Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Well, after 19 months of our FSDO thinking about it, we received an unequivocal "no" for our request to do test flights within airport boundaries. It was a pretty simple "No - we do not allow test flights at your airport. Take it elsewhere."

i had really worked hard getting it ready - paint, radio ...

Working on modifying my operating limitations - Standard Pietenpol, wood fuselage, C-75-12 certificated engine. One of the threads in my search alluded to a "good safety record," which is not surprising.
How do these things compare with, say, the J3 Cub safety record?

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/render/00-PNsoTmjg5ERwYdyJK2nnTU4PbJCADm4kNk3Vd5RrK2SY2vrgYsMkkPPFg-Qsx10NUnDnu4gHHWpfyYq5WwzmNg?cn=THISLIFE&res=medium&ts=1742323274

We are considering selling this very well built airframe. We bought it for the engine, but found it needed several things, like ...

We have been taxi-testing the heel brakes for a few weeks now. I finally stretched my 83 year old legs in there, and found that we still have a few problems - the brakes are in the right spot, and are just like J3 Cub brakes even though the wheels themselves are ancient and obsolete Cleveland discs ...

Got the engine running yesterday - taxi tests with the Scott masters were successful. Test pilot says they feel just like the J-3 brakes that we are all used to.

Now working on the radio, and then a little paint, assembly, and test flight. We have an application for an amendment to the operating ...

Mine is going to be Cub Yellow and Colorado Red, with a gentle sunburst on the wings and forward fuselage. I will get a photo of the scheme as used on a low wing. I probably won't be ready to spray until April.

These are Cub type (Scott) master cylinders. No O rings, no reservoir. The proper replacement would be the Grove 95-1 & 2. Those indeed do have O rings. I have not yet studied the Grove units (which are on my Cub via field approval) to see if the outlet and reservoir is compatible with my mounting ...

Thanks. Yours looks like a better design. I will most likely be installing a real aircraft tailwheel, to gain full swivel capability. But for now, I have a good angle, and a way to get the towbar on there for rearward positioning.

On the colors - we are in the most crowded airspace in the world for ...

Thanks. Where are these O -rings? Under the bungees?

I got all the mechanical stuff done - all that remains is to add hydraulic fluid and test. As I mentioned above, I could not picture a clean installation inside the cockpit, so chose to mount the Scott masters under the belly. Grove 95-1/2 would work the same, with the same mounting.

I also ...

Pretty sure I can attach a photo. The tailwheel kingpin had a 20 degree(!) positive camber angle, unloaded. As you know, that does not change much when the A frame moves up and down, since the kingpin angle change is the same as the very small angle change of the A frame itself.

Photo is of the ...

New to the Pietenpol. Ours has the “A” frame with coil spring and welded on kingpin section, and a “shopping cart” wheel.

I would have no problem with any of that except - unloaded the kingpin angle is about 15 degrees forward. I do know that either dead-vertical or a few degrees forward is good ...

Well, I opted for an "under the floor" installation. I mocked it up today, and two of us tried it out. Seems very "Cub-like" to us.

The actual installation will be very "dirty" for the test flight period - then maybe we will make some little streamlined blisters. Maybe.

I get the feeling that most ...

So I can simply remove the flop and fly safely? That would be way better - or just a circular notch like the Stearman?

Ours has that bar, going completely across the aircraft. I can see right now that I need higher, more Cub-like pedals. The ones in front would be perfect, but are too wide.

Will I run into trouble raising the pedals and cables a couple Inches?

Tough to see exactly what you did there, but it is ...

There just isn't any room anywhere for a hydraulc master cylinder with heel brake. Today I decided they would have to be in the slipstream. Guess percentage-wise, it will be a blip on the profile drag. Mocking it up this week.

Bump. After trying several geometries I have decided that something like this (only hydraulic) would be optimum. Semi-easy for Cub drivers to get used to.
Hopefully someone can steer me to the “West Coast” photos/info?

My old Cub Scott masters will not fit anywhere down there, even if I pulled the ...

New guy here, with a finished and test-flown bird, newly purchased.

One brake lever. One successful test flight by my old buddy Manuel Sparks, and one nose-over, all 15 years ago.

I am going to put heel brakes in - there is room for Cub-like Scott masters, but with the bar style rudder control ...