Original Posted By: John Egan
Subject: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro postOkay its official.I got my prints , supplemental drawings and instructions from Don Pietenpol, so with the exception of reading all the material and planing it out in my head, I have never ever worked on an airplane before. But ever since I saw thepeit, I have been intrigued by it and the build process. I had been lurking on and off here for the past 2 years and followed the threads on a limited basis when time permitted.Now its time to get to getting. I am going to need all the advise I can get from basic intro stuff to the complex so any words of advise, well I am all ears. I don't expect to jump right in with both feet at first but intend to take the slower route of one learning and construction one assembly at a time.At least that's the plan so far.My last project was the complete rebuild of a 1983 Jeep CJ7 from the ground up the project took 5 years but its on the road so I supposes there is something to be said for tenacity. I am not bad with wrenches but have much tolearn about wood , cloth and such. I suppose all in due time!I hade the opportunity to speak with another builder last night from Arizona, he asked how big I was, I gave him the basic dimensions, he said I hadbetter consider adding a few inches to the width of the cockpit section, I am not certain how that's going to happen, so if anyone has been faced with that or a krash weight reduction plan I again am really interested , especially in the preplanning stages. Lots easier to build in the change from the start of the build than to go making after the fact modifications.Well again thanks for any help , words of wisdom and advise you are able to offer as I continue to study and research.John Recinenewby builder ________________________________________________________________________________Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 18:03:54 -0700 (PDT)
Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Re: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: AMsafetyC(at)aol.com
John,You go man. There are a lot of us that look and watch. It's very coolto see another one take the plunge. I'll be there with you soon. Whatengine are you using? I'll be looking forward to watching yourprogress. Hey, where do you live?Steve ----- Original Message -----
John,You go man. There are a lot of us that look and watch. It's very coolto see another one take the plunge. I'll be there with you soon. Whatengine are you using? I'll be looking forward to watching yourprogress. Hey, where do you live?Steve ----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: "Rick Holland"
RE: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy
Re: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: AMsafetyC(at)aol.com
OK, JohnHere's my two cents worth, after 3 homebuilts and numerous helpingprojects.1) Building is a passion, lifetime type desire to be around, inside andoutside of airplanes. It's lifetime learning.2) After the first couple years the thrill wears off. The rush to getdone either ends up in frustration and you garage your dream, or yougrit your teeth and become a real homebuilt craftsman. Your projectfrom plans could take anywhere from 2 to 10 years, depending on how muchof your spare time you want to take away from honey-do projects or thekids. The vast vast number of plans build projects are neverfinished!!!!!!!!3) If you are building the plane just because you want to fly, fur gitabout it!!!!! Go buy a cheaper spam can. You'll be flying sooner andcheaper, with an old C-150 or join a flying club. If you are buildingbecause you have the skills as a woodworker, it's a good start, but youhave to learn a whole bunch of new skills working with metals. Theexpensive and time eating projects on a homebuilt are all the metalparts, ie. fuel system, electrical system, control systems, engine,brakes, etc. etc. You have to observe, read and learn by mistake thesenew skills or your pile of sika spruce will be nothing more than a niceidea.4) The plans sold by any designer are never ever complete!!!!!!!! Youlearn by trial and error where the plans are not complete. If you wantto build a homebuilt from a complete set of plans without thinking toomuch about it, go buy an RV or Lancair pre-made parts project. There'sa very good reason why RV's have very high completion rates, thepre-made parts! You just put part A into slot B and screw in with screwC, just like putting together the kids Xmas toys or their swing set inthe back yard. Building from scratch from plans requires the skill andpatience of a true craftsman and the determination of a bulldog.5) The books recommended by other members of this group are mandatorystarts for the learning process. Next comes your local EAA chapterand/or some great fly-in's like Broadhead. Oshkash is less usefulunless you make it a point to attend the workshops and forums, forgetabout the sales tents you don't need all that high tech junk they'reoffering for a very long time. How many hats and tee shirts does aperson need, anyway.6) Find a building buddy, hopefully your wife will become one of yourbuilding buddies too, lowers the divorce rates of homebuilders. Workingtogether with someone will reinforce the desire to compete the project,makes great hanger beer parties/barbecues and you'll learn from oneanother.7) Make peace with the fact that when you think you're 80% done, you'vegot 80% still to go. Don't be too proud to throw out some marginal partyou've made and do it again. Nobody will know of the poor quality partburied somewhere in the airframe, except you and you cannot ever forgetabout it, you'll be thinking about it every time you hit the starter.8) Don't get overwhelmed with the beauty of some of the projects thatshow up at fly-ins or Oskash. Some guys have been working at buildingfor 40 years and lots of these award winners are real evidence of alifetime commitment to learning and craftmanship with homebuilts, thesewere not their first projects, their learning mistakes are buriedsomewhere in the back of the garage or hanger. Your first efforts willnot look like these but it will be yours, paid for and flies, if youhave the bulldog determination to hang in there.Gordon Bowen ----- Original Message -----
OK, JohnHere's my two cents worth, after 3 homebuilts and numerous helpingprojects.1) Building is a passion, lifetime type desire to be around, inside andoutside of airplanes. It's lifetime learning.2) After the first couple years the thrill wears off. The rush to getdone either ends up in frustration and you garage your dream, or yougrit your teeth and become a real homebuilt craftsman. Your projectfrom plans could take anywhere from 2 to 10 years, depending on how muchof your spare time you want to take away from honey-do projects or thekids. The vast vast number of plans build projects are neverfinished!!!!!!!!3) If you are building the plane just because you want to fly, fur gitabout it!!!!! Go buy a cheaper spam can. You'll be flying sooner andcheaper, with an old C-150 or join a flying club. If you are buildingbecause you have the skills as a woodworker, it's a good start, but youhave to learn a whole bunch of new skills working with metals. Theexpensive and time eating projects on a homebuilt are all the metalparts, ie. fuel system, electrical system, control systems, engine,brakes, etc. etc. You have to observe, read and learn by mistake thesenew skills or your pile of sika spruce will be nothing more than a niceidea.4) The plans sold by any designer are never ever complete!!!!!!!! Youlearn by trial and error where the plans are not complete. If you wantto build a homebuilt from a complete set of plans without thinking toomuch about it, go buy an RV or Lancair pre-made parts project. There'sa very good reason why RV's have very high completion rates, thepre-made parts! You just put part A into slot B and screw in with screwC, just like putting together the kids Xmas toys or their swing set inthe back yard. Building from scratch from plans requires the skill andpatience of a true craftsman and the determination of a bulldog.5) The books recommended by other members of this group are mandatorystarts for the learning process. Next comes your local EAA chapterand/or some great fly-in's like Broadhead. Oshkash is less usefulunless you make it a point to attend the workshops and forums, forgetabout the sales tents you don't need all that high tech junk they'reoffering for a very long time. How many hats and tee shirts does aperson need, anyway.6) Find a building buddy, hopefully your wife will become one of yourbuilding buddies too, lowers the divorce rates of homebuilders. Workingtogether with someone will reinforce the desire to compete the project,makes great hanger beer parties/barbecues and you'll learn from oneanother.7) Make peace with the fact that when you think you're 80% done, you'vegot 80% still to go. Don't be too proud to throw out some marginal partyou've made and do it again. Nobody will know of the poor quality partburied somewhere in the airframe, except you and you cannot ever forgetabout it, you'll be thinking about it every time you hit the starter.8) Don't get overwhelmed with the beauty of some of the projects thatshow up at fly-ins or Oskash. Some guys have been working at buildingfor 40 years and lots of these award winners are real evidence of alifetime commitment to learning and craftmanship with homebuilts, thesewere not their first projects, their learning mistakes are buriedsomewhere in the back of the garage or hanger. Your first efforts willnot look like these but it will be yours, paid for and flies, if youhave the bulldog determination to hang in there.Gordon Bowen ----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: "Gene Beenenga"
Gene,Thks, everyone that's been building planes for number of years was a very least thinking what I wrote down. Everyone jumping into one of these projects gotta know up front, it's going to take effort.Gordon----- Original Message -----
Gene,Thks, everyone that's been building planes for number of years was a very least thinking what I wrote down. Everyone jumping into one of these projects gotta know up front, it's going to take effort.Gordon----- Original Message -----
>> Pietenpol-List: newby here, sorry for the long intro post
Original Posted By: javier cruz