Search found 20 matches

by Piper
Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:39 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: About fuel tank design and CG.
Replies: 4
Views: 2986

Re: About fuel tank design and CG.

Piper. I've been reading the various posts you've put up on building your Pietenpol. You seem to be overthinking this process. Maybe a little more information would help us all. Are you attempting to build an ultra-lite version? What engine? How much horsepower? Fuel consumption. If an ultra-lite y...
by Piper
Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:38 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: About fuel tank design and CG.
Replies: 4
Views: 2986

Re: About fuel tank design and CG.

Hi Drags, Thanks for reponding. (Sorry, I rearranged your quotes, but I didn't change them.) "Better to design the airplane to work right without any trickery." -Amen. 1.1" of aft CG would then start putting you in a squirrelly situation as you burned the header fuel, very low on fuel...
by Piper
Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:57 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: About fuel tank design and CG.
Replies: 4
Views: 2986

About fuel tank design and CG.

There may be threads here about forward CG issues, but I haven't read one. There are many about aft CG issues. As I've done a mock-up for an E-AB Air Camper my design seems to be teetering on the edge of that rear limit when loaded-- and I'm not that heavy. I’ve seen where other people have extended...
by Piper
Tue Jun 15, 2021 3:37 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Part 103 Sky Scout?
Replies: 9
Views: 6099

Re: Part 103 Sky Scout?

FWIW: 108 pounds 7 ounces... For a Sky Scout fuselage and empennage built to the 1932 "Fawcett" sheets but in 22/24 scale (0.91666...) 140 overall inches from firewall to rear edge of vertical stabilizer and back of pilot seat 50 inches from firewall, turtle deck, stick, pedals, rudder and...
by Piper
Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:49 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Piper, One other thing to ask your DAR - if I am the second owner of an experimental amateur built aircraft, who can do my Condition Inspection? The answer is - either the builder who has received the repairman’s certificate or an A&P. NOT an A&P/IA like a certified aircraft. Your DAR needs...
by Piper
Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:39 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Hi Terry, I'm not sure I'd call it a "kit," but Aircraft Spruce sells six pre-cut wood "kits" (with the dimensions taken directly from Andy's bill of materials for the "Improved Air Camper" (is that the 1933 version, I have four (slightly) different complete AC plan set...
by Piper
Sun Jun 13, 2021 1:25 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Hi Terry, Piper, Maybe your question should be, "Has anyone ever registered a Pietenpol Air Camper as anything but an experimental amateur built?" You keep coming back around to the idea of registering a Pietenpol as an E-LSA? I am just curious as to why you are interested in doing so. Wha...
by Piper
Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:50 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

I understood and appreciated Clay's response. As I look back at my text I can understand why he interpreted the question as he did. But, it was a good answer for something that I wasn’t trying to ask-- moving an already registered aircraft into a new subcategory. In a sub-leased space connected to m...
by Piper
Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:28 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)
Replies: 9
Views: 3874

Re: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)

Everything is life is a trade-off, a balancing act. But I chose to construct an AC or SS because if you are building for the sheer fun of flying, I haven't seen anything that is supported today that offers nearly as much.
by Piper
Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:11 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

A letter confirming reservation of my N-number arrived today (previously held by a Bamboo Bomber dad flew) along with more contradictory boilerplate. (The poorly named) Expiramental is a CATEGORY, like RESTRICTED, or STANDARD, then Amateur Built or Light-Sport are subcategories right. I mean they ma...
by Piper
Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:38 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Any E-AB built aircraft can be operated by an LSA pilot if it meets the criteria for an LSA aircraft in terms of gross weight, 1320 pounds on wheels check or 1430 on floats (hmmm, an AC on floats, IIRC 1660s are 233 pounds or so) CHECK number of occupants, two, CHECK speeds 52 and 140 mph CHECK Any...
by Piper
Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:00 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

Re: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Sorry, I'm confused... (all bolds are mine) How do people register Air Campers so you can carry a single passenger? I wanted to know if anyone registered a Pietenpol, especially an Air Camper under the provisions of... "Title 14, FAR § 21.191 Experimental certificates. Experimental certificates...
by Piper
Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:18 am
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)
Replies: 9
Views: 3874

Re: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)

Hi I'm not looking for validation, just other people's experiences. It's easy to do the math and simple but time consuming to chop up cardboard boxes and make mock-ups. But what naggs me is the element over time... EG: Moving the seat fixes CG, and eliminating the flop saves weight. But will getting...
by Piper
Thu Jun 10, 2021 11:44 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration
Replies: 14
Views: 5225

ELSA (E- L-SA) Registration

Has anyone here registered an Air Camper under 14 FAR 21.191(g), the Experimental- Light-Sport Aircraft, regulations. I have a copy of AC 20-27 G, and it's not hard to understand-- being at least as clear as anything else that lawyers have written. Other than "Engine Manufacturer:" "A...
by Piper
Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:04 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Wing cradle (two place)
Replies: 3
Views: 2326

Re: Wing cradle (two place)

A cradle that jacks up like a drywall stand...

http://simplexaero.com/ultralight_const ... ing-stand/
by Piper
Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:41 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)
Replies: 9
Views: 3874

Re: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)

Hi I want to thank you for responding. I assure you this will not be my first build, I am an experienced A&P mechanic and a certified commercial pilot, but I wish to build something that I cannot be arbitrarily prohibited from flying at my leisure from my own property. I have purchased the RW-1 ...
by Piper
Sun Jun 06, 2021 11:27 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)
Replies: 9
Views: 3874

Re: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)

I'm in the process of building a "vehicle" compliant with all of the applicable regulations of FAR Part 103. It will be a modification of either the Sky Scout or Air Camper. I have sets of both plans and the handbook purchased from "Mr. Andrew" as well as copies of a dozen 1930s ...
by Piper
Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:20 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)
Replies: 9
Views: 3874

Opinions sought: on 103 build (SS or AC)

Specifics are in the next (much longer) post (sort of an appendix) if anyone is interested. (1) How difficult would it be for a person (125 # 5' 5" tall) to get into the cockpit of a Sky Scout without a flop or into the front cockpit of an Air Camper. (2) Does the plywood sheet under the wing m...
by Piper
Thu May 27, 2021 11:19 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: Part 103 Sky Scout?
Replies: 9
Views: 6099

Re: Part 103 Sky Scout?

Hi Captain, Are you still around (perhaps, I hope, too busy building or flying to post recently?). I printed a few old magazine articles from the web, one is probably the 1933 article you cite, someone familiar with the techniques could build one from that article. The numbers look doable, 430 pound...
by Piper
Tue May 25, 2021 5:46 pm
Forum: Pietenpol Builders Forum
Topic: status of current build
Replies: 33
Views: 12531

Re: status of current build

doug bryant wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 7:56 pm very nice work!! can't wait to see it flying. this one i am building is my 7th. i still need to build some of the tail feathers.
I think one of my former employers bought avionics from the same place you did! (The local photocopy-shop.) :D