Pietenpol Flight Characteristics

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J&D
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Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:51 pm

Pietenpol Flight Characteristics

Post by J&D »

I've never flown a Pietenpol. Personally, I see a lot of similarity between the Piet and Taylor's E-2.

For people who have flown both Piets and Cubs / Champs with their modified Clark-Y airfoils how do they compare?

Thanks
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taildrags
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Re: Pietenpol Flight Characteristics

Post by taildrags »

I have time in my Piet as well as time in J-3 Cubs and Super Cubs. You'll hear comments about the flight characteristic differences that are all over the place, so just take my comments as my own observations and not universal among other pilots with the same experience. I don't think that anyone will argue that the two planes feel different to begin with, the Pipers being enclosed cockpits with the stick right in front of your chest, almost. The open-cockpit Piet has a different feel with the wind and sound and everything else dominating your senses, but the stick in a Piet doesn't seem to dominate the cockpit as much as the stick in the Pipers so you move the controls more by instinct than by seeing the motions of your hand and the stick in your peripheral vision. Flight just happens.

That said, the planes may come up off the tailwheel about the same and get off the ground in about the same amount of time, but as soon as speed builds, the sensation of flight is accentuated in the Piet. This difference is (to me) especially noticeable on final and in slower speed maneuvers, when you can feel the wind on your face and sides of your head more, and you get more cues from that when you're slipping the aircraft, than in the enclosed Pipers. The climb may not be much brisker or more 'enthusiastic' in a 65HP Piet as it is in a 65HP Cub, but it feels that way since you're out in the breeze. It's exhilarating, because you're flying and you *feel* it more.

Level cruise is somewhat easier to set up and settle into in a Cub since it has pitch trim and most Piets don't, but it's not a big deal because you still have to fly them both but you just have to fly the Piet more of the time. Slow flight feels about the same to me, stalls too, but when you're close to the ground in a Piet and the power comes off, the Piet's descent rate from the draggy airframe and open cockpit and the lack of float tendency of the flat and undercambered Piet airfoil make power-off operation require more focus but for less time than in a Cub. The Piet just descends "enthusiastically", but not in a difficult or unmanageable way. It makes short-field landings much less work than in a Cub, I think, and it improves my confidence about getting it on the numbers when having to clear obstacles on steep final. In the Super Cub I had that big flap handle to help with that but the lack of flaps on the Piet is not a hindrance; the plane slips nicely and comes right down when you broadside it to the wind.

Landings are fun in the Piet and I think they are what makes Piet pilots like to fly them. I prefer operating my plane off of grass, but I have Cub-style landing gear (very forgiving) and brakes, so I have more control and ability to handle uneven terrain than some other Piets, but in any case mine handles on grass and pavement very much like a Cub. With a steady wind right on the nose on final, other than not having a trim wheel in the Piet, you can fly it the same... trim to 55-57 MPH, aim for your spot, and hold it there. Flare in the Piet comes a bit quicker than in the Cub and there is less float in the Piet, so keeping the stick coming back till it settles is the key or you'll bounce it. Don't ask me how I know this ;o) Every now and then I chirp one on this way, but it's also why I prefer flying off of grass will lower-inflated tires (softer and less bounce). With a gusty wind off the nose or with a stiff x-wind, wheel landings with some power on are the recipe. With a very bad x-wind you'll need all your skills but (to me, anyway), the Piet is less apt to want to start lifting a wing than a Cub is if the x-wind gets a chance to get under it.

All of which can be summarized by saying "the Piet flies just like a Cub, except with an open cockpit" ;o) Except that there are lots of flavors of Piets and not many flavors of Cubs. Different styles of landing gear; different configurations and power ratings of engines; brakes or no brakes... many variations of Piet are possible, and they all make for subtle differences in how a Piet handles. My two cents.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power
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taildrags
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Re: Pietenpol Flight Characteristics

Post by taildrags »

Oh, and I guess I should say my references were to J-3 Cubs, not the E-2.

-Oscar
J&D
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Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:51 pm

Re: Pietenpol Flight Characteristics

Post by J&D »

Thank you Oscar,

The Western Canada Aviation Museum (Winnipeg) has two of Robert Noorduyn's (of Norseman fame) Fokker Universals on display. A restored to flying condition "Super," CF-AAM; and the preserved remains of G-CAJD, "The Ghost of Charron Lake," an earlier open-cockpit "standard." Curators there tell visitors that the earliest bush pilots distained the closed cockpit of the Super as it prevented them from having a "feel" for how the aircraft was flying.

J&D
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