this development, Piel planed an upgraded motorised aircraft: the CP301 was born.

Building aircraft was not Piel's priority, so the first prototype of CP30 flew only 4 years later, with the renamed in F-W for that flight. It took place on 19 June 1954 with Robert Denize as pilot in command. After that flight, the aircraft flew in several meetings: Toussus le Noble (20/06/1954), Thouars (29/08/1954). So as to take advantage of the success of the two-seater model, a company was created the D.P.A. (Denize-Piel-Aviation). The company was broken up at the end of 1955. For information, the approximate price of the complete aircraft was 2.000.000 FRS (old francs).

Two events in 1955 contributed to the consecration of C. PIEL with the CP30 Emeraude: the certificate of airworthiness and the recommendation by the National Aeronautical Federation as best training two-seater aircraft. The imperfections noted during the CEV tests, due to a lack of money, were rectified in September 1956 and brought a new version: the CP301-01. With the same general dimensions, this new version was characterised by: a new engine, empty weight increased, and the maximum weight take-off too. The certificate of airworthiness on the 12 September 1955, marked: the transition from a small-scale production to the large-scale one of the CP301 under the name CP301-A.

At the end of July 1957, the first aeroplane of this type, the F-BIJA, arrived at Enghien-Moiselles aero-club. At a rate of production of 7 aircraft a month, in June 1959, 96 aircraft were built by MENAVIA company. Rousseau company, at Dinard, started building the CP301 with small modifications, with Piel's agreement: position of the wing, fastening of the spar, strengthening of the floor, thinning of the end of the fuselage. A new version was created: the CP301-B.

The first aeroplanes of this new type were delivered in the West of France; the F-BHOP, n°100, to the flying club of Granville in July 1957, the F-BIGI, to the flying club of Avranches in September 1957. In 1960, this aircraft cost 29.500F.

Some building experiences with Piel's agreement took place such as RD02, F-BIRY CP301-A n°94, built by ARAL company and the Renard model, based at Angers, the F-BIAY CP301-A n°120. Others aircraft builders tried unsuccessfully, such as M. Rouchaud or ARCAS company. With a short transition in SCANNOR company, C. Piel, built 3 aircraft and only 2 of them flew. During this period, a new version CP100 "Mascaret", was thought of, but not completed. C. Piel made new studies to develop CP60 "Diamant".

A collaboration between Piel and SCINTEX-Aviation Company from 1959 to 1966 brought the achievement of a new version, the CP301-C. They modified several things after thorough research made in a wind tunnel by a scientist in aerodynamic, Max de Lagrevol. The test prototype was the CP301-A, n°261, F-BJMV.

Tests on destruction of the structure were made on request of the French authorities. They brought relevant modifications for the structure, which allowed only positive aerobatics flights, the engine was not powered for inverted flights. A new version was born: the "Super-Émeraude", with the model of CP310, renamed CP1310 model. This new type began with the F-BJVJ n°900 and ended with the F-BMJN n°942. Several versions of this type will be created with different options of engine such as: CP1310 with Potez engine, CP1315 C3 with Continental engine.

Casual meetings (Robert Buisson, test manager at Scintex Company, Nenad Hrisafovic, manager of the planning department in CAARP Company), industrial linking (Scintex-Aviation / Caarp), looking for a successor to the old Stampe, with uncompleted tests (CP325 N°359 F-PKVZ or the SCINTEX ML 250 "Rubis", F-BJMG) brought a new project: the CP100 corresponding to a previous plan, in which, some parts was already tested in Toulouse in 1960. After several tests, unfortunately with a fatal crash, the CAP10 replaced the CP100. This new name was wanted by Piel, to sell global license and to erase the memory of this crash. The CAP10 was considered as a training plane for aerobatics. But he wanted a real aircraft for aerobatics competitions so his successor, the CP200, was built, it became CAP20.

The story would not be complete without the list of the different types of CP :
- the CP60 "Diamant" (drawing), based on CP30, 3 seats
- the CP40 "Donald" (drawing)
- the CP80 (drawing) for racers
- the CP90 "Pinocchio II" (drawing)
- the CP605 "Super-Diamant" (drawing), 4 seater, 150HP engine
- the CP750 "Béryl" (drawing), aerobatic for "everybody"
- the CP1320 "Saphir" (drawing), successor of CP30, modernised
- the CP50 "Brasilia"
- the CP150 "Onyx", ULM formula
- the CP500: combination of Mignet model ("Poux du Ciel") and push-pull twin engine.