Pietenpol Air Camper
| Air Camper | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| UK variant Pietenpol Air Camper | |
| Role | Amateur-built airplane |
| Manufacturer | Pietenpol |
| Designer | Bernie Pietenpol |
| First flight | 1928 |
| Variants |
Grega GN-1 Aircamper Pietenpol Sky Scout St Croix Pietenpol Aerial St Croix Pietenpol Aircamper |
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.
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.
The original model was flown using an Ace four cylinder water-cooled engine. The Model A Ford engine later became the standard powerplant used. Other engines have also been used including the inline-four, similarly liquid-cooled Ford Model T and Ford V8, air-cooled Velie or Kinner radial engines; and Lycoming, Franklin, Continental and Chevrolet Corvair air-cooled flat-configuration engines.
In the 1960s Bernard Pietenpol began to favor converted engines from Chevrolet Corvair automobiles. The Corvair engine was smoother, stronger and significantly lighter in weight compared to the Model A, as the Corvair automobiles used air-cooled, flat-six configuration engines, similar in design to those already available (in generally larger displacements) for general aviation use. The length of a Pietenpol varies with the engine choices, as engines that are lighter than the Fords need to be mounted further out from the firewall for weight and balance reasons. Over the years over 30 different engines have flown in the Pietenpol Air Camper. Many modern Pietenpol builders prefer Continental A65, C85 or C90 air-cooled flat four powerplants. Several examples of the Aircamper have been built in Europe and are currently (2012) flying.
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