RE: Pietenpol-List: It is possible a AirCamper with a MTOW = 450 kg (992
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:06 pm
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Hi Nauus,Like most questions in aviation, the answer to your question is "Itdepends." The maxiumum takeoff weight of the airplane varies by what youput in it - how much fuel, and how heavy is the pilot and other payload.Are you planning this as a single seat or two seat airplane? If using it as a single seater, my own Pietenpol could qualify even thoughmine is fairly heavy (338 kg or 745 lbs). Adding my 86 kg (190 lbs) wouldstill leave you 26 kg (57 lbs) of fuel, which would be 9.55 gallons or36.15 liters, enough for a little over 2 hours of flying with a Continental65 hp engineWhat engine are you considering using? If using a Continental A65, thereare many Pietenpols that have been built with an empty weight of 650 lbs(295 kg) or less. Corvair powered Pietenpols seem to tend slightly heavier.Model A Ford Pietenpols tend to be lighter than 650 lbs, probably becausetheir builders know they don't have a lot of power to waste.So let's say you are building a two seat Pietenpol, with an empty weight of295 kg. That leaves you with 155 kg for people and fuel. Assuming youneed at least an hour's worth of fuel on board, which will be somewherearound 14 kg of fuel, you and your passenger cannot total more than 141 kg.Assuming you weigh about 75 kg (165 lbs), that means your passenger cannotweigh more than 66 kg (145 lbs). This is not a bad solution - it measn thatyou will be limited to carrying lightweight passengers, which tends toinclude pretty young women and children. You won't have to give rides tofat old men ("Sorry, I'd love to take you up old chap, but the law forbidsit.")If on the other hand you weigh 141 kg by yourself, then I'd say you shouldlook at another design.Good luck!Jack PhillipsNX899JPSmith Mountain Lake, Virginia-----Original Message-----
Hi Nauus,Like most questions in aviation, the answer to your question is "Itdepends." The maxiumum takeoff weight of the airplane varies by what youput in it - how much fuel, and how heavy is the pilot and other payload.Are you planning this as a single seat or two seat airplane? If using it as a single seater, my own Pietenpol could qualify even thoughmine is fairly heavy (338 kg or 745 lbs). Adding my 86 kg (190 lbs) wouldstill leave you 26 kg (57 lbs) of fuel, which would be 9.55 gallons or36.15 liters, enough for a little over 2 hours of flying with a Continental65 hp engineWhat engine are you considering using? If using a Continental A65, thereare many Pietenpols that have been built with an empty weight of 650 lbs(295 kg) or less. Corvair powered Pietenpols seem to tend slightly heavier.Model A Ford Pietenpols tend to be lighter than 650 lbs, probably becausetheir builders know they don't have a lot of power to waste.So let's say you are building a two seat Pietenpol, with an empty weight of295 kg. That leaves you with 155 kg for people and fuel. Assuming youneed at least an hour's worth of fuel on board, which will be somewherearound 14 kg of fuel, you and your passenger cannot total more than 141 kg.Assuming you weigh about 75 kg (165 lbs), that means your passenger cannotweigh more than 66 kg (145 lbs). This is not a bad solution - it measn thatyou will be limited to carrying lightweight passengers, which tends toinclude pretty young women and children. You won't have to give rides tofat old men ("Sorry, I'd love to take you up old chap, but the law forbidsit.")If on the other hand you weigh 141 kg by yourself, then I'd say you shouldlook at another design.Good luck!Jack PhillipsNX899JPSmith Mountain Lake, Virginia-----Original Message-----
...and I don't expect my passenger to beheavier than some 80kg.That is 148kg humans, 20kg fuel, that is 292kg for the aircraft+engine+other liquids.I hope it should not be a problem to achieve 
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