Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy

Original Posted By: "Michael D Cuy"
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Original Posted By: Larry Groulx

Original Posted By: "Graham Hansen"
Larry Groulx asked:> What is the weight difference between the complete wood fuselage vs.> complete tube fuselage?The steel is lighter, but I'm not sure how much lighter. The figure I'veheard was 35 to 40 pounds, but that seems like an awful lot to save from onefuselage.In any case, the wood Piet flies well enough so that your choice is probablyas much aesthetic as anything. A Piet doesn't seem like a Piet to me unlessit's wood, even though the design is also from Mr. Pietenpol himself.Despite which, mine is likely to be steel tube. I really enjoy welding, andthe other planes I want to build are all steel tube designs. So it goes.Owen Davies________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Alex Sloan"
Larry,In 1970 I built a Pietenpol with a wooden fuselage whch I'm still flying.Then,about five years later I built a steel tube fuselage based on the Pietenpolplans. I increased the size of some members, particularly in the cockpitarea.I'm not sure of the numbers anymore, but the weight of the basic frame with-out fittings was approximately 35 lbs. By the time I added seat supports,fittings, fairing clips, front pit door structure, etc. it had increasednoticeably. However, I believe it was still below the weight of the woodenfuselage. Howmuch I cannot say.This airplane had steel tubing tail surfaces which were a bit heavier thanthewooden ones. I sold the project and it was finished and became a good-flying Pietenpol with an A65, although its empty weight wound up at about660 lbs.(solid, not routed, wing spars made it heavier). I would recommendthat one should stick with the wooden tail surfaces even with a steelfuselage; they are about as light as it is possible to make them.Weight savings of 35 to 40 lbs. from using the steel tubing fuselage seemtoohigh because we are talking about the frame only. While I didn't weigh it,mybasic wood frame fuselage wasn't very heavy either. (Framing was spruce andI used marine quality 1/8" ply for the sides together with 1/4" marine firply for the floor. Gussets were 1/8" aircraft birch ply.)Does anyone out there have the numbers for the basic wood frame?Graham Hansen (Pietenpol CF-AUN)________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Graham Hansen"
Graham,I have my basic fuselage glued together. Both sides, floor and side walls.I will try to remember to weigh it next time I go to the work shop.Alex Sloan----- Original Message -----