Original Posted By: "Graham Hansen"
My panel!waltNX140DL(north N.J.)________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: my panel
Re: Pietenpol-List: Pietenpol Landings
Original Posted By: "walter evans"
Edwin Johnson and others,Your findings regarding Pietenpol landing characteristics are inagreement with my own experience flying four different ones. Allfour had the split axle landing gear with either 6.00-6, 7.00-6 or8.00-4 tires. I've been flying one of them (my own machine) forabout 725 hours.In general, all were/are easy to fly and land, so I'll confine my ob-servations to my airplane. In calm air or in light, steady breezesthree point landings are easily accomplished. Gusty conditions change the picture and the ground becomes "a moving target",requiring (as you put it) "a lot of vigilance (read work)". Under these conditions I much prefer wheel landings because they are easier to accomplish with some degree of precision and the viewahead is better. With all four Pietenpols, wheel landings came naturally---perhapsbecause the main wheels are not placed too far ahead of the CG---a feature not necessarily present with other types. I usually use a bit of power until the wheels touch, and then close the throttle whileholding the tail off until it begins to fall. Then (as you do) I bring thestick right back and keep it there for effective tailwheel steering during the rollout. Approaches at 60 - 65 mph IAS work OK. Butif it is really wild, I'll come in a bit faster because the ground speed isn't high and little distance is required to get it down and stoppedwhen landing into a strong wind---even with the wheel landing.My Piet also stalls at about 38 mph IAS, power off. It is pure delight to fly in smooth air, but it is difficult to maintain any finesse in tur-bulence---although the a/c is always controllable.Regarding your question about wheel landings with the straight axlelanding gear, I have a full scale Sperry Messenger Biplane my stu-dents and I built back in the 1980's. It is powered by a ContinentalA 65 engine and flies much like the Pietenpol. It is perhaps theeasiest airplane to wheel land I have encountered and I almost al-ways "wheel it on". So the straight axle gear on a Pietenpol shouldpose no problems with wheel landings.Cheers,Graham Hansen (Pietenpol CF-AUN)________________________________________________________________________________
Edwin Johnson and others,Your findings regarding Pietenpol landing characteristics are inagreement with my own experience flying four different ones. Allfour had the split axle landing gear with either 6.00-6, 7.00-6 or8.00-4 tires. I've been flying one of them (my own machine) forabout 725 hours.In general, all were/are easy to fly and land, so I'll confine my ob-servations to my airplane. In calm air or in light, steady breezesthree point landings are easily accomplished. Gusty conditions change the picture and the ground becomes "a moving target",requiring (as you put it) "a lot of vigilance (read work)". Under these conditions I much prefer wheel landings because they are easier to accomplish with some degree of precision and the viewahead is better. With all four Pietenpols, wheel landings came naturally---perhapsbecause the main wheels are not placed too far ahead of the CG---a feature not necessarily present with other types. I usually use a bit of power until the wheels touch, and then close the throttle whileholding the tail off until it begins to fall. Then (as you do) I bring thestick right back and keep it there for effective tailwheel steering during the rollout. Approaches at 60 - 65 mph IAS work OK. Butif it is really wild, I'll come in a bit faster because the ground speed isn't high and little distance is required to get it down and stoppedwhen landing into a strong wind---even with the wheel landing.My Piet also stalls at about 38 mph IAS, power off. It is pure delight to fly in smooth air, but it is difficult to maintain any finesse in tur-bulence---although the a/c is always controllable.Regarding your question about wheel landings with the straight axlelanding gear, I have a full scale Sperry Messenger Biplane my stu-dents and I built back in the 1980's. It is powered by a ContinentalA 65 engine and flies much like the Pietenpol. It is perhaps theeasiest airplane to wheel land I have encountered and I almost al-ways "wheel it on". So the straight axle gear on a Pietenpol shouldpose no problems with wheel landings.Cheers,Graham Hansen (Pietenpol CF-AUN)________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: my panel
Original Posted By: "walter evans"
never mind- it didn't work!walt----- Original Message -----
never mind- it didn't work!walt----- Original Message -----
Pietenpol-List: my panel
Original Posted By: Roger Green