Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "Owen Davies"
Hello Pieters!I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Last night we got 4 of snow here in the north-west of Sweden and the temperature is a few centigrade below zero. In other words, we are ready for Santa Claus.Since I wrote to the list last time I have received my set of plans and I have persuaded a friend to become my EAA controller. I am now doing some paperwork and some preparation before building the wingribs. My ship will be constructed from Swedish fur with is 10% heavier than your spruce but somewhat stronger. It is also much easier to obtain over here and much cheaper. I will try to save the weight in the covering instead by using light Ceconite and silver wings.Tomorrow I am going to a small village here in Dalarna to have a look at a rusty Subaru Touring 83 that a man is offering for 180 US$. It is said to contain a good working Subaru EA 81 engine and if that is true it will be a perfect Christmas gift for myself. Still, I am not sure that I am going to use that engine in the end but I will probably learn a thing or two by tearing it down and trying to convert it to aeroplane use.I have a question for you. When I build model aeroplanes and they turn out tail-heavy I use to put some lead in the nose, bolted to the engine mount or the firewall. If I chose to use a modern engine like the Rotax 912 or a Subaru conversion in my Air Camper and it turns out tail-heavy, could I then proceed in the same manner? Do you do that in full scale aeroplanes? I do not want to have a ridiculous long nose on my aeroplane.Jannica Wunge________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: ToySat(at)aol.com
Have builders used heavy fir for everything up front, with light spruce inthe rear to help even things out?Kent________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Larry Neal
Among other comments, Jannica Wunge wrote:> My ship will be> constructed from Swedish fur with is 10% heavier than your spruce but> somewhat stronger.> I have a question for you. When I build model aeroplanes and they turn out> tail-heavy I use to put some lead in the nose, bolted to the engine mountor> the firewall. If I chose to use a modern engine like the Rotax 912 or a> Subaru conversion in my Air Camper and it turns out tail-heavy, could Ithen> proceed in the same manner?There is a very good chance it will wind up tail-heavy. A friend built aPietfrom Douglas fir, which sounds about equivalent to Swedish, and had tomove the wing several inches aft to get things balanced properly. Thiswas with a C-85. He now recommends using spruce at least in the tailfeathers, or using a combination of fir for the main load-bearing membersand pine for less heavily stressed pieces. (This is an Experimentalaircraft,after all.)It's been a while since I looked into Subaru engines, but my impression isthat even the EA-81 will wind up a bit heavier than the Continental engine,though probably not as heavy as the Ford A. It should not be necessaryto add extra weight to the plane to balance things out; just move the winguntil the airfoil fits the c.g.You can add weight if you absolutely have to, but give some thought tohow you can shave weight from the tail, rather than add it to the nose.No one wants to carry any kilograms they don't have to.Owen Davies________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 09:33:50 -0600

Original Posted By: "Jannica Wunge"
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Original Posted By: "Alan Swanson"
Hello Pieters! . I have a question for you. When I build model aeroplanes and they turnout tail-heavy I use to put some lead in the nose, bolted to the enginemount or the firewall. If I chose to use a modern engine like the Rotax 912 ora Subaru conversion in my Air Camper and it turns out tail-heavy, couldI then proceed in the same manner? Do you do that in full scale aeroplanes? Ido not want to have a ridiculous long nose on my aeroplane. Jannica Wunge ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I don't think I would use a rotex engine, but if you do, the nose willextend all the way to Norway. There are cases of people adding weight to the motor mount, in orderto move the CG fwd. Mike B Piet N687MB ( Mr Sam )________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Robert Haines"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Tail heavy?Kent,I always put the heaviest wood in the front. Doug Bryant________________________________________________________________________________