Flying the C.J. Pietenpol

[@GabbyBillNumberOne]

Dwain, I'm probably not alone, I'm a wanabe flyer, and even got a few hours in an Aeronca Champ back in the '60,s, but was never able to get my license. I even tried to get with the Ultralight crowd, but by the time I was free of raising a family, I was too broke to follow up.That being said I always loved what flying I did do, and vicariously enjoy "Flying" With folks like you, the "Piet" was one of the designs that I found attractive. Now at 77 years and subsisting on my meager SS check, I get my kicks with flying on the internet. So keep up what you and your friends are doing, sharing your experiences with those of us like me who can only look on and wish! Thanks for sharing, Gabby

[@19Cub]

Thank you, Gabby.

[@oldamericaniron5767]

When you mentioned being kind of chilly made me think of my old neighbor, Allen Rudolf, and his model A powered Pietenpol. He took the front windshield off and in winter he said the heat from the radiator would go down in the front cockpit and up his legs and help keep him warm in winter.

[@doranjaffas7351]

I have no idea how old these videos are. I just came across these as at this time in June of 2021 I'm in the process of purchasing one out of Western Wisconsin and hoping to fly it back to Central lower Michigan here in just a couple of weeks. This of any of the videos I've seen in any aircraft is the best in cockpit video I've ever seen. It is the most real world and lifelike cockpit video of what it's actually like visually to fly any airplane let alone this one. The drag that he talks about kind of reminds me of my Tri Pacer. According to some I'm one of the few that did not add power to my landings. Though I no longer have the Tr -Pacer and I do have a touch of sellers remorse regarding that, someone once told me you had to land them with power or you would hit hard. Me being stubborn I just figured out the aerodynamics versus airspeed and was able to land that bird as gently as any aircraft I have ever landed tricycle gear or trail dragger. I now own and fly a Wiitman Tailwind W10-8 with no immediate plans to get rid of it. It is a beautiful flying airplane and it lands better than any tail dragger I've ever had the pleasure of flying. It too though will let you know you must be very close to the ground before rounding out or the resulting thump will wake you up really fast. The irony of it is, is my final speed in the Tailwind is the cruise speed in the Pietenpol. Hopefully there will be no snags in the purchase as I'm really looking forward to this airplane.

[@19Cub]

Thanks for your kind words, Doran.

[@doranjaffas7351]

@@19Cub Great to get a reply from you Dwain. the one I am looking at purchasing has the Corvair 110 horsepower engine. I flown behind a lot of engines but not the corvair. Anything I need to be aware of or any advice you have on that particular engine would be greatly appreciated. Waiting on the condition inspection to determine the rest of the direction.

[@KB4QAA]

Glad to see you flying again! I'm dreaming about Pietenpols. Windshield design has been much on my mind, especially for decreasing the cockpit wind since the Piets have such low cockpit sides. Looking forward to your solution. Bill

[@jpag8764]

You mentioned the favorable glide characteristics of a Cessna 150 in your video. When I was based at Orange, TX I used to take mine up to 8500' over the field and shut the motor of, stop the prop from windmilling and from 8000' to touchdown took 14 minutes. It had excellent glide characteristics. And the nice thing is all you had to do is go full nose up trim and you got best glide speed. Same with a C-172. Thanks for your videos.

[@19Cub]

Those Cessnas are great airplanes. Thanks for watching Gerald.

[@markclark1634]

Playing this video over and over since my Pietenpol was delivered this week .Can,t wait to fly it.Great training video, keep up the good work

[@19Cub]

Thanks a lot, Mark.

[@TheeAthis]

Best description of flight characteristics I've seen to date. Thank you Dwain!

[@19Cub]

Thanks a lot Leo. Dwain

[@ronturner7357]

Dwain, I bleed the Piet brakes yesterday using your method except with having no bleeder screws I had to remove the plugs and insert a tapered line then push the fluid up while my brother-in -law watched for fluid coming out the top screw hole then quickly install the plug. That method worked pretty well. The right brake stops the wheel great and the left not quite as good but hopefully that will get better with time and use. The brake pedals are both very tight now. Thanks again for your great help and advice! I'll definitely keep you informed Thanks! Ron

[@wolfyk95]

I absolutely love it. have never been in a non- commercial airplane and ride along video's like this are really fun. looks like such a intimidating flyer.

[@19Cub]

Hi Wolfgang, thanks for watching and offering a comment. 👍 It really is a sweet flying airplane. Dwain

[@donsinclair9689]

Thankyou mate I really enjoy your videos, I live in Australia and I have finished my pietenpol but I still haven't test flown it yet so the information you have given in this video has been helpful. I would like to keep in touch if I could, I have been to the states twice and I had planed go back in 2019 but covid put an end to that, The international travel has just opened up for us down under so maybe some time in the near future I will be able to plan another trip to your fascinating country. Any way keep the videos coming I do appreciate it.

[@mrstratau6513]

Jim Dandy. Never heard anyone actually say that... Great video, very informative. Really enjoyed it.

[@mark2727]

Enjoyed your artwork explaining the windshield turbulence... good video

[@19Cub]

Thanks a lot, Mark.

[@kelliealtruda1291]

Lookin good! If you ever need front seat ballast, I'd volunteer! Thank you for the shout outs to the ladies! 😊

[@19Cub]

Thank you, Kellie. Do you and your husband live in Texas? When we fly off all the phase 1 mandated flight test hours we would be pleased to have you fly in the old Pietenpol with us. Thanks for watching Kellie.

[@kelliealtruda1291]

We're not in Texas, but keep us posted! :)

[@stphnjohnston]

thanks dwain for ur videos, I just started building a pietenpol. using steel for fuselage and just built trial rib to verify my jig and it match perfect. appriceated ur videos on rib building for baby ace are very informative thanks again

[@knikula]

you're such a relaxed guy doing cool stuff... good to watch the old time biplane flying...

[@19Cub]

Thank you very much, knikula.

[@bookoobeans]

Great video. Love the details and the knowledge coming through in the commentary. Dwain you are a lucky guy, you've had the chance to fly a lot of classic aircraft over the years! Thewre are lots of us armchair pilots out here, and we love this stuff! Best wishes.

[@19Cub]

Thank you bookoobeans.

[@stevemiller2210]

Just bought a Piet thanks for all the information

[@CaptainAviation]

Great video Dwain! I love watching y’all fly that aircraft while I’m at the airport!

[@19Cub]

Thanks a lot, Captain.

[@ronturner7357]

This was a great training video in preparing to fly my Pietenpol for the first time. THANKS !

[@19Cub]

Thank you very much, Ron. You are going to love your Piet. Keep me informed ok.

[@ronturner7357]

Dwain. Is there a chance I could e-mail you directly with questions about my Piet? Thanks Ron ([e-mail])

[@19Cub]

Hi Ron, by all means, feel free to email me any time. If I can I will be glad to help any way I can.

[@ronturner7379]

Dwain: Please E-mail me at [e-mail] Thanks much Ron

[@19Cub]

Hi Ron, I keep getting failure notices when I try to e-mail at the address shown. Is there another address I can use?

[@stevezvada313]

Very enjoyable video! Thank you for posting!

[@19Cub]

Thank you, Steve.

[@1479andy]

Thanks for posting great plane great video

[@19Cub]

Hi 1479andy and thank you very much for your kind words. It means a great deal to me that folks can enjoy my videos. Again, thanks a lot. Dwain

[@mysihba]

Thanks so much, that is the very essence of flying, all I really ever wanted to do (and build Fly baby)seems both out of reach now...

[@19Cub]

Hang on to the dream my friend. I am rooting for you. Best of luck and thanks a lot for watching.

[@ronturner7357]

Thanks so much for the very informative video! Finally got the wings on WR-1 and am doing the final rigging. I hope to be flying her soon so your video really helps.

[@19Cub]

Thanks a lot, Ron.

[@spurgear4]

Thank you, Building a Sky Scout so expecting the same sort of thing.

[@19Cub]

Hi Brianne C, please keep us posted on your Scout project, ok?

[@spurgear4]

@@19Cub Still picking away on the old Scout, Have the fuselage and tail done, Working on metal fittings when I'm not off doing chores around the house. Picked up a couple of old Lycoming 65 horse engines thinking I may have enough parts to build one for the Scout, Not sure if thats going to work out though. Hope you are well.

[@Fabi999able]

Felicitaciones Dwain desde Córdoba. Argentina. Una consulta. Cuantas pulgadas tiene la hélice y a cuantas RPM en despegue. Gracias y saludos.

[@LosDaniellosB]

this is actually quite a nice drawing :)

[@tomcook5813]

Im too afraid of dying to build one, so im building a 25% model to live thru. fine video sir..

[@19Cub]

Hi Tom, thanks for the kind words. Please send updates and photos of your scale model Piet. I am a lifelong modeler too. 🙂

[@ronturner7357]

Taxied my Piet for first time yesterday! It was great fun. All went very well except no brakes. Any tips or videos on bleeding brakes? I tried pushing fluid up from the wheels with a squeaze bottle but had no luck. My Piet has individual toe brakes ( Look like old Scott masters ) and goodyear drum brakes with cub wheels ( 800-4 )

[@19Cub]

Hi Ron, I am glad to hear about your taxi tests. Sorry, I have no video on dealing with Scott master cylinders in the brake system, however, I will try to go over how I usually deal with them. I use a regular hand pump oil can you can pick up at any auto supply store. I attach about a foot of small diameter clear plastic tubing to the exit end of the oil can. You can buy this tubing at Lowes. Fill the oil can with aircraft brake fluid. Attach the plastic hose to the small fill nipple at the wheel end. Remove the fill cap on your Scott master cylinder. Find a buddy to watch the master cylinder so he can warn you when the cylinder gets full. With a small open end wrench crack the small fill nipple at the wheel about a quarter turn or until you can pump brake fluid into the system. Go slow allowing time for air bubbles to rise to the top. Once full close the small nipple and allow enough time for air to rise up and out. I like to let it sit about fifteen minutes. Screw the fill cap back onto the master cylinder. Usually, that little procedure is all it takes and your brakes will be firm if all of the air bubbles have vented out of the system. Remember that Scott master cylinders are not a stop on a dime and slide the wheels type of a system. Usually, they will hold for a standard mag check but may not hold fast for a full static run-up. For some reason that I have not been able to figure out this type of a brake system tends to lose brake fluid with absolutely no sign of leaks. One day the brakes are fine and then the next day one side or sometimes both sides will go soft and so you must top the system off with fresh brake fluid. Usually, this will occur at about six-month intervals. Now is this the only way to do it? No. It is a quick easy no heartburn method I have used for the past forty-six years or so. I hope this helps Ron and if after trying this method and you still have issues let me know and I will pass along a few tricks that will get the system up and going. Enjoy your Pietenpol and keep me posted on your progress.

[@ronturner7357]

Thanks Dwain, Upon closer inspection of the brake system I found the someone had ran a line down the gear leg to a T fitting then one side to the wheel cylinder and plugged the other end with a nylon tube and pop rivet in backwards! So I will have to re-'engineer that part before bleeding the brakes. All just part of learning EVERY part of the Piet. Sometimes I think rebuilding is more complicated than building because of figuring out what the last guy was thinking or shooting for? It's all good though! Lol

[@pinepienaar3899]

Just one qestion. How does the pax get in?

[@txgrunt5969]

I have really enjoyed your videos! Thank you! Any chances of your Peit getting a re-skin?

[@apfelsnutz]

Hi Dwain, Ron Applegate here... just a question. Have you flown a Sky Scout and what did you think ? Got the plans and I fly mostly alone. Thanks for any advice. Ron

[@19Cub]

Hi Ron, sorry I missed your question. I have not flown a Scout, but I have always heard great reports on how great they fly. Contact Forrest Lovely, he is a Scout pilot/builder and can get you up to speed concerning their flight characteristics. Keep us posted on your progress, my friend.

[@utoob9660]

You are a Pietenpol Captain’s Pietenpol Captain :-)

[@19Cub]

Hi U toob. Thanks a lot.

[@greg1268]

The Piet plans just came in the mail the other day! Great video! Just subscribed! By-the-way, non-pilot here: What do you mean by slip?

[@19Cub]

Hi Sam, thanks a lot for subscribing, I appreciate it very much. Your Pietenpol adventure has just begun with the purchase of the construction prints. Enjoy every moment you spend on your project. A slip is a crossed control maneuver used to lose altitude quickly and also to handle a crosswind. Let,s say that you are on the final approach to a landing and find yourself too high Let's also say you are landing on runway 17 with a quartering crosswind blowing from the south-east. You can simply lower your left wing with your aileron then apply right rudder to begin the slip and then adjust your control inputs as the conditions warrant. The amount of control used being intuitive. You can slip the airplane and land left wheel first if you wish to try a wheel landing or land left wheel and tailwheel if you are trying a two-point landing followed soon thereafter by the right wheel keeping left aileron down into the quartering headwind to combat the effects of that condition. Hope this helps and again thanks a lot. Dwain

[@pcka12]

Which engine I wonder & what is fitted in 2023?

[@owntor1]

Which EAA chapter do you belong to? We are holding our first fly-in October 12th: www.1627.eaachapter.org/flyininformation.htm Come on out if you can.

[@garygower702]

Glad you dindt watched at the gas level... you will not be this calm flying... :-) :-) :-)

[@19Cub]

Hi Gary, I suspect you were looking at that brand new gage we had recently installed that was not working. 🧐 You have excellent attention to detail. All was ok however because we topped the tank off before flight. Thanks a lot for watching. 👍

[@aurelnegrea7617]

Ha grndpa making videos still. Haa. The young generation doing drugs. Hmm crazy world