|
|
|
||||||||
Doug Bryant's Pietenpol Air Camper
Model "A"-Ford powered powered Pietenpol Air Camper built by Doug Bryant
720 Sandpiper St.
Wichita KS 67230-7011
Phone: 316-733-2324
October 3, 1996
Grant,
Here is the current status of my Model "A" powered Improved Air Camper.
- Completed 76" x 48" laminated birch propeller.
- Covered 19 inches of each blade with fiberglas.
- Coated with "Ace" brand spar varnish (same kind of varnish as entire airframe)
- Static balanced with spar varnish
- Installed prop per plans
- Removed tail wheel and installed skid per plans
- Completed all remaininf installations
- Cleaned aircraft and hangar for FAA visit
- Completed FAA inspection and X license
- Completed three (3) hours of engine ground runs and taxi tests
- Forgot to make and install small aluminum cover for exposed end of Model "A" cam shaft -- engine leaked oil.
- Fixed above problem -- no more oil leak.
- Had a test pilot friend do the fist flight on 8/31/96.
- Flew for 1/2 hour.
- It was great!
- Airplane is ready for continued service.
- Presently doing tests to determine id anti-freeze added to coolant will damage blue river dope finish when evaporation occurs during flight. May have to vent overboard from radiator cap to lower fuselage area.
My Model "A" engine with Model "B" carb and 76" x 48" plans prop will turn only 1600 RPM static on the ground. It does the same in level flight or climb. 1600 RPM is the maximum torque curve, making just one throttle setting (full throttle) from take-off run to descent. This further reduces cockpit work load, saves wear and tear on the engine and, in my opinion, is the reason for, and benefit of, the large prop.
I am still very impressed with the clever designs of Bernard H. Pietenpol .
This is a neat little airplane which to my amazement, seems to draw a large crowd.
BPAN Editor's note:
BPA Newsletter readers will recognise this ship as the same one covered in great detail in our issue #53. If you are not a BPA member and would be interested in seeing and reading more about this, and many other fine Pietenpol airplanes, feel free to join us.
Doug Bryant's Pietenpol Air Camper
Doug Bryant
720 Sandpiper St., Wichita KS 67230-7011
18 March 1996
Grant,
Here are a couple of photos showing status of my Improved Air Camper.
Prop is under way, panel is complete, fuel system complete, cooling now complete, magneto not mounted yet -- although it has been pre-fit.
Hope to fly sometime this spring, but I'm not in a rush. Happy to answer any questions on construction.
Wheels are homemade; 5-1/2 inches wide. Spokes are .150 diameter laced onto dirt bike 18 inch rims. Fuel tank is fiber glass but same shape as plans.
Gimp around cockpit is leather around garden hose. Carb is Model 'B' with plans throttle linkage. Tail wheel is Garry Price's from plans with extended bell crank; cable joins rudder cable under seat with copper splices for electrical wiring. Instrument panel is burled walnut laminated to 1/8 inch plywood -- many coats of varnish. Nice!
Lift struts are 1-1/4 diameter x .049 wall 4130 steel tube with 'V' shaped .062 low carbon steel trailing edge welded on. (Weld an inch, skip an inch.) No jury strut.
Magneto coupling is plans style using 3/4 inch square tubing with three layers of leather disk; 3/8 inch total thickness. Throttle linkage is 2-1/2 inch section of Model 'A' linkage with ball.
Prop under construction is laminated birch 76 x 48 Kevlar tipped.
Shackles are heavy duty industrial chain links.
Fabric is Dacron with Blue River brushed finish -- no paint.
Leading edge 'D' section is cedar. Spars and longerons are Douglas fir. Rib caps are cedar. The rest is spruce (bargain bags from Aircraft Spruce). If I had it to do over again, I would build the one piece wing.
Gas cap is per plans -- Model 'A' radiator cap -- with cork float added.
Well, that's enough for now -- time to go to work on it again.
Doug Bryant
316-733-2324
|| BPA's home page || Grant's 'pretty good' home page ||
