Pietenpol-List: Weights of some Pietenpol components.

[matronics]

Original Posted By: bowdler(at)juno.com
Hello Gang,Quite a few years ago I prepared this for our EAA Chapter newsletter.It may be of interest to those who are building Pietenpols. All weightsare given to the nearest quarter pound. These figures apply to C-FARH,a Pietenpol built by a friend in 1975. He used my jigs and this a/c is asister to mine. It is powered by a Continental A65 - 8 and has a 3-piecewing.-------------------------------------------------------------------------=-----------2.258.75-------------------------------------------------------------------------=------------The total weight of the doped polyester fabric cover for the abovecomponents was 36.5 pounds. The estimated weight of the fuse-lage covering was about 8 pounds, giving the total weight of thecover at about 45 pounds. This could have been reduced a bit byusing a lighter grade of fabric.The weight of the fuselage and main landing gear was not available.The combined weight of lift and jury struts, strut bracing wires, tailbracing wires, hardware and fittings was about 30 pounds.The tailwheel assembly weighed 6.5 pounds and is the A-frame yoketype with a coiled compression spring. The tailwheel itself was some-what lighter than the Scott 6" tailwheel used on many lightplanes.-------------------------------------------------------------------------=-------------------------- SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING WEIGHT ---------------------------------------------------------------1. Routed spars could save 13 -15 lbs. overall. This a/c used solid spars (Sitka spruce, unrouted).2. A single piece wing according to the plans would eliminate a lot of hardware and save about 15 lbs. (Ref. BHP himself).3. A minimum amount of dope and paint will save some weight, but not very much when the entire cover weighs only 45 pounds. Keep the cover light and flexible with the weave of the fabric stillvisible in the finish.4. Avoid heavy seat cushions, keep instruments small and few in num- ber. Use a lightweight fire extinguisher.5. Use a wooden propeller instead of a metal one and save about 10 lb. Avoid oversize tires (6.00 - 6 or 7.00 - 6, 4 ply rating, are OK).Old C-FARH uses 8.00 - 4 Cub wheels, brakes and tires.6. Do not use an electrical system with starter, etc. unless you arepre- pared to pay the penalty in performance.7. Use lightweight magnetos such as Slick and save several pounds. A- void fibreglas cowlings unless they are quite thin and well-made.Both C-FARH and CF-AUN (my a/c) use aluminum sheet cowlings. Very light and simple.8. Follow the plans! Pietenpols are perhaps overbuilt and carefulengineer- ing could pare some weight from the structure, but this couldcompro- mise durability for pasture flying. The tail group is as light as itis pos- sible to make it. Some fittings should be redesigned to currentengineer- ing standards, but that is about all one can recommend. This neednot add any appreciable amount of weight.The Pietenpol airplane, as designed, is a marvel of practicality andsimp-licity that is difficult to improve upon. One can preserve this bykeeping itlight. Watch the ounces and the pounds will be taken care ofautomatically.Graham________________________________________________________________________________

[matronics]

Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy
>The Pietenpol airplane, as designed, is a marvel of practicality andsimplicity that is difficult to improve upon. Bravo, Graham!__________________________________________________________________________________________