Pietenpol-List: Progress?

[matronics]

Original Posted By: "walt evans"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Progress?Well, today marks the first day of my fifth year of building Pietra. And she's coming along all right. It was easy and quick to build the fuse and the tailfeathers. Others have reported that it took them a year and a half to buildt he wings. I'm retired, can spend a lot ot time on t he project, but even so, Ihave to confirm that it takes at least a year and a half to build the wings!I went to William Wynne's seminar at Hanford, CA last year. I thought that it was very worthwhile.and I do have a Corvair engine ready for installation and the final details, such as intake manifold, exhaust piping, etc. I'm planning on using a single Bing carburetor, a take-off from a Jabiru 3300.The woodwork is all done, except for fasteners, etc. for the hardware.Bernard's hinges turned out to be a real problem for me, I made severalsets, and did end up wit h a pretty good set, but decided to build a set of U pieces that didn't require any welding. I used piano hinges for the ailerons. If I were starting to build again, I'd use these for the tail feathers too.I used good Fir and AS&S Basswood plywood, and weight hasn't been an issue. The fuse is 71 lbs, tailfeathers are 14pounds, spars are 10 pounds each, and all the ribs for one wing come in at only 5 pounds. I used full dimensions throughout, but would reduce thicknesses a little if I did another one.I've got the controls to do, then the covering. I do believe that Pietra could be flying this summer, but I'm not a flyer, so there's no real incentiveto go faster. I love the airport environment, and the hangar, and with the big door open, I can see the snow-capped mountains in behind the approach to LAX. The big news here is that the county has paid for a big pile of ballistic shielding materials which we are putting up around the hangar to protect us fromall the bullets fflying around(43 holes!).See you all at Brodhead, Carl Lekven, Compton Airport, CA________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:37:15 -0500

[matronics]

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: piet for sale againHi Carl, Is this plane still for sale? I would be MOST interested in it.$3,500.00 is all? Why so cheap? Please let me know all the specifics. Jim Thursby-----Original Message-----

[matronics]

Original Posted By: ANNCARLEK(at)aol.com
Hey Carl, Glad to hear of your progress. I like many others have many family issues thathave precluded my starting on the Piet. I have been lurking for about three/fouryears or so. Sometimes, this is one of the few good things that come myway just reading how everyone is doing. MY garage is only lacking the countertops,and the cabinets need finish painting. Other then that, I have all the woodin the rafters, a Corvair tore down, and just need the metal as far as partsgo to make all the brackets. I have a wife that is disabled from back problems/surgeries,but I have the hope of you who have gone before me, to assure meI will accomplish this one day. Keep up the posts. For those of you that don'tknow Carl, he has probably forgotten more about planes then most of us willever learn about them. Good job Carl, I'll try and get up to Compton in lateFebruary. When is the next meeting for your club?Doug BlackburnDoug/Elizabeth BlackburnYucaipa Californiawww.inlandsloperebels.com AMA #3761W.W. conversion manual, #3202,#5782 www.flycorvair.com ----- Original Message -----