Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: Ben Charvet

Original Posted By: shad bell

Original Posted By: "Jack"
Gardiner I sure enjoy reading about your test flights as it keeps my interest infinishing up. What do you think the main difficulty is with power off landings-lackof directional control? I was wondering if you have done any gap sealson your rudder or elevators. thanks for the updates,and I just yesterday gotback to fabricating my cowling around the Corvair. RaymondRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________

Original Posted By: shad bell

Original Posted By: "Ray Krause"
Gardiner wrote:>On final approach to landing I am trying to>get used to the sink rate for landing. I like>to land power off like I was taught., but I>FIND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.A couple of observations. (1) You can't fly abig, wide, square pattern in the Piet unlessyou keep the power on all the way till you getready to turn base, and maybe even past that.There really is no reason to fly a big openpattern anyway, unless you fly out of a busyfield where everybody has to play follow theleader. (2) The best approach to fly after youcome abeam the numbers on downwind is a "circlingapproach"... a semicircle that starts when youpull the power and ends when you turn towardsthe numbers. And as soon as you pull carb heatand power, the airplane should be starting adescending arc that ends at the numbers. If youpull power on downwind abeam the numbers andthink you can continue straight ahead for aquarter mile, then turn and fly a quarter milesquare base leg, then turn a square final(all with power off), you're probably wrong.The Piet will start coming down as soon as youpull the power. I learned to fly in a J-3 andwas taught power-off landings, but the Cubwill glide pretty nicely on those long wingswhile the Piet will head for home when the powercomes off.Once you figure the airplane out though, you'llsee why this characteristic is so endearing.You can land it almost anywhere.Oscar ZunigaAir Camper NX41CCSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net ________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: airlion