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Mexican Air Camper in Texas - Help

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:29 pm
by Pat Weeden
Received this message at BPA headquarters today. Who can help?
I'm trying to track down an Air Camper that was built in the early 80s. It was built by my wife's grandfather. I only have the serial number ia-84-10, it was built in Mexico and sold to a pilot who lived in San Antonio Tx in 1984. There was no N number assigned at the time. I wanted to possibly contact the current owner to possibly see it. My wife wanted to surprise her father if we could take a current picture with the plane again. I know it's a long shot but a individual pointed me to your site. I've attached the certification for flight and picture of the plane.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thx
Sam

Re: Mexican Air Camper in Texas - Help

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:34 pm
by taildrags
There are some distinctives on this airplane that may make it easier to spot in a crowd. In the first place, the main landing gear attachment points make this out to be a Grega GN-1 Aircamper, not a Pietenpol Air Camper. Second, it's got the elevator bellcranks and cables outside the fuselage skin aft of the rear cockpit, which not too many have so that stands out. Third, most of these airplanes have either the cabane X-braces (older airplanes) or forward brace tubes (newer builds), but this one has both the cabane brace tubes and X-brace wires, and the brace tubes are quite slender. Fourth, the cabane struts appear to be longer (taller) than stock and are straight tubes, not streamlined. Fifth, the airplane appears to only have a front windscreen, but it's hard to tell if there might be a rear one as well. Of course it has a wing cutout, wing dihedral, Continental engine, and spoked wheels- but those are hardly distinctives among these airplanes. Last of all, it has a fellow sitting on the wing centersection, which I have never seen on either a Piet or a Grega and which would surely make it stand out in any crowd.

Re: Mexican Air Camper in Texas - Help

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:48 am
by Salmon
Had to create an account to reply. This is my wife's grandpa's plane. Trying to surprise her father with finding it.

The story of the design was his worry about his wefight and ability to enter and exit the aircraft.

Thanks for all the specifics of the design. I believe it was in an aeronautics magazine in the late 70s. I'm trying to get a copy of it.

He had some issues with the flight ceiling of the craft as well. He was launching at nearly 7k ft which is nearly it's ceiling. The first prop was not right for the altitude and had another one with a deeper pitch made. We still have the first prop.

Once I get an appropriate location I plan on building one like his. We have all the micro films from the designs.

Fingers crossed more info might pop up. I'll see if I can find more pictures to post.

Thx

Sam

Re: Mexican Air Camper in Texas - Help

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:45 am
by Steve D
I tried searching the FAA database using the various numbers and names. No joy. I have asked my local San Antonio EAA group if they have any information.