Brodhead Pietenpol Association

I am certainly going to use the 2 " straps (.090"). As far as fastenings through wood are concerned, my woodworking background is in boatbuilding, where everything is "bedded", usually with a polysulfide ("Boatlife" or similar), which will protect both wood and fastener...

Nice pics. Looks like a faithful following of BP's plans. I'm welding my gear up using an idea of William Wynne and Earl Brown- definitely heavier, but stronger as well. A good set of pictures of Earl's gear can be found on the Pietvair forum- it's kind of quiet these days, but still lots of good st...

Thanks much-looking forward to the pics. This "downhome engineering" is one of the best parts of Piet-building- you have to keep thinking, and it really helps to have people who were once strangers come up with answers!

Hello Richard- Thanks for your reply. I don't quite understand "plywood strips on each side" unless you are referring to the strut fittings on the spar. My question is about the other end of the strut, at the fuselage. The plans for the steel landing gear- strut attach fittings show a 20 d...

Does anyone know why the plans show an angle of 20 degrees for the strut attach fittings on the fuselage? The flying struts form an angle of 30 degrees (up) at the fuselage. Pics seem to show fittings with 30 degrees, nut I don't remember seeing this addressed. Help much appreciated, John Slaughter

Thanks Richard- just another example of "easy not being best".

I have seen it advised, or at least mentioned as a possibility, that structural wire cables can be adjusted in length by twisting, possibly even eliminating the turnbuckle. When I tried this at home the strands opened up in an ugly way- can any knowledgeable A & P or otherwise evaluate this idea...

This is not directly addressing your question, but might be informative (to me). It looks as though your tailwheel steering torque is delivered through the rudder leading edge, which is quite a bit of stress for the spruce. Some have cables from the rudder pedals direct to the tailwheel steering wit...

Thanks much, Dan, for your guidance to the W&B article. I'll be chewing on it for a while, I'm sure. I still wonder how Doc Mosher is doing, though. Does anyone know? John Slaughter

I am looking for copies of the weight and balance articles by William Wynne as offered by Doc Mosher. I mailed Doc's Piet Shop a check, but just received back in the mail my envelope with a Post Office stamp saying "box closed" Does anyone know how Doc is doing? I know he has worked long a...