Leap of Faith

[jim galli]

My 2 model A's are wonderfully reliable and on the rare occasion that they might coast to the side of the road, it usually only takes a minute to find the problem and continue on home.

A Model A in the air could be most unforgiving though. Although if anything had a decent chance of coasting out of the sky and landing on the first available flat place, it would be one of these 'air camper's'

In a corporate world where the ES&H team is in the drivers seat and risk is a dirty word, though, I've got to say I love this whole idea.

[Tiny]

That "air cleaner" set up is crazy. Uses exhaust to preheat the air I guess. Neat intake also. The more I look at that picture the more I see the oddities needed to covert it to an airplane engine

[jkeesey]

I like the additional radiator hose in the front(back?) of the head.

[jim galli]

Ya wouldn't want your cast iron carburetor freezing up. That would be bad. The original specs called for Model B carb. More stable I guess. This is a Pietenpol Air Camper

[Aerocraft]

Do a search for threads about the Pietenpol "Aircamper" and "Scout". Much nas been written. Here is mine.


Gar Williams

[wensum]

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The possibility of a face full of boiling water is a bit frightening?
Keith

[Rex_A_Lott]

Originally Posted by Aerocraft

Do a search for threads about the Pietenpol "Aircamper" and "Scout". Much nas been written. Here is mine.


Gar Williams

Thanks for sharing the pic. Is part of the wing the fuel tank? What fuel do you run in yours?

[jim galli]

Gar, is yours a modern build, or an older one?

[Bertha]

Take-offs are optional....landings are mandatory.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by jim galli

Ya wouldn't want your cast iron carburetor freezing up. That would be bad. The original specs called for Model B carb. More stable I guess. This is a Pietenpol Air Camper

The reason it calls for a B carb is that the axis of the float hinge (parallel to the centerline of the car as opposed to perpendicular with it) makes it less likely that the takeoff rotation will starve the engine & make it quit on takeoff! Have a friend that flew one for several years and it only quit on him once... when the magneto fell off while he was back-taxiing (on the ground!).

[daveymc29]

Saw the remains of one of these at the little airfield near Morgan Hill, beside 101. It had tried to go over to an air show at the Castle Air base, near Merced. As the pilot was heading for Hollister the engine began to shake and he shut it off, looked for a place to set her down and wound up upside-down in a tomato patch. Had to hitch hike to Castle for the show. Seems the engine had thrown a rod, and the result shook the engine almost separating it from the aircraft, which would have been fatal with the balance so compromised.

[Mike V. Florida]

A search here will provide many threads on the plane and what was done to the engine for use in a plane.