Search found 637 matches

by taildrags
Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:06 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: tail wheel steering vs castering
Replies: 30
Views: 1748

Re: tail wheel steering vs castering

Ken; just think how much improved your landings and rollouts would be if you had just made those holes in your extensions another 1/16" farther out on the ends so as to precisely match the spacing on the rudder horn :shock: :lol:

-Oscar
by taildrags
Sun Oct 15, 2023 11:00 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: tail wheel steering vs castering
Replies: 30
Views: 1748

Re: tail wheel steering vs castering

Every now and then something comes along here that really gets me excited and today the tailwheel steering is it! Talk about little light bulbs lighting up. Remember I said that when I got 41CC it had a Scott 2000 tailwheel on it and that Corky had added extension arms to the stock arms on it? I cou...
by taildrags
Thu Oct 12, 2023 3:10 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: tail wheel steering vs castering
Replies: 30
Views: 1748

Re: tail wheel steering vs castering

Ken; those tailwheel control arm extensions that you have are pretty much identical to what Corky added to the Scott tailwheel that used to be on the plane. Now you've got me started on this and I'm going to have to go measure the spacing on the Matco arms that I'm now using, and the Scott arms with...
by taildrags
Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:42 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: tail wheel steering vs castering
Replies: 30
Views: 1748

Re: tail wheel steering vs castering

Ken; now you've got my curiousity going about the rudder horn and tailwheel horn having the same control arm lengths. The plans show the holes on the rudder horn to be 10-1/4" apart but I don't know what the tailwheel horn holes are spaced on my plane and will have to check. I do remember when ...
by taildrags
Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:29 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: tail wheel steering vs castering
Replies: 30
Views: 1748

Re: tail wheel steering vs castering

Mark; FWIW, here's my tailwheel setup. Very conventional, as you said, with a Matco tailwheel. This is an older photo... I now also have a tail tiedown release mounted back there, with a cockpit-operable release lever, for when I prop-start my plane unassisted. I patterned mine after the one Richard...
by taildrags
Thu Sep 28, 2023 10:47 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: N34KP's rebuild
Replies: 43
Views: 1619

Re: N34KP's rebuild

Well Richard, you probably don't need any help or tips on how to stage the rebuild, but when I had to rebuild 41CC, my logic was to put the wings away for the time being, remove the engine and mount and stow them out of the way for the time being, and focus on getting a rolling fuselage back togethe...
by taildrags
Tue Sep 26, 2023 10:49 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Vertical Stabilizer Leading Edge Angle?
Replies: 7
Views: 446

Re: Vertical Stabilizer Leading Edge Angle?

From what I have drawn up in CAD as best I could piece it together from the plans, that angle is 68.51 degrees.
Piet_tail.JPG
Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Wed Sep 13, 2023 4:16 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: close to Oshkosh
Replies: 5
Views: 450

Re: close to Oshkosh

Douwe: and it DID change while we were there! Daytime temps were in the high 80s when we arrived but then a cold front pushed through on Tuesday late afternoon bringing wind, temperature drop, rain, thunder, lightning, and a bit of small hail. After that there were pretty good waves on the lake, low...
by taildrags
Mon Sep 11, 2023 10:42 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: close to Oshkosh
Replies: 5
Views: 450

Re: close to Oshkosh

Richard, please post GPS coordinates of the sunbathing rocks.

:lol:
by taildrags
Sat Sep 09, 2023 4:03 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Where to Buy Aluminum Rudder Hinges?
Replies: 3
Views: 345

Re: Where to Buy Aluminum Rudder Hinges?

Blueflyer; those pre-made sets of cast aluminum hinges used to be available from Vitalis "Vi" Kapler, but he's no longer with us. Some years before he flew west, he offered for sale his stock of rough castings and the tools that he used to make the hinges from. I bought the works from him,...
by taildrags
Sat Sep 09, 2023 12:05 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: close to Oshkosh
Replies: 5
Views: 450

close to Oshkosh

Seeing no new posts here, I wanted to be the first to post to this forum in September, so here goes. Only distantly related to Pietenpols, but I just got back from a couple of days of sailing on Lake Superior with a friend from Minneapolis and it was my first time to ever visit the states of Minneso...
by taildrags
Thu Aug 17, 2023 11:19 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Straight and Level
Replies: 9
Views: 838

Re: Straight and Level

Clever setup, Dan! My only gripe is that it still employs the one thing I've had trouble with... bungees that lose their stretch over time. Or maybe it's the Harbor Freight bungees that I'm using? :o

-Oscar
by taildrags
Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:53 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Straight and Level
Replies: 9
Views: 838

Re: Straight and Level

Richard, I think I'm going to have to start following you around. You drop great little tidbits everywhere you go! This is a really simple and straightforward way to apply a cockpit-controllable pitch bias to the walking beam and I'm going to see if I can rig mine up this way and dispense with my bu...
by taildrags
Mon Aug 14, 2023 11:37 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Straight and Level
Replies: 9
Views: 838

Re: Straight and Level

I've tried a couple of different setups for elevator trim but none of them have worked out in all situations. The most trouble-free has been a bungee setup behind the seat, with the bungee attached to the top horn of the walking beam, which effectively adds nose-up trim and also keeps the elevators ...
by taildrags
Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:29 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Rudder horn slanted down
Replies: 8
Views: 574

Re: Rudder horn slanted down

Richard, sitting in the cockpit, turn around and look straight back at the leading edge of the rudder and the horn back there. Get two large Crescent wrenches and slip each of them over the leading edge of each half of the horn and push down so as to bend the leading edges of the horn down into the ...
by taildrags
Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:45 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Rudder horn slanted down
Replies: 8
Views: 574

Re: Rudder horn slanted down

Not sure I've seen that done. My horn is flat and perpendicular to the rudder, no bends.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:57 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Straight and Level
Replies: 9
Views: 838

Re: Straight and Level

Dan; I think what Clay is referring to is that with increasing density altitude, the wing has less air molecules available to generate lift to keep the plane aloft with the same power setting. The only way to generate more lift without adding power is to increase the angle of attack of the wing, whi...
by taildrags
Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:46 am
Forum: Classified Ads
Topic: Want to buy
Replies: 1
Views: 534

Re: Want to buy

Mike; I just texted you with info.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Mon May 29, 2023 11:30 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Light Engine CG question
Replies: 6
Views: 715

Re: Light Engine CG question

Dan Oliver: there are at least four things that affect how much the Piet wing can be pivoted without a lot of new things happening. One: as the wing is pivoted aft, it gets lower and approaches the top of the pilot's head. Yes, you can stretch the cabanes to make them taller and yes, you can include...
by taildrags
Mon May 29, 2023 11:02 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: GN-1 Wing Question
Replies: 2
Views: 384

Re: GN-1 Wing Question

Due to the way the vertical cabanes bolt to their fittings, the wing on a plans-built Grega GN-1 Aircamper cannot be moved fore and aft by pivoting as it can on a Pietenpol Air Camper.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Sun May 28, 2023 10:57 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Light Engine CG question
Replies: 6
Views: 715

Re: Light Engine CG question

Wish we weren't so far apart geographically, Richard. I'd gladly have you fly 41CC to see what you think of the handling vs. Four Kilo Papa. I'm curious to know how much difference there is between Ford A Piets, Continental Piets, and Corvair Piets. My plane weighs about 636 empty and has the wing c...
by taildrags
Tue May 23, 2023 10:54 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Drilling the gear barrels
Replies: 9
Views: 610

Re: Drilling the gear barrels

If I remember correctly, the mating barrels for the landing gear pivot points on the gear that is now under Ken Bickers's Piet was a very nice tight fit. I thought that set of gear legs was quite well made.

-Oscar
by taildrags
Tue May 23, 2023 10:50 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Drilling the gear barrels
Replies: 9
Views: 610

Re: Drilling the gear barrels

I can tell you what happens when they don't align closely enough and the next size overbore leaves play, because that's what my landing gear have. When I taxi over uneven terrain, the gear clunks. It's not big clunks and they aren't loud, but they are clunks. With the plane parked in the hangar, if ...
by taildrags
Tue May 23, 2023 3:10 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: electronic ignition for Ford engine
Replies: 4
Views: 559

Re: electronic ignition for Ford engine

Walter; aqui se puede conseguir- https://www.pietenpols.org/ . Avisame por mensaje si te puedo ayudar conseguirlo, dirigido a taildrags@hotmail.com .

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
by taildrags
Mon May 15, 2023 10:25 am
Forum: Classified Ads
Topic: WTB C85 Metal Prop
Replies: 4
Views: 872

Re: WTB C85 Metal Prop

UglyElvis: the Prince prop that I have is a 68x42 and was originally built by Lonnie Prince for an O200-powered Skyote. The Skyote was designed to use a C90 engine, so that's close to what you have. I bought the prop to try on my A75 and to have as a spare. The A75 is rated full 75HP power at 2600 R...
by taildrags
Sun May 14, 2023 12:22 pm
Forum: Classified Ads
Topic: WTB C85 Metal Prop
Replies: 4
Views: 872

Re: WTB C85 Metal Prop

Is a metal prop required to keep your plane's CG in the proper location, or do you just prefer metal props? I think there are some Gregas out there that tend to be tail heavy and need the weight up front. The reason I mention it is that I have a Prince P-Tip prop that might suit your C85 but I'd hav...
by taildrags
Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:34 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Aileron Hinges 6'?
Replies: 4
Views: 453

Re: Aileron Hinges 6'?

Now see-? This is how we all come to the party and bring good things! Thank you, Dan! I reserve the right to get smarter!

-Oscar
by taildrags
Tue Apr 25, 2023 10:54 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Aileron Hinges 6'?
Replies: 4
Views: 453

Re: Aileron Hinges 6'?

Bobbyt; not sure where you got the weight figure from, but let's go with it. If 6 ft of it is a pound including mounting hardware, then let's say four 6" pieces are a third of a pound. Add back in a little for whatever you use as gap seals to achieve the same effect and you might be up to half ...
by taildrags
Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:42 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!
Replies: 11
Views: 822

Re: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!

I may not live long enough to encapsulate that many pickleballs.

-Oscar
by taildrags
Mon Apr 10, 2023 10:38 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!
Replies: 11
Views: 822

Re: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!

Larry, I would say that it depends on how long you want the pickleball to remain watertight. Cheap, quick, and easy would be to wrap it with packing tape or duct tape, but over time it may leak as the tape adhesive ages.

-Oscar
by taildrags
Sun Apr 09, 2023 10:35 pm
Forum: Photo Section
Topic: Little Blue
Replies: 2
Views: 1388

Re: Little Blue

One-six Charlie Bravo, this is Experimental Four-one Charlie Charlie. Uh, where'd you get that art on your airplane? Looks like we must have had the same idea. I call my Air Camper "Scout".
IMG_1494.JPG
by taildrags
Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:50 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!
Replies: 11
Views: 822

Re: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!

Fellows, I apologize for appearing to stall for time here, but I really can't plug in the abacus and boot it up until I know if we're trying to figure out whether to float the Piet on salt water, or on fresh. The density is different. I also want to know the gross weight of the Air Camper on which t...
by taildrags
Fri Apr 07, 2023 5:20 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!
Replies: 11
Views: 822

Re: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!

Ken, it's going to be hard to beat ping-pong balls for lightness of weight and ability to fit into smallish voids. I would steer clear of anything heavier or larger. Now, if you want to we could explore the idea of helium balloons because they could be inflated to conform pretty closely to the shape...
by taildrags
Fri Apr 07, 2023 10:37 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!
Replies: 11
Views: 822

Re: Piet Flotation, hehe!!!

If I remember correctly, it was Corky Corbett who raised that interesting design question. Since I now own his plane and have actually flown it over water on various occasions, I should probably have investigated the answer more closely but I really can't remember! I'll have to consult with Professo...
by taildrags
Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:11 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Web site problems
Replies: 3
Views: 540

Re: Web site problems

Pat: that may not have been exactly the right thing to say in this crowd. "Recent upgrade of php versions"-? Many of us think of "php" as Paul H. Poberezny, rest his soul in peace and may his version never be upgraded! ;)

-Oscar
by taildrags
Sat Mar 18, 2023 12:45 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Web site problems
Replies: 3
Views: 540

Re: Web site problems

Yes, I got that too, until I decided to throw my own argument instead of counting errors :(

-Oscar
by taildrags
Wed Mar 01, 2023 10:38 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: electronic ignition for Ford engine
Replies: 4
Views: 559

Re: electronic ignition for Ford engine

Just the sort of scratch-building and head-scratching project that I love! Something tells me you'll be getting requests to make and sell an ignition kit :D

-Oscar
by taildrags
Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:54 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: electronic ignition for Ford engine
Replies: 4
Views: 559

electronic ignition for Ford engine

Pieters; I just finished reading the current issue of the BPA Newsletter and specifically, Richard Roller's article on how he built a crank-triggered HEI electronic ignition, with manually-selectable retard for starting, for his Ford A engine. Absolutely awesome design and execution! Beautifully cra...
by taildrags
Wed Feb 22, 2023 10:49 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Center section fuel lines
Replies: 3
Views: 444

Re: Center section fuel lines

My Piet has the fuel tank up in the nose, so I can't speak authoritatively on this subject. However, from what I have read of William Wynne's writing about his experience when his Piet went down and fuel spilled out of the fuel lines from the tank in the centersection and went all over both cockpits...
by taildrags
Thu Feb 16, 2023 3:36 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Wheel Diagram Questions
Replies: 2
Views: 467

Re: Wheel Diagram Questions

John; here's my opinion on your questions. 1)Yes, it appears that those parts are not used because the part 9 looks like it does the same job of sealing the grease in the bearing. 2) Not sure, but you do need 2 of them... one for the inner bearing and one for the outer. 3) It would have to be assemb...
by taildrags
Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:22 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Inter-rib bracing
Replies: 5
Views: 613

Re: Inter-rib bracing

Well that makes perfect sense!

-Oscar
by taildrags
Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:19 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: cockpit covers
Replies: 21
Views: 2335

Re: cockpit covers

Okay, so I finally got my front cockpit cover fabricated and installed. My thanks to Ken Bickers for the excellent narrative and photos of how he did his, and also the source information for where he got the fasteners and tools. I followed Ken's design but limited mine to only one cover for the fron...
by taildrags
Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:09 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Inter-rib bracing
Replies: 5
Views: 613

Re: Inter-rib bracing

In theory, these ribs would be most likely to buckle midway between the spars... right where Ken has his X-bracing. Realistically though, I think with something like a Piet with lightly-loaded wings, once the wing fabric is laced to the ribs and tautened, the ribs would be held securely in their pla...
by taildrags
Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:30 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: 4130 vs 1025 (mild) steel.
Replies: 4
Views: 713

Re: 4130 vs 1025 (mild) steel.

The short answer is "it depends". It depends on the shape of the part and the way the forces are acting on it. Each part that you intend to make out of 4130 instead of 1025 would have to be examined for how it's loaded, how it's attached, and its shape. But in most cases on this airplane, ...
by taildrags
Thu Dec 29, 2022 12:04 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Glide Ratio
Replies: 8
Views: 5849

Re: Glide Ratio

Well since some of us are stuck on the ground due to winter weather, I figured more would have time to read stuff than go fly so I pulled out the first logbook on my plane to review the test flights, which were made by Mr. Edwin Johnson down in Louisiana. Here are some verbatim extracts for your rea...
by taildrags
Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:39 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Center section questions
Replies: 18
Views: 1698

Re: Center section questions

Lovely details, all of them!

-Oscar
by taildrags
Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:43 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Center section questions
Replies: 18
Views: 1698

Re: Center section questions

Wow, that is a beauty!!! Museum quality for sure. I zoomed in on the tail to see if maybe you used wire ferrules on the tail braces but it looks like conventional Nicopress with aircraft cable. Yes-? A sparkling rendition of a classic airplane. Oscar Zuniga Medford, OR Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:49 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Newsletter - Lift Strut Detach
Replies: 6
Views: 2948

Re: Newsletter - Lift Strut Detach

Thanks to Newsletter reader, contributor, and Piet builder Peter Jhones for putting me onto this investigation. It's great fun.

-Oscar
by taildrags
Wed Dec 07, 2022 10:38 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Newsletter - Lift Strut Detach
Replies: 6
Views: 2948

Re: Newsletter - Lift Strut Detach

I began work on a "reverse engineering" article for the Newsletter on this topic. Should appear in a 2023 issue.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
by taildrags
Tue Dec 06, 2022 4:46 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: New(ish) Member
Replies: 1
Views: 481

Re: New(ish) Member

Well Chris, you've described the journey I started out on with my Piet just about to a 'T'. Veterans Day 2004 my new (to me) Air Camper was being piloted (not by me) to a local school football field for a flyover at a gathering of veterans when carb ice formation began making the engine run rough de...