St Croix Pietenpol Aerial
St Croix Aircraft · United States · first flew 1977 · light aircraft
The St Croix Pietenpol Aerial is an American homebuilt biplane designed by Chad and Charles Wille and produced by St Croix Aircraft of Corning, Iowa.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.94 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane adaptation of the Pietenpol Air Camper parasol monoplane
- Two separate tandem open cockpits, each with its own windshield
- Lower wing can be removed so the aircraft flies as an Air Camper parasol monoplane
A biplane with a four-aileron wing, tandem open cockpits and fixed conventional landing gear. Flight testing showed shorter take-off and landing distances than the standard Air Camper.
Specifications
- The St Croix Pietenpol Aerial has a length of 5.94 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.99 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 169 km/h (105 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Design work was completed in 1974 and the first example flew in 1977. It is made from wood and welded steel tubing covered in doped fabric.
Variants
It was supplied as plans for amateur construction, with partial kits available. The standard engine is the 125 hp Continental O-240.
Where you'll see it
By 1998 the company reported that 400 sets of plans had been sold, and one example was registered in the United States in February 2014.
Related aircraft
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