Pietenpol Mecca

I took a weekend and on Saturday I had a chance to visit with a bunch of friends at the annual Pietenpol Fly in. The event was hosted at Brodhead airport, Brodhead Wisconsin and as usual I met some old friends, made some new ones and talked trash about the ones that didn't make it, sorry Jim M. That's just the way it it goes and since this is the second year it was twice as bad.

We hung out most of the day with Rick S, who flew his tripacer in from Valpo great looking bird. Rick has got a Piet project running. I got a chance to see it this past winter at his home, great guy, great build ad a real nice person to hang out with. I am looking for great things from his build.

Last year was my first time I got to meet some of the old timers, Mike C . I think he is related to Dick Clark the guy doesn't age.

The best part was had my buddy Dennis V in attendance he say the miracle of the piet first hand I even hooked him up with a ride in a non Piet certified aircraft from another builder friend, Dan H.

Here they are in Dans bird, Dennis in the pilot seat first time in a tail dragger and hes gonna get to fly it courtesy of Dan, as a matter of fact so did I and it was wonderful. Thanks Dan! great bird, great fun and a real pleasure to finally get to meet you.

Dennis really loved it! I think hes coming back next year too well if I have anything to say about it he will.

Turtle deck

During all that fitting and grinning I decided to try my hand at building the turtle deck. So once again I went to my trusty table saw and began to rip some more sticks fro m the bigger sticks I had in stock. After eating much saw dust I came away with some really long skinny strips of wood that when set on edge it to their respective bridge location, clamped and held in pace with a clamp and band started to shape up into the turtle deck.

That was the easy part, Once began the project in earnest it revealed that I was not ready for the challenge of actually building the turtle deck. by the time I got it to the point of considering gluing it it I had a don of hours in and ate a ton of saw dust trying to get them to fit properly. Making the fuse wider impacted the angle at which the longerons bent inward to join at the tail post aft the rear pit. That severe bend was also part of the turtle deck and impacted the bends ad proximity of each stringer as I went. I sure would have found the process of keeping the stringers in place if I was equipped with about 6 more hands

Instrument boards

I got a chance to see what she looked like with the instrument boards in place. I liked them to they became part of the build, at least as they are tried in place for the fit test. Seats installed in place always need a place to park it,while you fly it and something to look at so I chose instruments from the seat as a nice thing to look at on occasion while flying

final decision on the door

Well I got it all glued in supported side to side and top to bottom, and still haven't cut it.

I had an EAA tec counselor Herb visit and check the project and he cautioned against cutting the upper longeron for the door.

Herb is a structural engineer and carpenter he suggested against it and that was enough for me. So its frame, supported, glued in and solid so now I am not going to cut it.

No sense going against good advice especially when it confirms my own concerns.

built the seat base frames

Went according to plan and built the seat base frames for the front and rear pits. Didn't like the way the rear pit came out and decided to rebuild it later on in the cycle. I got that done, and I like it much better. I also added a few touches of my own to make the seat more usable. I figure its my airplane so I can build it the way I want it. Ahhhh yes the beauty of being an independent Piet builder.

seat backs clamped into place

I got the seat backs clamped into place, the door supported and the load from the upper longerons redistributed, I got the front seat base in and working on the rear pit seat bracing. Plus I got some varnishing done.

Finally vacation time arrives

I saved all my vacation time for last 2 weeks in December, I can take all my vacation plus extend due to the Holiday season and really get building, so that's what I did. I got the seat backs mucked up and cut in the seat feet, control passages and seat base support. We are cooking now and no more builders block, nothing but sawdust and glue.

seats and partitions

I started with the rear seat, just locating where the backrest was supposed to go for the rear and forwad pits.

The Block continued

All summer with the exception of some sanding I did nothing but stare at the wood. I came to the realization that after sever days and no change, that unless I did the building it was always going to look just the way I left. No work during the summer.

As fall approaches I am sanding more and enjoying it lessbut still waiting for my project to speak to me, she finally did and I was re energized and ready to go. Plus I thought that cutting the seats out couldn't hurt anything so I started to build the seat areas.

Following the first seat cuts she spoke to me and the seats led me to more areas to build and so I did.

The Block

By late spring early summer it became evident that there was no way I could continue the build at any sort of pace, the yard demanded most my entire weekend and the time I did have, I didn't know what to do next! I hit the dreaded builders block, afraid to move forward for fear of getting out of step and afraid if I didn't do anything I may walk away form the project forever. Each weekend day, mostly Sunday afternoons I go , look and hope I would get the insight into whats next. Some days looking and some days sanding, most days looking, thinking and hoping an idea would come to me.

Jumping the gun

I could no longer resist, I had to see if it could look like and airplane rather than a canoe. Now that I got the longerons bent and joined at the tail I had to add the vert stab to see it.

Everyone can use a little inspiration so I jumped the gun and clamped that bad boy on and in place. I just had to see it for myself.

door frame

I framed out the front door location and glued it inplace, still not certain about unsing it or leaving it.

Just something about cutting the longeron for something simple as a door, I am not too certain I trust the door framing to give the suppport I think I need.

I am really hesitant about cutting longerons for an added feature that may or may not prove valuable.

I am going to ask other builders and trusted sources to get a better fix on moving stress loads to the lower longeron of just not cut the door in.

The saga of the door

I had heard of other builders adding a front pit door to make it easier for people to get in and out of. I thought it was a pretty neat idea and certainly something that may be appreciated by riders so I went through and identified where I wanted it. then came up with a design to bolster the structure and re direct the stress loads of the upper longeron.

I came up with this design and location as a possible location for the door installation