Pietenpol Air Camper
| Air Camper | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Role | amateur-built airplane |
| Manufacturer | Pietenpol |
| Designer | Bernie Pietenpol |
| First flight | 1928 |
| Variants | Pietenpol Sky Scout |
The Pietenpol Air Camper is a simple parasol wing homebuilt aircraft designed by Bernard H. Pietenpol. The first prototype that became the Air Camper was built and flown by Pietenpol in 1928.[1][2][3]
Contents |
[edit] Development
The Air Camper was designed to be built of spruce and plywood. One of Pietenpol's goals was to create a plane that was affordable and easy to construct for home builders. Building an Air Camper requires basic woodworking skills and tools. Builders also need to fabricate some metal fittings to attach the wooden parts together. Some welding is required. The plans for the Pietenpol Aircamper were originally published in a four part serial in the "Flying and Glider" Manual of 1932-33.[3]
The original model was flown using an Ace four cylinder water-cooled engine.[3] The Model A Ford engine later became the standard powerplant used.[1][3] Other engines have also been used including the Ford Model T, Ford V8, Velie, Kinner, Lycoming, Franklin, Continental and Chevrolet Corvair.[3]
In the 1960s BH Pietenpol began to favor converted engines from the Chevrolet Corvair automobiles. The Corvair engine was smoother, stronger and significantly lighter in weight compared to the Model A. The length of a Pietenpol varies with the engine choices, as engines that are lighter than the Ford's need to be mounted further out from the firewall for weight and balance reasons.[4] Over the years over 30 different engines have flown in the Pietenpol Air Camper. Many modern Pietenpol builders prefer Continental A65, C85 or C90 powerplants.[3]
[edit] Variants
- Pietenpol Sky Scout
- BH Pietenpol also designed and published plans for a single-seat version of the aircraft named the Pietenpol Sky Scout, which was slightly smaller and was powered by the Ford Model T engine.[5] During the late 1920s and early 1930s, this was less expensive than the Model A used in the Air Camper.[6]
- Grega GN-1 Aircamper
- A plans-only homebuilt design of the Air Camper using a Piper Cub wing.
[edit] Specifications (Typical Air Camper)
Data from From Plane and Pilot[2] & Pietenpol website[5]
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Capacity: One passenger
- Length: 17 ft 8 in (5.39 m)
- Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
- Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
- Wing area: 135 ft² (12.5 m²)
- Empty weight: 610 lb (277 kg)
- Loaded weight: 995 lb (452 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 1080 lb (490 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Ford Model A engine (adapted for aero use), ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 86 knots (100 mph, 160 km/h)
- Stall speed: 30 knots (35 mph, 56 km/h)
- Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (152 m/min)
- Wing loading: 7 lb/ft² (36 kg/m²)
[edit] See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Aerotique Parasol
- Fisher FP-505 Skeeter
- Heath Parasol
- Loehle Sport Parasol
- Pop's Props Cloudster
- Pop's Props Zing
- RagWing RW1 Ultra-Piet
- Smith Termite
- Related lists
[edit] References
- ^ a b Bowers, Peter M.: Guide to Homebuilts, 9th Edition, pages 10-12. Tab Books, 1984. ISBN 0-8306-2364-7
- ^ a b Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 150. Werner & Werner Corp Publishing, 1978. ISBN 0-918312-00-0
- ^ a b c d e f B.H. Pietenpol And Sons Air Camper Aircraft (2007). "B.H.P. And Sons Air Camper Aircraft". Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20080125015801/http://www.pressenter.com/~apietenp/My_Homepage_Files/Page1.html. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ "Pete takles a passel of Peitenpols". Air Trails: 61. Winter 1971.
- ^ a b B.H. Pietenpol And Sons Air Camper Aircraft (2007). "Original Pietenpol Air Camper and Sky Scout Aircraft". Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20080125015806/http://www.pressenter.com/~apietenp/My_Homepage_Files/Page2.html. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ Sport Aviation. Feb 1958.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pietenpol Air Camper |
- Pietenpol family site
- Sky Camper history on AirVenture Museum site
- "The Pietenpol Story" by Chet Peek - Book covering the history of Bernard Pietenpol's Design
- Video of a Model A-engined Air Camper engine start and runup
- Walkaround and In-Flight Video of an original-style Air Camper
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