Original Posted By: "skellytown flyer"
Thanks Steve for those gorgeous photos!!Things like that are truly a "shot in the arm" during the long, dark, coldwinter days of rebuilding. Helps with the daydreams.Douwe________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: trimming adjustments
Pietenpol-List: trimming adjustments
Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Original Posted By: "Bill Church"
Well, the spring here in the Texas panhandle is not the best time for test flightsbut it is where I'm at. I have one short flight on the GN-1 I got from D.J.as a project. and it flew pretty well. I hesitate to change anything till Iget at least one longer flight in fairly calm conditions.the first one was moreto prove to myself that the plane is going to be manageable in flight and Ican get it on the ground safely. considering that it went well- I needed to holdsome forward stick to maintain level flight and left wing a little heavy butnot bad. what I'm wondering is-though I did the best I could at using the dimensionsof the fuselage/seat positions, fuel tank centerline. etc. to calculatethe empty C/G. and the wing is set at a higher angle of attack to help theaircraft fly at a more level attitude. I think DJ did a good job there- I firstwas thinking that I should raise the front of the horizontal stabilizer someto help it be more neutral. I am wondering if it might be more useful to movethe battery forward some.it is behind the rear seat now since that is where Ineeded it to go to get the figures to come out right. but since the the stabilizeris flat with the fuselage longerons-if the plane is in pretty close to levelflight that might be a good indication that my weight is a little too faraft. any thoughts or advice? I know losing 20 pounds could help but I doubt that'llhappen. the winds are again forecast 10 to 25 from the southwest todayand they're already over 20. that's pushing my comfort zone for test flights withonly one rough runway along a barbed wire fence. but hey the crank didn'tsnap yet! RaymondRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Well, the spring here in the Texas panhandle is not the best time for test flightsbut it is where I'm at. I have one short flight on the GN-1 I got from D.J.as a project. and it flew pretty well. I hesitate to change anything till Iget at least one longer flight in fairly calm conditions.the first one was moreto prove to myself that the plane is going to be manageable in flight and Ican get it on the ground safely. considering that it went well- I needed to holdsome forward stick to maintain level flight and left wing a little heavy butnot bad. what I'm wondering is-though I did the best I could at using the dimensionsof the fuselage/seat positions, fuel tank centerline. etc. to calculatethe empty C/G. and the wing is set at a higher angle of attack to help theaircraft fly at a more level attitude. I think DJ did a good job there- I firstwas thinking that I should raise the front of the horizontal stabilizer someto help it be more neutral. I am wondering if it might be more useful to movethe battery forward some.it is behind the rear seat now since that is where Ineeded it to go to get the figures to come out right. but since the the stabilizeris flat with the fuselage longerons-if the plane is in pretty close to levelflight that might be a good indication that my weight is a little too faraft. any thoughts or advice? I know losing 20 pounds could help but I doubt that'llhappen. the winds are again forecast 10 to 25 from the southwest todayand they're already over 20. that's pushing my comfort zone for test flights withonly one rough runway along a barbed wire fence. but hey the crank didn'tsnap yet! RaymondRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Original Posted By: "skellytown flyer"
Raymond,Good to hear that you've managed to get airborne. But, if the weather isn't right(and by "right", I mean dead calm), then it just isn't the right time to bedoing test flights. I think you'll need to keep your enthusiasm in check, anduse intellect, rather than emotions to decide whether conditions are right forflying. Just ask Douwe, if you need a second opinion. As for your W&B, you mention that you did the calculations as best you could tocalculate the empty CG, but did you actually do proper W&B measurements withthe finished plane? The way you wrote it, it sounds as though you haven't. Hopefullythat's just a misinterpretation.Bill C.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Raymond,Good to hear that you've managed to get airborne. But, if the weather isn't right(and by "right", I mean dead calm), then it just isn't the right time to bedoing test flights. I think you'll need to keep your enthusiasm in check, anduse intellect, rather than emotions to decide whether conditions are right forflying. Just ask Douwe, if you need a second opinion. As for your W&B, you mention that you did the calculations as best you could tocalculate the empty CG, but did you actually do proper W&B measurements withthe finished plane? The way you wrote it, it sounds as though you haven't. Hopefullythat's just a misinterpretation.Bill C.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Original Posted By: Ken Bickers
well yes as usual I probably didn't explain the W&B calc right. as many experimentalsgo- this one has a stretched fuselage as well as a few other things likeI removed the nose tank and installed a tank in the center section of the wing.bothof which make the measurements from plans in-correct. what I did wasmeasure from my belly button for distance ( I believe that's a Tony Bingelus idea?)and measure the fuel tank center in flight attitude and use that along withall true measurements for wheels,wing position etc. and triple checked allcalculations. that is how I arrived at the battery location to bring it withinthe limits. -the FAA examiner was satisfied with them and it did fly reasonablewell. but since the first test indicated that I need a fair amount of forwardstick pressure to maintain level flight. not extreme- but a little more thanI'd like, I'm trying to come up with the best and safest way to bring it in.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 09:58:38 -0600Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
well yes as usual I probably didn't explain the W&B calc right. as many experimentalsgo- this one has a stretched fuselage as well as a few other things likeI removed the nose tank and installed a tank in the center section of the wing.bothof which make the measurements from plans in-correct. what I did wasmeasure from my belly button for distance ( I believe that's a Tony Bingelus idea?)and measure the fuel tank center in flight attitude and use that along withall true measurements for wheels,wing position etc. and triple checked allcalculations. that is how I arrived at the battery location to bring it withinthe limits. -the FAA examiner was satisfied with them and it did fly reasonablewell. but since the first test indicated that I need a fair amount of forwardstick pressure to maintain level flight. not extreme- but a little more thanI'd like, I'm trying to come up with the best and safest way to bring it in.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 09:58:38 -0600Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Pietenpol-List: Re: trimming adjustments
Original Posted By: "TOM STINEMETZE"
RaymondCongratulations on getting your plane finished. Send us a picture so we can seehow it turned out.You are correct that an aft CG will cause you to use more forward stick but sowill a tail plane out of trim. Did you actually weigh the finished plane on scalesand then use that information to find the center of gravity? This is theonly true way to find the planes CG. If not then don't fly the plane untilyou do. Others on this list can walk you through the process better than I could.If your CG measurements are correct where is you CG in regards to the publishedlimits? Is it near (or past) the aft CG limit? If your CG is near the center of the CG envelope then I wouldn't adjust it. Itwould then appear to be aerodynamic problems that might be solved by adjustingthe horizontal stabilizer. Secondly, wait until the wind dies down. You can't do any stability testing ifyour being blown around. I know it's hard but play it safe.Chris--------ChrisSacramento, CAWestCoastPiet.comRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:08:38 -0500
RaymondCongratulations on getting your plane finished. Send us a picture so we can seehow it turned out.You are correct that an aft CG will cause you to use more forward stick but sowill a tail plane out of trim. Did you actually weigh the finished plane on scalesand then use that information to find the center of gravity? This is theonly true way to find the planes CG. If not then don't fly the plane untilyou do. Others on this list can walk you through the process better than I could.If your CG measurements are correct where is you CG in regards to the publishedlimits? Is it near (or past) the aft CG limit? If your CG is near the center of the CG envelope then I wouldn't adjust it. Itwould then appear to be aerodynamic problems that might be solved by adjustingthe horizontal stabilizer. Secondly, wait until the wind dies down. You can't do any stability testing ifyour being blown around. I know it's hard but play it safe.Chris--------ChrisSacramento, CAWestCoastPiet.comRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:08:38 -0500
Pietenpol-List: Re: Flight Testing
Original Posted By: "Douwe Blumberg"
Kip I totally agree. I am a Nasa nut. I was in my little Luscombe 8A at about 10,500when Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins left the Cape in Apollo 11 the morningof July 16, 1969. It is a real memory.--------Jerry Dotson59 Daniel Johnson RdBaker, FL 32531Started building NX510JD July, 2009wing, tailfeathers done, fuselage rollingusing Lycoming O-235Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________
Kip I totally agree. I am a Nasa nut. I was in my little Luscombe 8A at about 10,500when Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins left the Cape in Apollo 11 the morningof July 16, 1969. It is a real memory.--------Jerry Dotson59 Daniel Johnson RdBaker, FL 32531Started building NX510JD July, 2009wing, tailfeathers done, fuselage rollingusing Lycoming O-235Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________