Builders
As I type this on April 14th, Oshkosh may sound distant, but it starts in 98 days, and I will be leaving to head north in 91 days, to first attend the Pietenpol gathering in Brodhead Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday before Oshkosh which starts on Monday July 22nd.
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People ask “Are you going to…?” Frequently, but I can make this easy to remember: For the last 22 years, I schedule three public airshows per year, and they are Brodhead, Oshkosh and the September Zenith Aircraft Homecoming. Years ago, I attended a lot of little shows, and I once accepted invitations to speak at a lot of events. It was fun, I met a lot of people, but in retrospect, it was not productive for my long term goals. I stopped commercially displaying at Sun-n-Fun in 2011, after 20 consecutive years. For the last two decades, the three events above have been the productive setting I have worked, and it allows me to meet builders in person, while holding to travel time to 24-25 days a year.
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Brodhead: This year is the 15th anniversary of starting the Weight and Balance project , which evolved to my Pietenpol W&B manual. This year, I am going to make the complex algorithm developed by Ryan Meuller and myself directly available to builders in the form of an on-line calculator on my website. To use it effectively, builders will still need to get the book from my webstore, or the Brodhead EAA chapter, but while I’m at Brodhead I will explain how to use the calculator to study changes in your build and quickly compare proposed changes. The algorithm works to any Pietenpol, not just Corvair powered ones. The calculator will be free to use and my contribution to the Pietenpol community, as a very practical tool improving builder understanding and safety of operations.
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Oshkosh: This will be my 33rd trip to Oshkosh, and just like every other year, I will have my display in the same spot, the North Aircraft Display, Booth 614., Adjacent to Zenith Aircraft. I will be there all week, 9-5, and I will also be giving forums, these will be in the official EAA program. If you have a core engine you would like inspected, bring it, I conduct after hours parking lot inspection tours. A reminder: I have manuals and shirts for sale, and plenty of samples to look at, but I do not bring inventory to sell at airshows. No matter what the state, I would be required to charge sales tax and maintain elaborate year round accounting for the state’s department of revenue. The easy solution is to come by and I can assist you in ordering any part from my on line catalog, The shipping to your house will be less than the tax you would have to pay, and you will not have to carry the items with you or pack them home.
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I hope to see as many of you as possible at these two events. If you have never attended either event, don’t let another flying season pass without making this happen for yourself. For understanding, learning, planning and recharging your build enthusiasm, there is no substitute for getting out in the actual element and having a great time.
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Above, Brodhead 2023: This photo was taken in the peaceful downtown main street of Brodhead. The Pietenpol gathering is the polar opposite setting from Oshkosh. The both have their merits, but I really enjoy the relaxed setting of Brodhead. For local transportation I bring my 1967 Honda S-90 and Ken Pavlou brings the 1961 Vespa 150 he restored.. Great fun in little packages, they also start a lot of conversations.
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Above, My 2,850cc display engine at Oshkosh 2023. The Kit version of this engine, and the supervised build sessions at my hangar remain very popular, I have a difficult time keeping up with demand, but I make production efficiency improvements every month, This year we will have several new things to share with builders, evolutions on a long proven power plant.
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