Original Posted By: "Graham Hansen"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need adviceHi,At our EAA meeting tonight our chapter president told me about a pietenpol fuselage and maybe some accessories for sale locally. I know that some outstanding projects have been built from partially completed projects. I am going to look at this project. I would really appreciate any advice for what to look for when examining someone's partially completed project before buying it. I know to look for test pieces, ask what type of glue was used, and to ask what type of material was used (home depot Vs Wicks or ACS). I am sure that there are many more questions that I should ask and many more things I should be looking at. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks AgainNorm Decou ________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need advice
RE: Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need advice
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Hi Norm,I'll give you the same advice I gave Kip Gardner before he bought his Pietproject. Take a steel tape measure with you when you go to inspect it. Ifpossible, take some plumb bobs, a chalk line and a good level. If the gluejoints are good and the lumber is acceptable, about the only thing thatcould make it unworkable would be if it were out of alignment. If you havethe plans, take them with you and make some measurements to see how closelythe original builder followed the plans.If the owner will let you (and I would be suspicious if he won't), snap achalk line from the center of the firewall crossmember to the center of thetailpost and make measurements to see that each station is symmetrical aboutthe centerline. Better yet, if the fuselage can be positioned with the toplongerons level, snap a centerline on the floor and hang some plumb bobsfrom the centerline of the top cross members and make sure that everythingis square and aligned properly. Check out Tony Bingelis' chapters onalignment before going to inspect it.If it is already on its gear, make a measurement with your steel tape fromthe center of the tailpost to the end of each axle - the two measurementsshould not vary by more than say, 1/4" (less variation is better. Ideallythey would read exactly the same). Also if it is on the gear, check and seeif the floor is level, and then check to see that the plane is level acrossthe top longerons.Check to make sure that the places where you will have to mount the fittingsfor the cabane struts are actually the same distance apart as the spars ofthe wing (the one inch spars are on 28-3/4" centers - if you use 3/4" sparsas I did, the centers of the spars are 28-1/2" apart, keeping the innerfaces of the spars 27-3/4" apart).Basically check anything you can think of that would throw the alignmentout. One reason that many homebuilt projects are abandoned and sold is thatthe builder discovers that something is out of alignment and he then getsdiscouraged, loses interest and sells the project. If the alignment isbadly off, there may be nothing that can be done to save the project. Aplane that is built with poor alignment will generally fly poorly - and mayeven look noticeably "off".If possible, acquire his builder's log for your own reference. Try to gethis invoices and receipts as well.Good luck!Jack -----Original Message-----
Hi Norm,I'll give you the same advice I gave Kip Gardner before he bought his Pietproject. Take a steel tape measure with you when you go to inspect it. Ifpossible, take some plumb bobs, a chalk line and a good level. If the gluejoints are good and the lumber is acceptable, about the only thing thatcould make it unworkable would be if it were out of alignment. If you havethe plans, take them with you and make some measurements to see how closelythe original builder followed the plans.If the owner will let you (and I would be suspicious if he won't), snap achalk line from the center of the firewall crossmember to the center of thetailpost and make measurements to see that each station is symmetrical aboutthe centerline. Better yet, if the fuselage can be positioned with the toplongerons level, snap a centerline on the floor and hang some plumb bobsfrom the centerline of the top cross members and make sure that everythingis square and aligned properly. Check out Tony Bingelis' chapters onalignment before going to inspect it.If it is already on its gear, make a measurement with your steel tape fromthe center of the tailpost to the end of each axle - the two measurementsshould not vary by more than say, 1/4" (less variation is better. Ideallythey would read exactly the same). Also if it is on the gear, check and seeif the floor is level, and then check to see that the plane is level acrossthe top longerons.Check to make sure that the places where you will have to mount the fittingsfor the cabane struts are actually the same distance apart as the spars ofthe wing (the one inch spars are on 28-3/4" centers - if you use 3/4" sparsas I did, the centers of the spars are 28-1/2" apart, keeping the innerfaces of the spars 27-3/4" apart).Basically check anything you can think of that would throw the alignmentout. One reason that many homebuilt projects are abandoned and sold is thatthe builder discovers that something is out of alignment and he then getsdiscouraged, loses interest and sells the project. If the alignment isbadly off, there may be nothing that can be done to save the project. Aplane that is built with poor alignment will generally fly poorly - and mayeven look noticeably "off".If possible, acquire his builder's log for your own reference. Try to gethis invoices and receipts as well.Good luck!Jack -----Original Message-----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need advice
Original Posted By: "Phil Phillips"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need adviceIn a message dated 3/15/02 8:25:54 AM Eastern Standard Time, jackphillips(at)earthlink.net writes:>That brings up an interesting question. If there were such a fuselage built that was out of alignment, what possibilities would you have to correct these poor alignment ? Could some of the cross members be cut and glue joints ground down and the two sides rejoined ? I guess it would depend on the purchase price and how much new wood would cost. I just hope that when I get to that point, I will be able to get everything straight before the glue dries ! Plumb bobs and chalk line along with measureing tape sound like very cheap insurance to get a square true airframe.________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Found a fuselage-need adviceIn a message dated 3/15/02 8:25:54 AM Eastern Standard Time, jackphillips(at)earthlink.net writes:>That brings up an interesting question. If there were such a fuselage built that was out of alignment, what possibilities would you have to correct these poor alignment ? Could some of the cross members be cut and glue joints ground down and the two sides rejoined ? I guess it would depend on the purchase price and how much new wood would cost. I just hope that when I get to that point, I will be able to get everything straight before the glue dries ! Plumb bobs and chalk line along with measureing tape sound like very cheap insurance to get a square true airframe.________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: Pietenpol Builder's Meet & Fly-in!
Original Posted By: Larry Neal
LarryThis sounds great. Please let us know where we can find directions.Ken, an Austin-based builder in the early stages, trying to learn enough tostart contributing and stop lurking.----- Original Message -----
LarryThis sounds great. Please let us know where we can find directions.Ken, an Austin-based builder in the early stages, trying to learn enough tostart contributing and stop lurking.----- Original Message -----
Pietenpol-List: Pietenpol Builder's Meet & Fly-in!
Original Posted By: Kirk & Laura Huizenga
Re: Pietenpol-List: Pietenpol Builder's Meet & Fly-in!
Original Posted By: "KenGailGriff"
Larry,I will be there in my GN-1. I have practiced touch andgo landings at Mid-Way and have actually used themakeshift grass strip that runs next to the runway.Great place to have such an event.Mike KingGN-177MKDallas----- Original Message -----
Larry,I will be there in my GN-1. I have practiced touch andgo landings at Mid-Way and have actually used themakeshift grass strip that runs next to the runway.Great place to have such an event.Mike KingGN-177MKDallas----- Original Message -----