Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "TOPGUN"
Simple formula; Walt is right. What you gain with a lighter airframe is not onlymore useful load but better climb. Forget top speed; the Piet isn't aboutthat and a lighter plane won't get you more speed. Lighter weight equals moreavailable excess thrust, and that equals better climb.Corky built 41CC about as light as Walt's airplane but it does have a vacuum venturiand two vacuum gyro instruments (needle/ball and VSI), so it could be atad lighter. Empty weight of 41CC is currently 627 lbs., which is about 12 lbs.more than Walt's plane. I could easily find those 12 lbs. but like Steve Dortchsaid, the airplane performs pretty well as it is now with Cont. A65 anda Hegy 72x42 prop.I fly it out of San Geronimo Airpark, paved runway length is 3000' and the fieldelevation is 1,040 MSL but I have never used more than half the runway to eithertakeoff or land, and more often than not I use the grass area on the northend rather than the paved runway since it allows me to put the nose more nearlyinto the wind most days. The day I took Steve up, I estimate the densityaltitude to have been about 3200' MSL based on dry bulb temp., wet bulb temp.,and altimeter setting for that time.A recent aerial photo of our field is at http://www.flysquirrel.net/8T8.jpg and the shot is taken as if on an extremely high final to the area that I operate off of. From this angle, I could probably still slip it in and land on the grass if I chopped the power completely off and threw the airplane into a full cross-controlled slip. The nice thing is that if I run out of grass, I can keep rolling right on to the paved runway... they keep the grass and asphalt transition very smooth just for that reason.I love this airplane!Oscar ZunigaAir Camper NX41CCSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: GN-1 WING ON A SHORT FUSE PIET?

Original Posted By: "Rick Holland"
I have taken over my late fathers pietenpol project, the fuselage is complete andis the short wood version from the original 1932 plans. I came across a gooddeal on a set of GN-1 Ribs, spars and plans. After researching this i discoveredthe spar center to center is 31" instead of 28-3/4, my question is the pickup points on the fuse are all for the 28-3/4 c to c, can the cabane strutsrun inward slightly and the outboard struts would do the same? Anyone ever dothis? i would build the std piet wing if the spar material wasn't so perfect.Also, i have a complete Model A already converted for a Pietenpol for sale missingonly the carburetor.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 11:45:52 -0600

Original Posted By: Bill Spagnotti

Original Posted By: Michael Perez

Original Posted By:> TOPGUN
Hi Top,I have a GN-1 and am building a Piet. I would not put the Grega wing on thePiet, the Grega center section spar fittings that the cabanes attach to aregoing the wrong way to pivot the cabanes. They go side to side on the Gregaand for and aft on the Piet.You could cut down the front spar to 4.75" and you just have to add .50" tothe aft spar and you have Piet spars. It will probably be more work tryingto adapt the two plans to each other than making new ribs.Skip> [Original Message]

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Michael,Check out the "Wing Spars" section of my web site. http://www.cpc-world.com CheersPeterWonthaggi Australiahttp://www.cpc-world.com _____

Original Posted By: Michael Perez
Michael,Take a look at http://westcoastpiet.com/construction.htmChris Tracy put together a nice website with lots of info including a couple of articles on built-up spars.Greg Cardinal ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Having destroyed the neoprene needle valve in my old J-3 with car gas backbefore they put ethanol in, I can assure you that you don't want to try it.Most needle valves now are stainless steel (and they leak).Besides, mogas just stinks. I much prefer the smell of 100 LL. Don't likethe price, though.-----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: "Glenn Thomas"
Skip, thanks for your reply......damn, i just had all of the grega wing fittingslazer cut from 4130, turned out beautiful.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 21:49:37 -0400

Original Posted By: "Douwe Blumberg"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: How hard is it to get into the front seatIf all else fails a little bit of naked and a bunch of goose grease helps get it done!JohnIn a message dated 8/7/2008 9:50:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, glennthomas(at)flyingwood.com writes:Hopefully this isn't a redundant response. Found this video of somebody climbing into the front cockpit. Not easy but where there's a will there's away and this guy finally finds his way. I am about 5' 10" and 210 lbs and after doing a little Mexican hat dance, was able to get into Walt Evans' frontcockpit a couple years ago. Most of the time is spent thinking about how to get in without damaging your gracious host's pride and joy._http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exLPpG73BWA&feature=related_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exLPpG73 ... re=related) Glenn ThomasStorrs, CT_http://www.flyingwood.com_ (http://www.flyingwood.com/) (http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Pietenpol-List) (http://www.matronics.com/contribution) **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/ ... 0000000017 )________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Hey,Building my third set of wheels for this bugger, and Buchannans wants toknow what width rim I want to use. I am going with 21" modern alloymotorcycle rims, and sounds like there are a few options. Does anyoneremember the width of theirs?Douwe________________________________________________________________________________Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: rim widthDate: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 09:18:26 -0400

Original Posted By: "Douwe Blumberg"
I would go wider (like Jack did) if I had it to do over... My rims are 1.85" wide and the tires are about 3" wide. And with air, they are almost exactly 26" tall. Jim in Pryor, OK----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "walt"
> Subject: Pietenpol-List: GN-1 WING ON A SHORT FUSE PIET?>>> I have taken over my late fathers pietenpol project, the fuselage iscomplete and is the short wood version from the original 1932 plans. I cameacross a good deal on a set of GN-1 Ribs, spars and plans. Afterresearching this i discovered the spar center to center is 31" instead of28-3/4, my question is the pick up points on the fuse are all for the28-3/4 c to c, can the cabane struts run inward slightly and the outboardstruts would do the same? Anyone ever do this? i would build the std pietwing if the spar material wasn't so perfect.>> Also, i have a complete Model A already converted for a Pietenpol forsale missing only the carburetor.>>> Read this topic online here:>> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:30:00 -0400