The Jodel Story (a French TV documentary film)

rogcal · Post by **rogcal** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:56 am

It may be in French but very interesting all the same and well worth watching to the end.

It's on the France 3 version of iplayer and only available until the 18th Feb.

http://bourgogne.france3.fr/evenement/d ... ocumentair

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:28 pm

Thanks for posting this Roger, it should be obligatory watching for anybody wanting to build one of those metal RV thingies!
Seriously though it does highlight the shift in design generation. Jean Delemontez, Pierre Robin, Chris Heinz and Michel Colomban are now all old men, and many of the other famous French designers are gone - men like Claude Piel, Auguste Mudry and Yves Gardan (yes I know Heinz was actually born in Switzerland but he does at least speak French!). I do not see them being replaced with a new generation of French designers, the shift has been to Eastern Europe, particularly the Czech Republic. It would seem that the gradual demise of the Frech light aviation industry is having the same effect that the demise of the UK industry had on UK designers several decades earlier - a weak or non existant industry does not inspire new designers. Very sad I think.

bertdeleporte · Post by **bertdeleporte** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:42 pm

... the thing is even better in mother tongue...

Brian, you are absolutly right in your comments. Translation of a few words of the interviews:
"at the time, I had one obsession: when you do not put a part on an aircraft, it does not cost, it does not fail, it does not weigh... What is the minimum of the minimum that can be left to get the thing still flying?" Jean Delemontez
"aviation has not been lethal for the first 20 years I was involved in, which is a good thing, and I could live of it for the fourty following ones"
Jean Delemontez
"an Amateur built aircraft will always be of a much much higher construction quality standard than a Factory built: the guy building his own aircraft will never count his hours, or compromise for hours budget" (I think, not 100% positive, said by Pierre Robin)
"progress in aeronautics always came from guys building their own aircrafts" Chistophe Robin

The document is of great interest, I leanred (shame on me, I know) that:
-the Sicile was named because the A/C was designed to win the Sicila tour (funny thing, Mrs Robin explained she was Navigator and she had to threaten her husband to stop the rally if he did not follow her bearing instructions, instead of following the guy fling a few minutes ahead...). The rally never took place again after the victory of a non-italian A/C
-MCR was stanting for Michel Colanban-Christophe Robin

Worth being seen for plenty very nice views, including the workshop atmosphere, unralistic today (did you spot the guy smoking, I can't remeber if it is int the painting or in the joinery WS???)

Bertrand

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:30 am

Thank-you for the translations Bertrand. I did just about work out the comment that an amateur builder will make a better job, but much of the rest was lost on me. I hope that in time we may get to see a translation of the main points, if not a full commentary in English.

bertdeleporte · Post by **bertdeleporte** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:03 am

I can read a message between the lines... Do I misunderstand???

I'll try to spend a little time translating for everybody. The report is quite long, I'll try to pick the best of what is said.

Bertrand

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:42 am

That's very kind, but a full translation would be a lot of work. I'm not sure if a summary would be easy without leaving out a lot.

We could do with one of those translators who works in the European Parliament to record an English commentary - at least some of our money would have been well spent.