Duruble Edelweiss

Edelweiss
Role	Utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Homebuilt
Designer	Roland Duruble
First flight	7 July 1962
Number built	at least 10 by 1985

The Duruble Edelweiss is a light utility aircraft designed in France in the early 1960s and marketed for homebuilding. It is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. Two- and four-seat versions were designed. The aircraft's creator, Roland Duruble flew the first example, a two-seater designated RD-02 in 1962, and in 1970 began to market plans for a stretched version with a rear bench seat as the RD-03. Over the next 15 years, 56 sets of plans had been sold, and at least nine Edelweisses finished and flown. In the 1980s, Duruble marketed an updated version of his original two-seater as the RD-02A, and sold around seven sets of plans, with at least one aircraft flying by 1985.

Variants

RD-02

RD-03A

Two-seat variant with a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200 engine.

RD-03B

Variant designed to have either a 100 hp (75 kW) Lycoming or Franklin Sport 4B engine. Utility variant with two-seats or a normal variant with 2+2 seating.

RD-03C

Variant with a 140 hp (104 kW) Lycoming engine and increased fuel capacity. Utility variant with two-seats or a normal variant with 2+2 seating for four adults.

Specifications (typical RD-03)

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 6.88 m (22 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 8.82 m (28 ft 11 in)
• Height: 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 11.4 m² (123 ft²)
• Empty weight: 510 kg (1,124 lb)
• Gross weight: 1,010 kg (2,227 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 horizontally-opposed air-cooled four-cylinder piston engine, 112 kW (150 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 275 km/h (171 mph)
• Range: 1,100 km (685 miles)
• Service ceiling: 5,030 m (16,500 ft)

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 347. 
• Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985-86. London: Jane's Yearbooks. pp. 549–50.