Pietenpol-List: Brodhead impressions from a newbie
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 10:18 am
Original Posted By: "Alex Sloan"
Hello everyone,I just recently joined the group and this is my first posting.This my third trip to Brodhead. The last was over 5 years ago. (I kind ofdropped out of flying after the engine was stolen out of my Piper, but thatis another story)Anyway, I have been smitten by the Piet for years and now that I'm retiredplan to do something about it.There were two Corvair powered Piets, one of them being the "Last Orginial"NX899H. The other one had "Brown Aero" on the fuselage. I did not get totalk with either owner, there were so many people asking questions.While at Brodhead I purchased William Wynn's book, "Corvair Flight Enginesfor use in Experimental Aircraft",Three Tee shirts, two cast aluminum rocker covers and a Corvair engine.The Hoopman family donated Orrins personal collection of PietenpolNewsletters, Sport Avaitions and newsletters from the Internation PietenpolAssociation to anyone that wanted them. They were on a table and while Iwould like to have taken them all, I only took three. One nice thing isthat they were addressed to Orrin Hoopman. I get a copy BAP issue 31 - 1stquarter 1991 which featured an article by B.H. Pietenpol about the Corvairengine conversion. There are no pictures included but if anyone would likea copy please send me an off list e-mail with their snail mail address. Aslong as the volume is not too high they are free if it gets to be too muchI'll ask a for a buck. You will still need to get the instructions from DonPietenpol but the article is interesting anyway.Mike Cuy's Piet was there and it is truly a beautiful aircraft. Mike Cuyand Lowell Frank were the only two Piet owners that I was able to speak withand both were very courteous and gave thoughtful answers.I took about 200 hundred pictures mostly of Piets but some of the antiqueaircraft at the show. After I get them oganized I will post them on my website. Many pictures show details like landing gear closeups, model "A"engines, Corvair engines, instrument panels and so fourth and probably won'tbe of much interest to anyone except builders. I did get several differentcockpit door pictures from two different Corbins and the Heath Parsol fromthe inside showing construction details. I'm going to have to put a door inthe front cockpit because wife has arthritus in her knees and won't be ableto get in otherwise.William Wynn's seminar on the Corvair conversion was very interesting, aswas Larry Hudson's converted Corvair engine which was displayed in thepavilion for several hours while Larry patiently answered questions. Againit was too crowed to get an overall picture, but I did get a few showingsome details, prop hub, starter etc.My advice to anyone going to Brodhead that must drive through Beloit is bewell prepared ahead of time. I got directions from Yahoo which were wrong,I stopped and got directions at a store which were wrong also. Finally Ibought a map and the clerk at that store gave me perfect directions. Ididn't need the map but got it anyway out of gratitude. I arrived at theairport after dark, too late to try and put up my tent so spent the firstnight in my car. After while, pain becomes somewhat of a sedative and I didget some sleep. In the morning two very nice gentleman from the UK helpedme put up my tent. Actually, I think they took pity on me. Anyway, neverput up a tent for the first time in public, practice doing it somewhereprivate until you know what to do. All in all everyone was very polite Ihad a great time, met some truly nice people, learned a lot and am ready tocome back next year. One thing I heard someone say is that they flew overOshkosh, threw out their billfold then and came on to Brodhead. Regards,Bob BaileyP.S. Sorry this got to be so long, sometimes I get carried away. I hope noone minds and I promise to keep the stupid questions to a minimum. I planto do the engine conversion and make all the metal parts first.________________________________________________________________________________
Hello everyone,I just recently joined the group and this is my first posting.This my third trip to Brodhead. The last was over 5 years ago. (I kind ofdropped out of flying after the engine was stolen out of my Piper, but thatis another story)Anyway, I have been smitten by the Piet for years and now that I'm retiredplan to do something about it.There were two Corvair powered Piets, one of them being the "Last Orginial"NX899H. The other one had "Brown Aero" on the fuselage. I did not get totalk with either owner, there were so many people asking questions.While at Brodhead I purchased William Wynn's book, "Corvair Flight Enginesfor use in Experimental Aircraft",Three Tee shirts, two cast aluminum rocker covers and a Corvair engine.The Hoopman family donated Orrins personal collection of PietenpolNewsletters, Sport Avaitions and newsletters from the Internation PietenpolAssociation to anyone that wanted them. They were on a table and while Iwould like to have taken them all, I only took three. One nice thing isthat they were addressed to Orrin Hoopman. I get a copy BAP issue 31 - 1stquarter 1991 which featured an article by B.H. Pietenpol about the Corvairengine conversion. There are no pictures included but if anyone would likea copy please send me an off list e-mail with their snail mail address. Aslong as the volume is not too high they are free if it gets to be too muchI'll ask a for a buck. You will still need to get the instructions from DonPietenpol but the article is interesting anyway.Mike Cuy's Piet was there and it is truly a beautiful aircraft. Mike Cuyand Lowell Frank were the only two Piet owners that I was able to speak withand both were very courteous and gave thoughtful answers.I took about 200 hundred pictures mostly of Piets but some of the antiqueaircraft at the show. After I get them oganized I will post them on my website. Many pictures show details like landing gear closeups, model "A"engines, Corvair engines, instrument panels and so fourth and probably won'tbe of much interest to anyone except builders. I did get several differentcockpit door pictures from two different Corbins and the Heath Parsol fromthe inside showing construction details. I'm going to have to put a door inthe front cockpit because wife has arthritus in her knees and won't be ableto get in otherwise.William Wynn's seminar on the Corvair conversion was very interesting, aswas Larry Hudson's converted Corvair engine which was displayed in thepavilion for several hours while Larry patiently answered questions. Againit was too crowed to get an overall picture, but I did get a few showingsome details, prop hub, starter etc.My advice to anyone going to Brodhead that must drive through Beloit is bewell prepared ahead of time. I got directions from Yahoo which were wrong,I stopped and got directions at a store which were wrong also. Finally Ibought a map and the clerk at that store gave me perfect directions. Ididn't need the map but got it anyway out of gratitude. I arrived at theairport after dark, too late to try and put up my tent so spent the firstnight in my car. After while, pain becomes somewhat of a sedative and I didget some sleep. In the morning two very nice gentleman from the UK helpedme put up my tent. Actually, I think they took pity on me. Anyway, neverput up a tent for the first time in public, practice doing it somewhereprivate until you know what to do. All in all everyone was very polite Ihad a great time, met some truly nice people, learned a lot and am ready tocome back next year. One thing I heard someone say is that they flew overOshkosh, threw out their billfold then and came on to Brodhead. Regards,Bob BaileyP.S. Sorry this got to be so long, sometimes I get carried away. I hope noone minds and I promise to keep the stupid questions to a minimum. I planto do the engine conversion and make all the metal parts first.________________________________________________________________________________