Piel CP-301 Emeraude

Many people dream of building their own aircraft. This one was built in a basement in Hokksund. The aircraft was designed by the French aircraft designer Claude Piel. He worked as an aeronautical engineer for various companies, and in his spare time he designed small single- and two-seat aircraft. His most successful private projects were the Emeraude and Diamant series. He sold the drawings and production rights to aircraft manufacturers in France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. 

In the summer of 1954, the Piel CP-301 Emeraude took to the air for the first time. The aircraft is of fairly simple construction, consisting of a wooden framework covered with fabric. It has a fixed landing gear, meaning the wheels cannot be retracted during flight. In the early 1960s, a new version was introduced under the name Super Emeraude. 

The museum’s aircraft

Odd Fjerdingstad built the aircraft at home in his basement in Hokksund. He purchased the drawings in 1959 and began construction the following year. The aircraft was fitted with a Piper Cub engine. 

In 1967, Fjerdingstad carried out the first test flight. By then, he had cut a hole through the basement wall to get the aircraft out. He applied for approval from the Civil Aviation Authority, and the aircraft was registered as LN-FAD. Up until the 1970s, flying regulations in Norway were relatively liberal, and during its first year the aircraft flew 40 hours. The aircraft’s final flight took place on 24 August 1993, from Notodden to Hokksund. In 1996, Odd Fjerdingstad donated the aircraft to the museum. The aircraft logged a total flight time of 584 hours and 24 minutes. 

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