Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "Dave Abramson"
Roman wrote->do you chop the throttle when you're just a little above ground?>I maintain about 1200 to 1500 rpm at touchdown, then close the>throttle once the wheels are rolling. this is on tarmac. My engine>is an A-65. Occasionally I hear the wheels rolling before I know I've >landed.Yes... typically, I back the throttle to idle when I'm in the flare. I do hold power down final, especially with a crosswind, but try to go to idle before the mains touch. I'll try reducing power rather than chopping it. I know it sounds like I abruptly chop power and that's what's causing me to bounce, but it isn't that drastic. The airplane is already settling to the runway when I come off the throttle.Another thing to experiment with! First it was the "push the nose over and Stuka dive to final", now it's holding power through the flare and touchdown. I'm sure I'll develop my own technique in time. For now, the biggest change from spam can days has been the "carrier landing" type of approach, like you do in Pitts and other fast planes. Once the power comes off on downwind, it's coming down and you sure don't fly a "square corners" approach. I like it.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net_________________________________________________________________Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon. http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/defaul ... __________

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Hi Glenn,I built my ribs in the house and in the span of a month. My template wasglued down and wood stops screwed thru it. My ribs are all the same size. Iguess the only question I have is if the template was correct to begin with.Does "close enough" work in the case?Thanks,Dave-----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: "Bill Church"

Original Posted By: "Bill Church"
Hey Bill. Please tell me that the proper measurement is 28 3/4 from the back of the front spar to the front of the back spar and not centre to centre - otherwise I have 16 beautiful albeit incorrect ribs in my shop!!!Scott K>From: "Bill Church" >Reply-To: pietenpol-list(at)matronics.com>To: >Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: Wing Rib Template Problem?????>Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 12:54:16 -0400>>Dave,>>This subject keeps resurfacing. Do a search of the archives and you'll>find several discussions about it.>>In any case, the short answer is that the full size rib plan is a large>photocopy, which may or may not be accurate to the plans. The copies are>affected by humidity and paper shrinkage. The copy may have been>accurate at the time (and location) it was printed, but in your shop,>the size may be slightly smaller (or bigger). Just 1% shrinkage can>result in a chord reduction of more than 1/2". Overall, the shrinkage>shouldn't be a problem - the only real concern is the spar spacing,>which should be 28 3/4" center-to-center. The main goal is a full set of>ribs with a consistant profile. If your ribs are 1% bigger or smaller,>it will not be a concern as long as they are all the same. Lots of>builders report that they have built their ribs directly from the full>size rib plan.>>The full size rib plan is handy for a few things:>1.) Shows where BHP introduced the vertical uprights adjacent to the>spars (not shown in the 1934 plans)>2.) Can be scaled to locate the diagonals, since no dimensions are>given in the plans>3.) Can also be scaled to determine sizes of 1/16" ply gussets.>>>Bill C.>>_________________________________________________________________Win a trip for four to a concert anywhere in the world! http://www.mobilelivetour.ca/__________ ... ___Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: Wing Rib Template Problem?????Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 18:01:08 -0400

Original Posted By: Tim Verthein

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
I flew my plane (GN-1) into Ada last weekend, I met some friends there whoalso flew in for BBQ down the street at Bob's BBQ. Ada's terminal is a nicefacility, well kept, with an internet enabled computer for weather & otherinformation. They also have a nice comfortable crew lounge, and a nice,clean/well kept crew car (a Chevy Suburban, great for getting a group ofpilots to & from Bobs or anywhere else in town. The guys at the desk werevery helpful and friendly, they gave us all bottled water when we weredeparting. I'll be back again.I was planning on making the airshow, but a friend's wedding happens to fallon the same day. He is a pilot, he'd understand if I missed the wedding.Terry, I'm sure we'll be back out there before too long, I'd love to seeyour project sometime!Steve RuseNorman, OK _____

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Roman wrote->Bill told me to keep only 15 lbs. pressure in my 6 x 6.00 tires.>Sorta like a "dead" tennis ball or basket ball I suppose.Well now, see, there's another thing to play with. I run 26-28 psi in the tires on 41CC. I believe that came from different recommendations on this list and a bunch of posts from other Pieters indicated that they run their tires anywhere from 18 to 22 to 26, to Mike Cuy's elaborate technique of "ant's-eye view of inflating tires until the tread just touches the pavement". Of course it would make sense that lower pressure would provide less bounce but I think I'll keep my tire pressure in the mid-20s.Interesting item I found while searching the archives for tire pressure. Dick stated that he holds 1100 RPM down through the flare to minimize bouce. Aha! Confirmation of what you said, Roman. Now I need to get back out there and try holding a little power through the flare instead of going to idle.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net_________________________________________________________________Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon. http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/defaul ... ___Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncyDate: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 09:57:16 -0400

Original Posted By: "Don Emch"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncyHere I go butting in on a subject of which I know very little about. My test pilot, Edwin Johnson, insisted that I develop my wheel landing technique as soon as possible. He was checking me out on 41CC after a 30 year perod of no tailwheel flying. It worked and helped me get back in the proper timing for a landing. Just a suggestion.Corky************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Wing Rib Template Problem?????

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Hi guys,I used the photocopy and I realize they are slightly different, but it flies great.I think as long as they are all the same it doesn't matter. I really don'tthink there is enough difference to change the flying qualities. If you wantto plot out the coordinates, fine, have fun! If you want to just stick thecopy down and build a jig around it, fine, have fun! Don EmchNX899DERead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: Re: Wing Rib Template Problem?????Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 16:10:52 -0400

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
I have, over the years, flown four different Pietenpols for a total of perhaps 800 hours. Most of this was on wheels using grass runways and some was on skis. Each of these aircraft (including my own) displayed very similar characteristics and was easy to fly in relatively calm air, but was "squirrelly" in wind and turbulence.Turbulence isn't a real problem until one tries to land. The ground then becomes a moving target. Under these conditions I always do a wheel landing because I can maintain full control before, during and after touchdown. And I generally find wheel landings best on paved runways, too.It is not easy to do consistently good 3-point landings, without a bounce or a skip--even on grass. There is a tendency to overcontrol during the flare phase of a power-off (engine idling) approach. When I catch myself doing this, I make a conscious effort to gently begin the flare a bit sooner and then make small corrections as required. Avoid making coarse control inputs as much as possible, although they are necessary in gusty conditions where finesse is out of the question anyway.The Pietenpol a good trainer. The DeHavilland Gypsy Moth and Tiger Moth are less sensitive and easier to land than my Pietenpol. Both are noted to be good trainers, but in my experience the Pietenpol requires a more delicate touch.The usual cure for a lot of landing problems is to use a bit (not much!) of power on approach and ease it off slowly during the hold-off phase.And if you mis-judge and bounce, don't get frustrated, Even the birds miss sometimes!Graham Hansen Pietenpol CF-AUN________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Wing weightThe morning we trailered the wing from my house to the hanger was drissling, and as soon as we got to the airport, we put it on a bathroom scale. The one piece wing (with 9.7 gal. fiberglass fuel tank and 3/4" Douglas Fir Spars) wascomplete, including paint and rigging, ready to install. It weighed 110 lbs. We mounted it on the waiting fuselage, and I imediately climbed in and started making airplane noise !!Chuck G.NX770CG************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncyIn a message dated 4/2/2007 6:25:58 PM Central Daylight Time, conceptmodels(at)tds.net writes:By the way, I don't know how much it would influence the landing, but Bill told me to keep only 15 lbs. pressure in my 6 x 6.00 tires.That's the pressure I use in my 8.00 X 6 tires, too.Chuck G.************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: thoughts on videosHey Mikee !!Great to see you got all caught up with technology, and put your video on DVD !! A well built Pietenpol like yours, will easily out live those old VHS Tapes.Chuck G.************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncyDate: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 07:18:48 -0400

Original Posted By:> owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncy> Excellent post, Graham. Your experiences are very similar to mine. > I> find the Pietenpol to be an excellent trainer due to the fact you've > got> to do everything just right to get a perfect landing out of it. My RV-4> on the other hand will let me get sloppy. It is probably the easiest> plane to land I've ever flown. I'll fly it for a while and think I'm > a> pretty good pilot, then fly the Piet and learn the truth, that I still> need a bit more practice.> > > > Jack Phillips> > NX899JP> > > > -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Subject: Re: RE: Pietenpol-List: bouncy, bouncy, bouncyAs a trainer I will still tout the qualities of the venerable Cessna 150. The 150spamcan is more sensitive than it's larger Cessna brethren So in order to geta "perfect" landing you need to do everything right from downwind over thefence and thru the flair. Having said that you could almost land sideways andthe 150 would forgive you with a loud protest and a safe arrival on the 'Land-o-matic'gear. The 172, designed more as a family transporter, is even more forgivingthan the 150 for a "perfect" landing. I owned a 1959 150 and I always was improving my flying and especeially my landings.It had to forgive some pretty bad landings. Good attributes in a trainer,easy to fly safely but requiring "the right stuff" to do it really right. Just lurking the site. I love Piets and would like to have one someday. Just notin the cards right now. Steve Dortchliving in Austin, but moving to San Antonio in the near future. Hope to meet youand look your bird over Oscar. ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Steve Ruse