Original Posted By: "Jim Markle"
John,1. I have rebuild engines before ( two car engines) thus I was not toworried about my capabilities.But the Corvair is a experimental engine (for airplanes) and as such youshould respect that.Every flight I always listen for abnormal sounds.Rebuilding the engine is not difficult, many books are written about it andit can be done by a novice.Most trouble I had was with the ancillary equipment, Electrical system,Carburetor, fuel system, Airfilter, heat box and muffler.Limited material is available on this and you're own creative engineeringneeds to be applied.I am comfortable with the Corvair engine (at least as comfortable I wouldbe with Continetal or Lycoming)Most engine trouble starts with the ancillary equipment, a heat box thatdoes not work properly or a fuel system that has a fault.It is rarely the engine it self.2. Bought the following from AS&S:(Embedded image moved to file: pic26777.jpg)I did not make a fiberglass fuel tank, I originally had a 12 GallonAluminum Fuel tank in the center section with a 2 gallon header tank in thenose.I have now a 12 Gallon Fuel tank in the nose, found out a Piper J3 tankfits in the long fuselage.I still have the 12 Gallon Tank in the center section but will remove thiseventually.Best regardsHans John Egan To hans.vander.voort(at)alfalaval.com 01/16/2006 08:39 cc AM Subject Pietenpol questions Hans,I like your Piet a lot Hans. You did a great job. I'm in the buildingprocess, and I would like to ask you a couple of questions if I may.1. I see onyour web site, you mention that you built up your Corvairyourself. I am thinking about that (building mine), however I have neverrebuilt an engine. Do you believe this is an area that an ameture cantackle? I have bought the Wyme conversion manual, and most of his videotapes, but it seems to make like a very challenging task. Seems high riskto me.2. Could you list the materials you used to make the fiberglass section ofyour nose? Did you make a fiberglass fuel tank?Thank you. I hope I'm not bothering you.johnRing in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays,whatever.________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Re: Pietenpol questions
Pietenpol-List: Re: Pietenpol questions
Original Posted By: Hans Vander Voort
Those who are building or flying Corvair engines should read William's latest technical report on the crankshaft, at http://www.flycorvair.com/crankissues.htmlIt's long and the news isn't great, but if you're planning to fly behind a Corvair, better take a look.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Pietenpol questions
Those who are building or flying Corvair engines should read William's latest technical report on the crankshaft, at http://www.flycorvair.com/crankissues.htmlIt's long and the news isn't great, but if you're planning to fly behind a Corvair, better take a look.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Pietenpol questions
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: Hans Vander Voort
Here's a pic of my upper lift strut fitting. I'm going to have my Tech Counselorcheck it but wondered if anyone on the list might help me out....The inner bushing is 5/16ID X 1/2"OD with a .090 strap wrapped around it. AndI welded where the inner bushing contacts the strap.My question is: Although this is plenty for a positive G wing load, is the weldenough to keep the strap piece connected to the inner bushing piece in a NegativeG load? I've been thinking about welding a piece of 090 in between thestraps, up against the bushing to keep it in place in case of a Negative G situation,but wonder if it's worth the trouble.Suggestions?Jim in Plano________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Here's a pic of my upper lift strut fitting. I'm going to have my Tech Counselorcheck it but wondered if anyone on the list might help me out....The inner bushing is 5/16ID X 1/2"OD with a .090 strap wrapped around it. AndI welded where the inner bushing contacts the strap.My question is: Although this is plenty for a positive G wing load, is the weldenough to keep the strap piece connected to the inner bushing piece in a NegativeG load? I've been thinking about welding a piece of 090 in between thestraps, up against the bushing to keep it in place in case of a Negative G situation,but wonder if it's worth the trouble.Suggestions?Jim in Plano________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: Jim Markle
I see you use the Skytek struts. Why not insert a solid piece of 2024 aluminumlike I did?something to consider ( and you probably know this already, but just in case) isyou will want to prime the steel piece with zinc chromate. don't want aluminumtouching steel or you get dissimilar metal corrosion issues. ----- Original Message -----
I see you use the Skytek struts. Why not insert a solid piece of 2024 aluminumlike I did?something to consider ( and you probably know this already, but just in case) isyou will want to prime the steel piece with zinc chromate. don't want aluminumtouching steel or you get dissimilar metal corrosion issues. ----- Original Message -----
Original Posted By: "DJ Vegh"
Jim,I would fill the center to avoid crushing the strut but not for thenegative G'sNegative G loads are not an issue for a Pietenpol struts, theoreticallythey handle 7 G's positive and probably 3+ negative.I did some calculations once, but it is so over engineered it can standmany times normal flight (non Aerobatic) maneuversWhich brings up an question I have asked myself many times.Has anyone ever done a successful Roll or Loop in a Aircamper?Not that I am going to try, just like to know.Hans________________________________________________________________________________
Jim,I would fill the center to avoid crushing the strut but not for thenegative G'sNegative G loads are not an issue for a Pietenpol struts, theoreticallythey handle 7 G's positive and probably 3+ negative.I did some calculations once, but it is so over engineered it can standmany times normal flight (non Aerobatic) maneuversWhich brings up an question I have asked myself many times.Has anyone ever done a successful Roll or Loop in a Aircamper?Not that I am going to try, just like to know.Hans________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: "Hans Vander Voort"
Thanks Hans,Yes, I have a spacer/bushing in there but it's hard to see in the pic.Thanks!JM----- Original Message -----
Thanks Hans,Yes, I have a spacer/bushing in there but it's hard to see in the pic.Thanks!JM----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: DJ Vegh
Thanks DJ!I thought about using 3/4" sq bar and actually ordered some. I just didn't likethe looks of it as much as this design, partly because my spars are 1" wideon the top and bottom and this fills up the 1" gap between the fittings. I didn'tmuch care for the gap that the 3/4" square bar left. I'm sure both wouldwork fine though.I'm going to sand blast and powsercoat the fittings. Let me know if you (or anyone)feels that zinc chromate will give me some protection that powdercoatingwould not. I can do either!Thanks again,jm ----- Original Message -----
Thanks DJ!I thought about using 3/4" sq bar and actually ordered some. I just didn't likethe looks of it as much as this design, partly because my spars are 1" wideon the top and bottom and this fills up the 1" gap between the fittings. I didn'tmuch care for the gap that the 3/4" square bar left. I'm sure both wouldwork fine though.I'm going to sand blast and powsercoat the fittings. Let me know if you (or anyone)feels that zinc chromate will give me some protection that powdercoatingwould not. I can do either!Thanks again,jm ----- Original Message -----
Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: John Egan
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: Jim Markle
I think powdercoating would be fine just remember to make the tolerances looseon the fitting because the powdercoat adds quite a bit of thickness.DJ ----- Original Message -----
I think powdercoating would be fine just remember to make the tolerances looseon the fitting because the powdercoat adds quite a bit of thickness.DJ ----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: Jim Markle
Hey Jim,I would prefer to see the strap bent completely around the bushing and then welded.The only thing supporting your wing under negative loading is a weld that has beengrounddown.You might want to re-think this fitting.Greg Cardinal ----- Original Message -----
Hey Jim,I would prefer to see the strap bent completely around the bushing and then welded.The only thing supporting your wing under negative loading is a weld that has beengrounddown.You might want to re-think this fitting.Greg Cardinal ----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Suggestions on upper lift strut fitting....
Original Posted By: DJ Vegh
Jim:Avid Aircraft and Kitfox used powder coating effectively to prevent dissimilarmetal corrosion between 4130 and aluminum at the junctures where the lift strutstructure attached to the alumunim spar. The thickness of the powder coatingensures that the two different metals will never touch. From my experience, zincchromate is thin and doesn't have enough solids-build-up to effectively separatethe two different metals.Sterling ----- Original Message -----
Jim:Avid Aircraft and Kitfox used powder coating effectively to prevent dissimilarmetal corrosion between 4130 and aluminum at the junctures where the lift strutstructure attached to the alumunim spar. The thickness of the powder coatingensures that the two different metals will never touch. From my experience, zincchromate is thin and doesn't have enough solids-build-up to effectively separatethe two different metals.Sterling ----- Original Message -----