Original Posted By: "AircamperN11MS"
We had to get some masking tape off of a canopy that been on there for 10+ years.Kerosene worked and didn't hurt anything.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Re: Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Original Posted By: Rick Holland
Hello Lister's,Since the list is a little slow I will tell you what I did last Tuesday. We have the best flying weather in the So. Cal high desert during the fall months.Tuesday was one of those days. The temp was near 70 degrees with some veryhigh overcast, there was no wind all day. About 2pm I decided that I couldn'ttake it anymore and left for the airport. This time to go flying. It wasa perfect day to do some slow flight practice. I just lingered around the valleyabout 500 AGL at about 50 MPH and did a couple of landings at a local dirtstrip. After about thirty minutes I got this crazy idea to see if I could landwithout using the stick after all the air was so calm that I had been flyingwith just rudder and throttle inputs for the last few minutes anyway. So whynot my brain said. I headed back to my home airport to give it a try. I typicallytouch down at about 40 MPH. that is about stall speed for me since Idon't have the Piet wing. I do have an adjustable trim tab for pitch so I trimmedthe plane for 45 MPH at 1800 RPM. This had the plane flying nose high atabout a 3 point attitude and I could either climb or descend with with just acouple of hundred RPM change. I think this is going to work. Now on the downwindleg everything in the world was right. Smooth air, wings level and thetower has cleared me to land. I am the only flying machine around. With my handoff of the stick (but very close by) I was able to turn crosswind then finalwith just rudder and throttle inputs. Yeah, that worked. Now I pulled thethrottle back to about 1600 RPM and I am able to see a reasonable descent rate.At this point everything is just fine a dandy so I increase the throttle a littleto see if I can slow the descent, it works great. Back to 1600 RPM againand now reaching for the runway at 45 MPH. Looks good, wings level and centeredon the runway. As I got within a few feet of touchdown I added a touch ofthrottle and then it happened, touchdown, mains first with the tail wheel about6 inches off the ground. Not even a bounce. After the tail touched downI did hold! the stick in my lap just cause that's what you're supposed to do. The plane rolled outstraight and I had a big smile. I had fun Tuesday and discovered that I could land it in still air with just throttleand rudder control. It was a great way to end a four day weekend. Piets are sure fun to fly and they are an honest well flying airplane. Happy building and flying guys,--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 08:56:28 -0700Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Hello Lister's,Since the list is a little slow I will tell you what I did last Tuesday. We have the best flying weather in the So. Cal high desert during the fall months.Tuesday was one of those days. The temp was near 70 degrees with some veryhigh overcast, there was no wind all day. About 2pm I decided that I couldn'ttake it anymore and left for the airport. This time to go flying. It wasa perfect day to do some slow flight practice. I just lingered around the valleyabout 500 AGL at about 50 MPH and did a couple of landings at a local dirtstrip. After about thirty minutes I got this crazy idea to see if I could landwithout using the stick after all the air was so calm that I had been flyingwith just rudder and throttle inputs for the last few minutes anyway. So whynot my brain said. I headed back to my home airport to give it a try. I typicallytouch down at about 40 MPH. that is about stall speed for me since Idon't have the Piet wing. I do have an adjustable trim tab for pitch so I trimmedthe plane for 45 MPH at 1800 RPM. This had the plane flying nose high atabout a 3 point attitude and I could either climb or descend with with just acouple of hundred RPM change. I think this is going to work. Now on the downwindleg everything in the world was right. Smooth air, wings level and thetower has cleared me to land. I am the only flying machine around. With my handoff of the stick (but very close by) I was able to turn crosswind then finalwith just rudder and throttle inputs. Yeah, that worked. Now I pulled thethrottle back to about 1600 RPM and I am able to see a reasonable descent rate.At this point everything is just fine a dandy so I increase the throttle a littleto see if I can slow the descent, it works great. Back to 1600 RPM againand now reaching for the runway at 45 MPH. Looks good, wings level and centeredon the runway. As I got within a few feet of touchdown I added a touch ofthrottle and then it happened, touchdown, mains first with the tail wheel about6 inches off the ground. Not even a bounce. After the tail touched downI did hold! the stick in my lap just cause that's what you're supposed to do. The plane rolled outstraight and I had a big smile. I had fun Tuesday and discovered that I could land it in still air with just throttleand rudder control. It was a great way to end a four day weekend. Piets are sure fun to fly and they are an honest well flying airplane. Happy building and flying guys,--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 08:56:28 -0700Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Pietenpol-List: Re: Fun day flying
Original Posted By: Jim Boyer
Rick,The arm thing does work. If I put both arms out, the plane will pitch up. WhenI bring them back in it will pitch back down. Always fun to do when the personin the front cockpit is flying it. They don't know you are doing it. I havehad Air Force test pilots in the front seat and done this to them. It isfunny to here them explain to me that something undetermined is wrong with theplane. It really messes with them. They just shake their head when I tell themwhat I was doing. Fun stuff,--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 16:56:16 +0000 (UTC)
Rick,The arm thing does work. If I put both arms out, the plane will pitch up. WhenI bring them back in it will pitch back down. Always fun to do when the personin the front cockpit is flying it. They don't know you are doing it. I havehad Air Force test pilots in the front seat and done this to them. It isfunny to here them explain to me that something undetermined is wrong with theplane. It really messes with them. They just shake their head when I tell themwhat I was doing. Fun stuff,--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 16:56:16 +0000 (UTC)
Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: Fun day flying
Original Posted By: Rick Holland
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: Fun day flying
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: Fun day flying
Pietenpol-List: Re: Fun day flying
Original Posted By: "Gary Boothe"
Rick,I think you chose the proper word for that kind of attempt. I'll leave that forsomeone else to try. It took me 40 years to try what I did.
--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________
Rick,I think you chose the proper word for that kind of attempt. I'll leave that forsomeone else to try. It took me 40 years to try what I did.
--------Scott LiefeldFlying N11MS since March 1972Steel TubeC-85-12Wire WheelsBrodhead in 1996Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________RE: Pietenpol-List: Fun day flying
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Nice story, Scott. I don't have much dihedral, and letting go of thestick...ever...doesn't seem to work too well! Makes refolding the map abitch!! Guess I'll have to get a gps...Gary BootheNX308MB-----Original Message-----
Nice story, Scott. I don't have much dihedral, and letting go of thestick...ever...doesn't seem to work too well! Makes refolding the map abitch!! Guess I'll have to get a gps...Gary BootheNX308MB-----Original Message-----