Original Posted By: "Gene & Tammy"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10In a message dated 7/12/2006 5:30:40 PM Central Standard Time, jimboyer(at)hughes.net writes:Chuck, you are making great progress on the tailwind. How long have you been working on it? You are too productive.Cheers, JimJim,I more or less committed to the Tailwind W10 project, soon after I finished construction on the Piet, in early '02. I had a serious case of 'Builders Withdraw'. Time spent on it has been on & off till about a month ago, and I really started spending a lot of time on the fuselage. The Tailwind is All AboutSPEED !! On 150 hp, they typically cruise around 180 mph, and can easily go over 200 mph !! I'm planning on a 'Glass Panel', too.Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10
Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10
Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10Hi Chuck,I can understand the builders withdrawal sypmtoms. after you have worked on somethingfor several years and enjoyed it; its hard not to have somehing to workon.What was your thinking on picking the Wittman tailwind versus some of the newerdesigns using composite construction? I know it is very fast for the power asa local friend, Art Beer, had one for a long time, but it seems to require alot more effort than some of the newer designs. Also since Steve had a provenOlds/Buick V8 conversion why are you using a Lycoming (probably the obvious thatyou had it).Your workmanship from what I can see in the photos really looks good Chuck. Youare an inspiration to the rest of us.Cheers, Jim________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10Hi Chuck,I can understand the builders withdrawal sypmtoms. after you have worked on somethingfor several years and enjoyed it; its hard not to have somehing to workon.What was your thinking on picking the Wittman tailwind versus some of the newerdesigns using composite construction? I know it is very fast for the power asa local friend, Art Beer, had one for a long time, but it seems to require alot more effort than some of the newer designs. Also since Steve had a provenOlds/Buick V8 conversion why are you using a Lycoming (probably the obvious thatyou had it).Your workmanship from what I can see in the photos really looks good Chuck. Youare an inspiration to the rest of us.Cheers, Jim________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10
Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10In a message dated 7/13/2006 12:00:13 PM Central Standard Time, kmheidecpo(at)yahoo.com writes:Chuck....Have you discussed this project with all of us out here? It is very hard to watch one stray from the "only" plane made for fun and true spirit of flying...However, maybe we should have a vote to see if you have permission tostray from the group on this new venture......tee-hee-heeWell, ya know, I've toiled over that very thought. The Tailwind has been Top Secret for years now, for that very reason...but now the cat's out of the bag !! No Worry, in an effort to get the groups permission for this next project, I'm not straying from the 'Low & Slow'. And besides, the Tailwind ISa 'Scratch Built Plane'. And also besides that, Everybody needs to have Two airplanes !!Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10In a message dated 7/13/2006 12:00:13 PM Central Standard Time, kmheidecpo(at)yahoo.com writes:Chuck....Have you discussed this project with all of us out here? It is very hard to watch one stray from the "only" plane made for fun and true spirit of flying...However, maybe we should have a vote to see if you have permission tostray from the group on this new venture......tee-hee-heeWell, ya know, I've toiled over that very thought. The Tailwind has been Top Secret for years now, for that very reason...but now the cat's out of the bag !! No Worry, in an effort to get the groups permission for this next project, I'm not straying from the 'Low & Slow'. And besides, the Tailwind ISa 'Scratch Built Plane'. And also besides that, Everybody needs to have Two airplanes !!Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10
Original Posted By: "Gordon Bowen"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10In a message dated 7/13/2006 4:24:50 PM Central Standard Time, jimboyer(at)hughes.net writes:What was your thinking on picking the Wittman tailwind versus some of the newer designs using composite construction? I know it is very fast for the poweras a local friend, Art Beer, had one for a long time, but it seems to require a lot more effort than some of the newer designs. Also since Steve had a proven Olds/Buick V8 conversion why are you using a Lycoming (probably the obviousthat you had it). I was looking for a Fast, Economical, Scratch Built Plane. It came down to a Long EZ and the Tailwind. The Wittman Tailwind W10 fit the bill this time, but the Long EZ is going to be my next project after the Tailwind. The 'Fast Glass' planes today, are almost all Kit Planes, and I'm just not a kit builder. Before I built the Pietenpol, I designed and scratch built several veryunique Radio Control Airplanes. In fact, that's where I got my screen name from...R C A P R D - Radio Controlled Air Plane Research & Development. My ol'R.C. flying buddies nicknamed me 'RD'. I would keep them entertained with some of the crazy things I brought to the field for test flights !! I still havetwo of them hanging from the ceiling here in my house. Steve Wittman did a tremendous amount of work to get the 215 - 265 C.I.D. Aluminum Block Inverted Olds engine to a point where it was reliable, and very few people have done it since him. There is a picture in Wittman's hangerof a bunch of guys, two of which are Bernard H. Pietenpol, Steve Wittman, as well as some other very notable characters from that time period. Bernard andSteve had very similar design philosophy's - Build it Light and Simple. They just operated at different ends of the Speed Spectrum. The Lycoming O-320 is the engine of choice for many of today's Tailwinds, and RV's because of it's reliability, and dependability. It was probably the best engine that Lycoming has ever built. I just hope I can get this Tailwind flying before Jack P. sells his RV4, which has the exact same engine Ihave for the Tailwind. Ya see...I bet him a Beer, that I could pass him up !!! :)Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10In a message dated 7/13/2006 4:24:50 PM Central Standard Time, jimboyer(at)hughes.net writes:What was your thinking on picking the Wittman tailwind versus some of the newer designs using composite construction? I know it is very fast for the poweras a local friend, Art Beer, had one for a long time, but it seems to require a lot more effort than some of the newer designs. Also since Steve had a proven Olds/Buick V8 conversion why are you using a Lycoming (probably the obviousthat you had it). I was looking for a Fast, Economical, Scratch Built Plane. It came down to a Long EZ and the Tailwind. The Wittman Tailwind W10 fit the bill this time, but the Long EZ is going to be my next project after the Tailwind. The 'Fast Glass' planes today, are almost all Kit Planes, and I'm just not a kit builder. Before I built the Pietenpol, I designed and scratch built several veryunique Radio Control Airplanes. In fact, that's where I got my screen name from...R C A P R D - Radio Controlled Air Plane Research & Development. My ol'R.C. flying buddies nicknamed me 'RD'. I would keep them entertained with some of the crazy things I brought to the field for test flights !! I still havetwo of them hanging from the ceiling here in my house. Steve Wittman did a tremendous amount of work to get the 215 - 265 C.I.D. Aluminum Block Inverted Olds engine to a point where it was reliable, and very few people have done it since him. There is a picture in Wittman's hangerof a bunch of guys, two of which are Bernard H. Pietenpol, Steve Wittman, as well as some other very notable characters from that time period. Bernard andSteve had very similar design philosophy's - Build it Light and Simple. They just operated at different ends of the Speed Spectrum. The Lycoming O-320 is the engine of choice for many of today's Tailwinds, and RV's because of it's reliability, and dependability. It was probably the best engine that Lycoming has ever built. I just hope I can get this Tailwind flying before Jack P. sells his RV4, which has the exact same engine Ihave for the Tailwind. Ya see...I bet him a Beer, that I could pass him up !!! :)Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10
Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10Chuck,LongE plans are no longer sold by RAF, but there's plenty of good partially done stuff that occasionally shows up on E-bay, virgin set of plans with serial no. sold on Ebay year or so ago for $1500. Couple years ago, I found a partial Tailwind on E-Bay, considered it strongly instead of last Osprey project, but couldn't fit.. Re composite planes with plans, the Cozy plans are still available. Builds just like the LE but bigger and can take 0-360. Nice thing about these plans modified by Puffer from the original Rutan LE plans, is anyone who's built or worked on building other planes can actually follow the plans step by step and actually build the darn thing, unlike the plans for the Osprey and some others. Terrific support for canard-pushers via newsletters from Central States Aviators group out of Cleveland and also the canardaviators group on yahoo.Gordon ----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Next project - Wittman Tailwind W10Chuck,LongE plans are no longer sold by RAF, but there's plenty of good partially done stuff that occasionally shows up on E-bay, virgin set of plans with serial no. sold on Ebay year or so ago for $1500. Couple years ago, I found a partial Tailwind on E-Bay, considered it strongly instead of last Osprey project, but couldn't fit.. Re composite planes with plans, the Cozy plans are still available. Builds just like the LE but bigger and can take 0-360. Nice thing about these plans modified by Puffer from the original Rutan LE plans, is anyone who's built or worked on building other planes can actually follow the plans step by step and actually build the darn thing, unlike the plans for the Osprey and some others. Terrific support for canard-pushers via newsletters from Central States Aviators group out of Cleveland and also the canardaviators group on yahoo.Gordon ----- Original Message -----