Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: del magsam
Now that it's getting down to freezing at night I'm wondering what the rest of you are using for an engine pre-heater? My airport manager has a fit if I use my gas fed pre-heater so I'm starting to look around for a simple electric one. Something I could leave on over night so I can make my early morning flights that I live for.Cold weather flying rules!GeneN502R________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 05:48:29 -0800 (PST)

Original Posted By: Gene & Tammy
Gene,I used to use the heating element out of an old electric clothes drier with flexiblealuminum ducting, then I went to a small space heater. Now I use a coupleof cheap hand held hair driers that I got from Wal-Mart. I got this tip frommy hanger mate who has a glasAir. I think they are 1800 watts and propably costabout $9 each. I cover the cowl with and old blanket to keep the heat in. Thehair driers are on a timer, so if I plan on going flying in the morning, Ijust plug them in the night before. I let them run for about 1 to 1.5 hours dependingon the outside temps.RickN5936D----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "dlbenham"
Del, thanks for the info. I had considered using a heat gun attached to a dryer vent metal hose but not sure the heat gun would last. Won't take much more to make a shroud for a milkhouse heater.ThanksGene :________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Ryan Michals
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Engine pre-heatGene,I use a small ceramic space heater with a fan. A $12 - $15 job bought at Lowe's.What I do differently is to hang it on the cowling cooling inlet. The proverbial blanket goes on top.Thus, in my case, the hot air stream flows the opposite of many recommendations. Top to bottom. Most heat from the bottom thinking warm air waftupwards, right? Well, if the engine is stone cold, heating it from top will cool the warm air and it will naturally sink.This pulls in the warm air which gets cold etc.Unless you have a powerful blow, heating from bellow the air gets cold in contact with metal and sinks back against the incoming stream. Think about it.I get my O-320 warm to the touch in 20 minutes or so, about the time for a thorough check of the old bird.Cheers,Miguel________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:09:42 -0800 (PST)

Original Posted By: "Gordon Bowen"
Well now... another thing we don't need here in S. Texas (engine pre-heat), along with ice scrapers ;o)Flew about an hour yesterday. Low ceiling and a bit cool (temps in the 60s) but perfect for low and slow Pietenpoling. I wore a khaki flying helmet and goggles, and it was the first time I've flown the airplane without hearing protectors. Very interesting to hear the engine's roar and the wires whistle and sing. I was doing circuits just to hear the engine roar on takeoff and the wires sing on final. Wish I could fly without the hearing muffs all the time but years of shooting have messed up my hearing and I don't want to lose what I have left.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags@hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Ryan Mueller
I have a o-235 engine with heavy GM starter on my quasi-Piete (aeronca wings), but I'm also over 250lbs. Plane come in at 685lbs. This heavier engine moved forward about 4" by lengthing the motor mount, was all intended to get the loaded cg right in the middle of the w/b envelope. Considering angular momentum (lots of wt distributed further away from center of yaw) the thing should want to ground loop or be goosey to taxi, but it's not. Not just my opinion, N-1033B is very easy to handle, according to guys who have also flown it with experience in Bowers Flybabies and many other taildraggers, factory made or homebuilt. So I think if you get the cg right in loaded config you'll find it doesn't make a heck of a lot of diff in handling, you still have to do a bit of a rudder tapdance in any taildragger. The amount of tapdance will depend on your ability to handle crosswinds and have the plane lined up with the runway on touchdown.Gordon ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Oscar Zuniga
Oscar, a short time ago you wrote and told us about your new adventures using a grass strip. If you think that was fun, you should try flying your Piet in cool weather. When you've done that, then try ski flying. I'll guarantee you you'll never look back at sand fleas and tumbleweeds again and winter will be your favorite time of the year.Gene ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: AzevedoFlyer(at)aol.com
Thanks to all who answered my engine pre-heat question. You've given me lots of good ideas. My old Herman Nelson gas heater worked great but it's now time to use something else.We get almost no snow here in Western Tennessee but will need to use a pre-heater off and on thruout the winter. Really envy those of you that will get some ski flying in and those of you that get to use the frozen lakes for landing strips. Winter for the adventurous Piet pilot is indeed a wonderland.Safe flying to allGene ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Gene & Tammy
GeneI havent flown my Piety during winter in the past, but I'm going to try it this year. I was out yesterday late afternoon for a bit. 37 degrees on the ground when I left 35 coming back in. With the long undies and the rest of the warm clothing it wasnt bad. Tommorrow I'll be out again. I'm finding that radial engine is a bit hard starting when cold. I'll be trying the pre heating tips in this thread.Dick N. ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Dick Navratil
Dick,I would love to have that radial engine on my plane! Sure is a sweet sounding engine. Max, on this list, has been talking about buying one for his Piet and I sure hope he does so I can go by and fondle it once in a while. I can only repeat what I've read and been told by those that know engines but one of the things I believe in is never starting a cold aircraft engine in temps below 45 degrees without preheating. The oil just becomes too thick. What kind of temps were you showing while in flight? Do you have any way to control the engine oil temps?I find that dressing in layers works well for me (makes it a little harder to get in and out of the plane) and as long as I have my pant legs tucked into my boots and good gloves on I can remain comfortable in most temps. The gloves I like best are a pair of motorcycle gloves that extend up my wrist and my coat sleeves tuck inside. There is a lot of snow machine clothes that work very well also. I'm considering covering the front cockpit and that will stop a lot of the air coming in around the feet.I built my preheater tonight. A heat gun and a 4' piece of expandable 3" metal duct (it will expand up to 8' if I want more length) that I bought at Lowes. As a test I ran it on high and right away the outlet end of the duct started climbing past 250 degrees, then I turned it on low and it ran at a study 150 degrees temp. Really don't think I'll need to ever run it on high. I used the heat gun because I had it. Now all I have to do is wait for some cool weather (in the high 60's here today). There is a HUGH interest in your radial here on this list. Please keep us all up to date and some photos would be great.Gene ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Gene & Tammy
Gene and Ryan and allAn updater on the Rotec; It is like flying a hot rod. It is really lots of fun to fly. It is extremely responsive. I have 12 hours on it now. The biggest problem I have had so far has been radio interference. I think I've got it solved, hopefully. I am still learning the plane but it flies comfortably at 75-80 and it still responds well at 35-40 mph. Climb is best at 55 mph at 600fpm Engine temp at 75-80 deg runs 180 deg and now at 35-40 deg runs at 140 deg.I tried to do a power on stall a couple of weeks ago but I gave it full power and nosed up and it settled into a slight climb at 35 mph with the nose upabout 40 degrees and wouldnt break. I'll be trying that again in the future.I have been doing some low flying over the mowed farm fields, it's a blast to fly along at 10-20 ft agl now that I am getting more confident in the engine. I have a cover for the front cockpit, that helps alot. Layers are a must, thinsulate gloves and wool socks and waterproof hunting boots also, with leather coat and fleece lined leather helmet. I bought a vide camera and am working on a mount for some flying videos, my first couple of trys havent worked very well.The hard part here is looking at my other Piet, which I havent flown since August. The time is coming that Im going to have to put it up for sale. I cant fly 2 at the same time. More on this laterDick N ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Matt Dralle