Original Posted By: Rodger & Betty
While waiting on wood, I'm studying the plans and laying out the finishingtouches on my newly lofted airfoil and rib jig. I have a question about theleading edge: What coordinates determine it's shape, or is it adiscretionary item? In trying to work this out, I noticed the 1 1/2" markat the leading edge isn't used. What is it's purpose? Also, one final ;>)question, in looking at the ribs others have built and displayed on line ataircamper.org, the angle of the 1/2"x1/2" spruce leading edge brace isn'treferenced.My copy of Vi Kapler's wing plans may clear some of this up when they gethere next week.. Any suggestions?ThanksMichaelWaiting on Vi Kapler's 3-piece wing plans, and spruce from Wickssylph(at)uswest.net________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 08:48:18 -0600
Pietenpol-List: Oeading Edge
Re: Pietenpol-List: Ref: Leading Edge
Original Posted By: Rodger & Betty
Ahh! I can do that. The pressure to conform is gone and I can wing it.So, today I'm an artist able to express myself freely without theconstraints of connecting the dots or keeping my colors between the lines.From my recent experience with this, I think I'll try to keep the depth ofthe leading edge to the angled 1" as indicated and then consider the attachbolt that passes through the 1/2"x1/2" leading edge brace.Thanks for your help Rodger,MichaelWaiting on materials and working on rib jigPortland, OR----- Original Message -----
Ahh! I can do that. The pressure to conform is gone and I can wing it.So, today I'm an artist able to express myself freely without theconstraints of connecting the dots or keeping my colors between the lines.From my recent experience with this, I think I'll try to keep the depth ofthe leading edge to the angled 1" as indicated and then consider the attachbolt that passes through the 1/2"x1/2" leading edge brace.Thanks for your help Rodger,MichaelWaiting on materials and working on rib jigPortland, OR----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Piet List
Original Posted By: Lawrence V Williams
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Piet List I'm sorry I haven't responded sooner to this, but I work full time andam a full time student. I have absolutely no complaints about the jobMatt Dralle is doing on this discussion group and I'm very grateful hewas willing and able to donate his time to this project. It reallyiritates me to hear people complain about the efforts someone makes inhelping an organization along. There are many of us out here trying tobuild a really fun airplane and many really need help. I've been in aviation nearly all my life and have been a mechanic forover three decades. I'm in the process of changing vocations, beingburned out trying to make a living at it and the transport aircraft Iwork on now don't interest to me and often the work days are simplydrudgery, but I'm having a ball building this little Piet and I'm reallygetting exited about being able to fly it soon (I hope!). I haven'tsolo'd since January 1966. Bad mouthing and back biting is what can destroy any organization andcannot be tolerated. For sure, constructive criticism or suggestions canhelp, but outright rebellion does not help any of us. I fell in lovewith aviation in 1955 when I was given an airplane ride as fifteen yearold Civil Air Patrol Cadet and decided then to spend my life in aviation. I learned to fly and when I couldn't afford to become a commercial pilotI went to A&P school in Tulsa. I spent 25 years working in generalaviation and have seen a lot of changes. My tool box is older than manyof the guys I work with today and many of these kids accuse me of pullingthe chocks from the Wright Flyer. They can't believe I've reallyrecovered fabric airplanes or prefer to fly in single engine light planesover an airliner (actually, airliners scare me to death. After watchingthe maintenance some of these clowns do and what is let loose I'll neverfly in one again). General aviation is in trouble and I think we all know it. I've been amember of the EAA since 1963 and feel the only way a little guy is goingto be able to fly anymore is to build his own airplane. I cannot affordto buy even a used airplane. I've thought about a wrecked plane severaltimes - I've rebuilt fifteen "totaled" airplanes over the years - but Ican't afford to buy the parts. We're putting a Model A in our Pietbecause we want to - it looks cool - but also, if someone were to give mean airplane engine I couldn't afford to overhaul it, and I've overhauledover a hundred aircraft engines over the years. I overhauled a C-90 fouror five years ago and we did everything as cheaply as possible. It stillcost $5000 and I only charged the owner $200 to assemble it. Between the complaints over our discussion group and the last EAAconvention at Oshkosh, I've gotten somewhat discouraged. No, I don'tlike to spend a lot of money, but the EAA exists for our benefit and ittakes money to run the organization and it takes money to fight for ourrights to fly. The convention is a fund raiser to fight for our rights. It is also a show of power to have all those people show up for such anevent. Politicians get real nervous when they see all these potentialvoters support or take part in such an activity. I was able to go toOshkosh in '95 and made the effort because I know they tried to get amillion people there that year. This wasn't achieved, but I was therehoping maybe to make a million and one. I also don't like our new logo nor do I like the commercialization I'vebeen told of, but I will still support the EAA because of what it hasdone for you and me. I hope to be able to visit Oshkosh more often inthe future and I intend to fly the Model A powered Piet to Brodhead and Iam going to stay with Matt Dralle's Piet list.John LangstonPipe Creek, TXnle97(at)juno.com________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 12:12:28 -0500Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Piet List
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Piet List I'm sorry I haven't responded sooner to this, but I work full time andam a full time student. I have absolutely no complaints about the jobMatt Dralle is doing on this discussion group and I'm very grateful hewas willing and able to donate his time to this project. It reallyiritates me to hear people complain about the efforts someone makes inhelping an organization along. There are many of us out here trying tobuild a really fun airplane and many really need help. I've been in aviation nearly all my life and have been a mechanic forover three decades. I'm in the process of changing vocations, beingburned out trying to make a living at it and the transport aircraft Iwork on now don't interest to me and often the work days are simplydrudgery, but I'm having a ball building this little Piet and I'm reallygetting exited about being able to fly it soon (I hope!). I haven'tsolo'd since January 1966. Bad mouthing and back biting is what can destroy any organization andcannot be tolerated. For sure, constructive criticism or suggestions canhelp, but outright rebellion does not help any of us. I fell in lovewith aviation in 1955 when I was given an airplane ride as fifteen yearold Civil Air Patrol Cadet and decided then to spend my life in aviation. I learned to fly and when I couldn't afford to become a commercial pilotI went to A&P school in Tulsa. I spent 25 years working in generalaviation and have seen a lot of changes. My tool box is older than manyof the guys I work with today and many of these kids accuse me of pullingthe chocks from the Wright Flyer. They can't believe I've reallyrecovered fabric airplanes or prefer to fly in single engine light planesover an airliner (actually, airliners scare me to death. After watchingthe maintenance some of these clowns do and what is let loose I'll neverfly in one again). General aviation is in trouble and I think we all know it. I've been amember of the EAA since 1963 and feel the only way a little guy is goingto be able to fly anymore is to build his own airplane. I cannot affordto buy even a used airplane. I've thought about a wrecked plane severaltimes - I've rebuilt fifteen "totaled" airplanes over the years - but Ican't afford to buy the parts. We're putting a Model A in our Pietbecause we want to - it looks cool - but also, if someone were to give mean airplane engine I couldn't afford to overhaul it, and I've overhauledover a hundred aircraft engines over the years. I overhauled a C-90 fouror five years ago and we did everything as cheaply as possible. It stillcost $5000 and I only charged the owner $200 to assemble it. Between the complaints over our discussion group and the last EAAconvention at Oshkosh, I've gotten somewhat discouraged. No, I don'tlike to spend a lot of money, but the EAA exists for our benefit and ittakes money to run the organization and it takes money to fight for ourrights to fly. The convention is a fund raiser to fight for our rights. It is also a show of power to have all those people show up for such anevent. Politicians get real nervous when they see all these potentialvoters support or take part in such an activity. I was able to go toOshkosh in '95 and made the effort because I know they tried to get amillion people there that year. This wasn't achieved, but I was therehoping maybe to make a million and one. I also don't like our new logo nor do I like the commercialization I'vebeen told of, but I will still support the EAA because of what it hasdone for you and me. I hope to be able to visit Oshkosh more often inthe future and I intend to fly the Model A powered Piet to Brodhead and Iam going to stay with Matt Dralle's Piet list.John LangstonPipe Creek, TXnle97(at)juno.com________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 12:12:28 -0500Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Piet List
Re: Pietenpol-List: Piet List
Original Posted By: "oil can"
John I think you were right on. Larry you're right about the EAA, but justbecause they've given up on us poor folks doesn't mean we should give up onthem. We need to let them know that us airplane builders that don't havethousands are out here too. If they don't change, we'll start a new EAA.Copinfo(at)home.comTim CunninghamDes Moines, Iowa (515) 237-1510________________________________________________________________________________
John I think you were right on. Larry you're right about the EAA, but justbecause they've given up on us poor folks doesn't mean we should give up onthem. We need to let them know that us airplane builders that don't havethousands are out here too. If they don't change, we'll start a new EAA.Copinfo(at)home.comTim CunninghamDes Moines, Iowa (515) 237-1510________________________________________________________________________________