Pietenpol-List: floating in the Gulf of Mexico
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:15 am
Original Posted By: "Robert Gow"
Boy did you ever light off a string of Chinese firecrackers, Corky. I get home,sit down to my computer to read the Pietenpol list digest and there are 47 messages,most of them about milk jugs but only one guy gives you the answer toyour question.Sure, the human body is mostly composed of water and most of us will float in saltwater without hanging onto milk jugs, but I'm not one of them (not enoughbody fat). But just for argument's sake assume you will float without jugs andthe airplane weighs about 800 lbs., and a gallon jug of water weighs about 8lbs., you'll need about 100 jugs to float your boat. Er, Aeronca that is.Now you can get all "Cat In The Hat" and start figuring out where to put them:"I'll stash them in the seat, I'll stash them by my feet. I'll stash them inthe tail, stash them where they won't fail"... good luck with the installationand also good luck with preflighting all 100 of those puppies. [Questions forthe sticklers for regulations: are the jugs to be considered required equipmentand the airplane unairworthy if one or more of them is not properly sealed?Should a logbook entry be made if the jugs are installed? Can jugs even becarried in a certified aircraft?]As to a group flight out of Key West, I'd be game for that but we'll have to seehow brother Raul feels about having "yanquis" invading his island and haulingaway all those 1950s-era cars that they have over there. And just promise tolet me share your water jugs if we go down in the Gulf.As to the other thread about altimeters, I've never had 41CC above 3000 MSL andhave just not been curious enough about the airspace above that to want to venturethere. Been up there, seen that, and the radio reception is great fromup there but I ain't got no radio in my Piet.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________
Boy did you ever light off a string of Chinese firecrackers, Corky. I get home,sit down to my computer to read the Pietenpol list digest and there are 47 messages,most of them about milk jugs but only one guy gives you the answer toyour question.Sure, the human body is mostly composed of water and most of us will float in saltwater without hanging onto milk jugs, but I'm not one of them (not enoughbody fat). But just for argument's sake assume you will float without jugs andthe airplane weighs about 800 lbs., and a gallon jug of water weighs about 8lbs., you'll need about 100 jugs to float your boat. Er, Aeronca that is.Now you can get all "Cat In The Hat" and start figuring out where to put them:"I'll stash them in the seat, I'll stash them by my feet. I'll stash them inthe tail, stash them where they won't fail"... good luck with the installationand also good luck with preflighting all 100 of those puppies. [Questions forthe sticklers for regulations: are the jugs to be considered required equipmentand the airplane unairworthy if one or more of them is not properly sealed?Should a logbook entry be made if the jugs are installed? Can jugs even becarried in a certified aircraft?]As to a group flight out of Key West, I'd be game for that but we'll have to seehow brother Raul feels about having "yanquis" invading his island and haulingaway all those 1950s-era cars that they have over there. And just promise tolet me share your water jugs if we go down in the Gulf.As to the other thread about altimeters, I've never had 41CC above 3000 MSL andhave just not been curious enough about the airspace above that to want to venturethere. Been up there, seen that, and the radio reception is great fromup there but I ain't got no radio in my Piet.Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________