Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "Dick N"
Mike Danforth's post (Tools) below was an EXCELLENT reminder of how scary this stuff can be, even when we are not distractedas he describes below! This is a really good post---thank you for sharing this and if it hasn't happened to us, it just might even when youleast expect it.What Mike describes below happens to the little Continentals from time to time and his procedure for clearing out the carb is exactly what Iwas taught and it works but it is really the time (especially when alone) when you want the plane tied down, for sure.I end up tying the tail of my plane to the tow hitch on my Ford Explorer when I have to do this clearing procedure or find a tie-down ring on theramp and even then I'm operating in a 'holy moly' mindset.So glad this story turned out well and thank you for sharing it.Mike C.OhioPS-let me tell you about the first year I went to Oshkosh with my plane. I had it ALL packed, ready to go. Full fuel, full oil, charts ready,everything was perfect including the weather. I start the airplane, taxi out and stop to do all my pretakeoff checks. I advance the throttle,check left mag, check right mag......1800 rpm....carb heat on and the engine STOPS cold. Mr. Oshkosh-bound forgot to turn on the fuel.Thank God I didn't just throttle up and go because I would have had the engine STOP on climb out over the trees and wires!@yahoo.com>>So there I was....Just a few weeks ago, haven't been up in the Piet in a couple months. It was cold, so wasn't planning on going flying, thought I'd start it up, warm up the oil, etc.Not in a hurry, no onlookers distracting me. Just wanted to blow out some cobwebs, which I could do right in the hangar, where it was (thankfully...) tied down three points.Check throttle back, carb heat off, switches off. Pull it through ten or so times, give it time to gas off in the cylinders. Go back around, throttle back, carb heat off, switches on.Clothing correct, nothing sitting around in the way... I really feel relaxed and on my game. First pull almost starts, but seems to flood itself instead. Half a dozen pulls later, decide to clear it out.I've always figured this was the most dangerous of things to do hand propping, so really going slow now... Throttle open full, carb heat off, switches off. Still careful to assume it could start, pull it though a dozen times backwards.Back to the cockpit, carb heat off, switches on. Pull it through, surprised it didn't start... took a deep breath, went back to the cockpit and pulled the throttle back...! D'oh!Tied down, still, REALLY happy it didn't start up on me.Man, NOTHING was distracting me. Not in a hurry at all, wasn't even going flying. Still missed it.When it's out of the hangar, I always tie off one wheel when I start it, and try to park in a depression, up against concrete, push it off concrete if I can, etc. From now on, tieing off both wheels.There's just nothing about flying these things you can take for granted. Not a single little thing.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________

Original Posted By: "tools"
Hey Tools,All that stuff you checked but you didnt say anything about washing the wings down, just a thought.Dick N.----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "tools"
Thanks Steve, I will keep you posted of any flights to your area.JohnSent from my iPadOn Feb 3, 2015, at 7:45 AM, Steven Dortch > wrote:John, No need for a rental car. I live about 10 min from both San Antonio International and Stinson (the GA reliever, and second oldest General Aviation airport in the US, est 1915) From either of these it is 40 min to San Geronimo where my plane is.I will haul you around, I just mentioned it for planning purposes. I work until about 3PM most weekdays.Give me some forwarning and I will let you see my project.PS I have heard that "Der Faker Fokker" a highly modified Piet is at the Air museum at Stinson.On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 10:31 PM, John Letkeman > wrote:Thanks Steve! I may take you up on that, I could just jump in a rental car, do you have any pictures of your Piet on this forum?JohnSent from my iPadOn Feb 1, 2015, at 9:09 AM, Steven Dortch > wrote:Yes, I am smack dab in the middle. I live on Fort Sam Houston.with some warning I could haul you out to look over my project. Note it takes 40 min to get there from almost any airport.Steve DOn Sun, Feb 1, 2015 at 8:56 AM, John Letkeman > wrote:90% done 50% to go! So true! I have spent a lot of time measuring parts and looking at the plans already!Are you in the San Antonio area? I fly my boss there occasionally.JohnSent from my iPadOn Jan 31, 2015, at 10:10 PM, Steven Dortch > wrote:John, It looks 90% complete. That means there is only 50% to go!Seriously, Don't be surprised if you spend some time figuring out why or how the last builder did something. I spend a lot of time doing just that.If you can't find a local Pietenpol or even (Heaven forbid) Grega, look around for someone who has built a Bowers Flybaby. While very different in many ways (low wing, single seat), there are a lot of building similarities (Wood frame, cloth, A65)One of my problem solving mentors built a fly baby. He is full of information. He also gets me to simplify my sometimes overly complex thoughts. IE, "Rather than custom machining a mount, why don't you just burn a hole in the fabric and turn the bolt around!" "Use one long screw instead of two short ones." He really wants me to get my plane flying because, "no one else flies as slow as I do."Oscar also helped me by getting me to write down everything I thought I wanted to do. Then he had me do a shorter list of everything that had to be done to fly safely. Work off of that list first, then later you can add bells and whistles (or guns and bombs and smoke, and horns that play songs)Blue Skies,Steve DOn Sat, Jan 31, 2015 at 3:40 PM, John Letkeman > wrote::pilot(at)fehrs.com>>Oscar,Although I've been flying for 15 years, I'm pretty new to experimental aircraft,I've been interested in the Pietenpol for as long as I've been flying, I need too research the FAR'sAnd find out what the steps are too getting N-# and airworthiness certificate, I'm ok with not getting repairman certificate, is Raymond Hanover on this forum? I would like too visit with him,He's only about a two hour flight in the C170.ThanksJohnSent from my iPad> On Jan 30, 2015, at 6:38 AM, taildrags > wrote:>mailto:taildrags(at)hotmail.com>>>> John; there's nothing wrong with you being the builder... the FARs just say that the airplane has be be amateur-built but it doesn't say you have to be the only builder. My Piet and most others have been through several hands before being completed by the second, third, or more builders. What you're probably saying is that you probably will not qualify to get the repairman's certificate for it. That would permit you to do your own condition inspections on it, and for that you have to convince your DAR that you've done enough of the work on it that you're so familiar with it that you can inspect it. With the wings and fuselage covered and painted, I don't think you have much hope of getting that cert.>> You do have a nearby neighbor (nearby, if measured by Texas standards)- Raymond Hanover is up in Skellytown and is in test flights with his Corvair-powered GN-1.>> --------> Oscar Zuniga> Medford, OR> Air Camper NX41CC "Scout"> A75 power>>> Read this topic online here:>> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... 437857>>br> enpol-List" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Pietenpol-ListFORUMS -_blank">http://forums.matronics.comb Site - -Matt Dralle, List Admin.target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution--Blue Skies,Steve D">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... ntribution" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... tion--Blue Skies,Steve D">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... ntribution" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... tion--Blue Skies,Steve D________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: flooded starts---, WARNING

Original Posted By: "tools"
Hehe, uh, ya, it was my pleasure to reveal my... you get the idea!We actually had a formal name for this sort of thing in Navy safety training calledtrue confessions. We set aside about a half hour every safety stand downand folks just fessed up. No harm, no foul... was VERY beneficial.Which reminds me... so there I ALMOST was...I don't turn off the fuel shutoffs in my plane. I can't remember exactly how ithappened, but after a ride, maybe letting someone else fly, something, I caughtsomeone ELSE turning off the shutoff. I'm not sure how many times I've flown without REALLY checking those things. Therebut by the grace of God go I...At work, I don't hit the head without reading a check list out loud. Hey, thisPiet doesn't have flaps, mixture, prop, gear... why would I need a checklist...geesh...I, too, LOVE these discussions. ESPECIALLY when it's just a close call. Nonetheless,talking about ANY learning experience helps the collective consciousness.ToolsRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Propping planes, WARNING