Original Posted By: airlion
Group,We finally had our first big snow storm of the year... Here in Utah we usuallyhave more snow by now but Mother Nature hasn't been kind to us skiers.How this thread is Pietenpol related is... this is the road which I drive out tomy hangar at the Skypark airport to work on the Piet, I am glad I wasn't oneof the poor unfortunates to get piled up. Hope you enjoy the video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrJuigh2aCcBrianSnowy Utah________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:55:22 -0800 (PST)
Pietenpol-List: My road to the Hangar
Re: Pietenpol-List: My road to the Hangar
Original Posted By: Andrew Eldredge
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: My road to the Hangar
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: My road to the Hangar
Pietenpol-List: Re: Modifications as the result of operational experience
Original Posted By: "K5YAC"
Ive made several changes to Fat Bottom Girl over the last several months and havepromised updates. Here they are:Wood StrutsThe original wood struts have Douglas Fir tops and bottoms sandwiching aircraftplywood. I bought them from a friend. I noticed signs of delamination betweenthe fir and the plywood on all the struts at around the 250 hour mark. Theworst delamination was on the left rear strut, which I used as a support pointfor loading passengers. Im pretty sure the guy who built the struts used T-88but I dont remember. Anyway, a dear friend who shall, as always, remain nameless(Gary Boothe) made new struts for me. They are constructed from fourhickory sticks laminated together. The glue lines on the original struts ranparallel to the wing, the new laminations are perpendicular. They seem quitestout though I have not flown them very long. Gary is a saint.Note: For what its worth, the holes on the old struts showed no sign of distressor elongation. Thats with 260 hours, several hundred takeoffs and landings,and a significant wing dragging episode on each side. Wing Cross WiresI used the cross wires at the right front cockpit to hold the wing in place. Ican honestly say that I do not remember why. I also do not remember why on earthI lopped off the ears from the top motor mount where the diagonal cabaneswould mount. Regardless, I added diagonal cabanes and got rid of the wires toimprove ingress/egress from the front cockpit. I did not want to cut a bunch of fabric and remake motor mounts, so I carefullycrafted an East Texas Redneck Modification (ETRM) to provide the front mountfor the diagonals. I welded them to the vertical cabanes at the top. Ill improvethat ETRM when we re-cover the plane. See attached photo.Clourcars PropIve taken so much abuse for the ugly-but-effective Warp Drive prop that I brokedown and bought a wooden prop from Cloudcars. It is 68x34. They originallysent me a 68X27 which Jay calculated to be similar in pitch to my Warp at 7.5degrees. It wasnt enough pitch. They very kindly provided another propeller.It appears to have a little more functional pitch than the Warp. The planeclimbs a little slower, but still at better than 500 fpm, and flies about 10%faster. Since were not allowed to fly our Cloudcars in the rain I may switchto the Warp for traveling to and from Brodhead, and then use the pretty woodenprop while there. See attached photo. Landing Gear SpringsI think Ive talked about this already. I re-did the gear with springs insteadof bungees after one of the bungees failed and left me limping down the taxiwayat an awkward angle. I used Hans Van der Voorts drawings.The Dreaded CorvairThe Weseman 5th bearing has been installed for ~60 hours. So far so good.Last year at this time I noticed a sudden drop in power of about 150 rpm. It turnedout to be a burned valve. Roy Szarafinski re-did the heads for me. Thereworked heads actually give me an increase in static of 150 rpm. I originallyhad the heads done at a car shop several years ago. Its safe to say that Roydoes significantly more sophisticated work than most car shops.Use as you see fit.--------Kevin "Axel" PurteeNX899KPAustin/Georgetown, TXRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ttachments: http://forums.matronics.com//files/pain ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Modifications as the result of operational experience
Ive made several changes to Fat Bottom Girl over the last several months and havepromised updates. Here they are:Wood StrutsThe original wood struts have Douglas Fir tops and bottoms sandwiching aircraftplywood. I bought them from a friend. I noticed signs of delamination betweenthe fir and the plywood on all the struts at around the 250 hour mark. Theworst delamination was on the left rear strut, which I used as a support pointfor loading passengers. Im pretty sure the guy who built the struts used T-88but I dont remember. Anyway, a dear friend who shall, as always, remain nameless(Gary Boothe) made new struts for me. They are constructed from fourhickory sticks laminated together. The glue lines on the original struts ranparallel to the wing, the new laminations are perpendicular. They seem quitestout though I have not flown them very long. Gary is a saint.Note: For what its worth, the holes on the old struts showed no sign of distressor elongation. Thats with 260 hours, several hundred takeoffs and landings,and a significant wing dragging episode on each side. Wing Cross WiresI used the cross wires at the right front cockpit to hold the wing in place. Ican honestly say that I do not remember why. I also do not remember why on earthI lopped off the ears from the top motor mount where the diagonal cabaneswould mount. Regardless, I added diagonal cabanes and got rid of the wires toimprove ingress/egress from the front cockpit. I did not want to cut a bunch of fabric and remake motor mounts, so I carefullycrafted an East Texas Redneck Modification (ETRM) to provide the front mountfor the diagonals. I welded them to the vertical cabanes at the top. Ill improvethat ETRM when we re-cover the plane. See attached photo.Clourcars PropIve taken so much abuse for the ugly-but-effective Warp Drive prop that I brokedown and bought a wooden prop from Cloudcars. It is 68x34. They originallysent me a 68X27 which Jay calculated to be similar in pitch to my Warp at 7.5degrees. It wasnt enough pitch. They very kindly provided another propeller.It appears to have a little more functional pitch than the Warp. The planeclimbs a little slower, but still at better than 500 fpm, and flies about 10%faster. Since were not allowed to fly our Cloudcars in the rain I may switchto the Warp for traveling to and from Brodhead, and then use the pretty woodenprop while there. See attached photo. Landing Gear SpringsI think Ive talked about this already. I re-did the gear with springs insteadof bungees after one of the bungees failed and left me limping down the taxiwayat an awkward angle. I used Hans Van der Voorts drawings.The Dreaded CorvairThe Weseman 5th bearing has been installed for ~60 hours. So far so good.Last year at this time I noticed a sudden drop in power of about 150 rpm. It turnedout to be a burned valve. Roy Szarafinski re-did the heads for me. Thereworked heads actually give me an increase in static of 150 rpm. I originallyhad the heads done at a car shop several years ago. Its safe to say that Roydoes significantly more sophisticated work than most car shops.Use as you see fit.--------Kevin "Axel" PurteeNX899KPAustin/Georgetown, TXRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ttachments: http://forums.matronics.com//files/pain ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Modifications as the result of operational experience
Original Posted By: "Larry Morlock"
What did you do with your 3-piece wing? [Laughing]--------Mark ChouinardWings, Center Section and Empannage framed up - Working on FuselageRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________
What did you do with your 3-piece wing? [Laughing]--------Mark ChouinardWings, Center Section and Empannage framed up - Working on FuselageRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________
Pietenpol-List: Wing Strut Forks
Original Posted By: airlion
Can anyone help on where I can find the minimum thread engagement on the forks that fit in the end of the wing struts? I'm getting ready to cut the struts to the correct length and would like to assure I can use the maximum amount of threads for adjustment and still have sufficient thread engagement. I can't find anything in the Bingelis books on this.The forks I have are from Aircraft Spruce - 7/16 x 20 threads and the threads are 2 1/4 in. long. The barrel it fits in is about 2 in long as well. Should I assume 1 in. minimum thread engagement, then have 5/8 in. adjustment either way, or ??????Appreciate any help. Larry Morlock ________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:12:52 -0800 (PST)
Can anyone help on where I can find the minimum thread engagement on the forks that fit in the end of the wing struts? I'm getting ready to cut the struts to the correct length and would like to assure I can use the maximum amount of threads for adjustment and still have sufficient thread engagement. I can't find anything in the Bingelis books on this.The forks I have are from Aircraft Spruce - 7/16 x 20 threads and the threads are 2 1/4 in. long. The barrel it fits in is about 2 in long as well. Should I assume 1 in. minimum thread engagement, then have 5/8 in. adjustment either way, or ??????Appreciate any help. Larry Morlock ________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:12:52 -0800 (PST)
Pietenpol-List: Modifications as the result of operational experience
Original Posted By: Jim Boyer
Re: Pietenpol-List: Modifications as the result of operational experience
Original Posted By: kevinpurtee
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Modifications as the result of operational experienceAxel, that wood prop just looks right!Good to see you at the ceremony. I about laughed my head of when the car alarmbeeped during every salute with the cannons. Blue Skies,Steve D----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Modifications as the result of operational experienceAxel, that wood prop just looks right!Good to see you at the ceremony. I about laughed my head of when the car alarmbeeped during every salute with the cannons. Blue Skies,Steve D----- Original Message -----