Pietenpol-List: The Hawk, and the Sneaky Piet

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 11:10 pm

Original Posted By: "Gary M. Colwill"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: The Hawk, and the Sneaky Piet Suprising to me, I've been getting a lot of positive responses about these flying stories. Here's one that actually happened in mid May. I make notesin my Pilot Log, about each flight, so that when I'm no longer able to fly (yes, we will all get there), I'll be able to relive flying this wonderful airplane. This event took less than a minute to unfold, but it is rather humorous. It was an afternoon test flight, kinda bumpy conditions, especially when I was trying to see how the plane trims out, at various airspeeds. I have since found that my plane trims out nicely at 1900 rpm for a 70 mph level cruise. What still amazes me, is that if I add just 100 rpm, up to 2000 rpm, the nose will pitch up slightly and go into a shallow climb. On the other end, ifI reduce it by just 100 rpm, to 1800 rpm, it will slightly pitch down into a shallow decent. The balance and control feel of a Pietenpol is such that you easily become one with the plane. Anyway, I was in an area about 5 or 10 miles west of El Dorado Lake. It's a sparsely populated area with plenty of fields, where an emergency landingcould be made. I've often seen birds while flying, some that seemed to be tooclose for comfort. I've heard tell, that Pietenpols sometimes take a bird strike...from the REAR !! Last year, I was taking a friend a ride in a spam can C-150, and we spotted a Bald Eagle, well off in the distance, but easily recognizable. I noted that in my log book. On this occasion I spotted a hawk, off my 11 O'clock, maybe half mile away, and several hundred feet lower altitude. I thought...Hummm...I wonder howclose I could get to him, if I sneak up on him with a low power setting, however probably not a wise thing to do. My wisdom succumbed to my curiosity,and I pulled power to around 1500 rpm. The exhaust noise was very significantly reduced, but the wind noise was still evident, so I pitched the nose up a little, to slow down and maintained a glide speed of 45 or 50 mph, where the windnoise is reduced. As I approached him, keeping him at my 10 to 11 O'clock, I couldn't really tell what his heading was. Our bretherns in flight, Hawks andEagles, are among the most graceful creatures on earth, tuned to their environment. As I got closer, I could see he was having no problem with the bumpythermals, and was in full control with a twitch of his wing tips, and tail. Icould now tell he was on approximately the same heading as I was. He was looking down, and was probably thinking "look at how those damned humans have ruined my land". Either that, or "I've got to find a big fat grain fed mouse".He certainly did not see my approach. I was coming up quickly now, and when hewas at my 9 O'clock, less than 100', and maybe 30' lower, he turned and looked me right in the eye, and his eyes got bigger than his head !! He instantlyturned into a ruffled ball of feathers, and squirted a white glob out of his six !! I am certain that it fell on someone's newly waxed vehicle !! In a heartbeat, he gathered himself back together in a 90 banked left turn, and slowly disappeared in the distance. I just didn't have the heart to turn and follow him. Maybe I gave him an appreciation of how his prey feels, just beforehe strikes them. Maybe I've made him a better hunter. I can only hope he didn't pull a muscle, or something...Chuck Gantzerevery flight is an adventure !!________________________________________________________________________________Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 22:31:16 -0700

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 10:48 am

Original Posted By: dpilot

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:48 pm

Original Posted By:
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matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 4:07 pm

Original Posted By: dpilot

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 7:49 pm

Original Posted By: Jim Ash
Nice story Chuck, ThanksOne of my favourite mental images is looking down from the back seat ofa PA 12 with my young son beside me. He had the headset and was talkingwith Ken as we flew. I just had earmuffs on and was just enjoying theview. Early spring seeding time, broken cloud, shafts of sunlightilluminating the ground in ever changing light patterns. Gorgeous! A hawk was caught for a moment in a shaft of sunlight just as we passedover him by about 150'. He looked like a bronze sculpture polished bymany admiring hands. I wish I could print that picture. The joys offlight.John Mc________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:05:11 -0400

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 9:12 am

Original Posted By: dan john

Brodhead Pietenpol Association