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Bought a Varieze


AV-MECH

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Fellow builders and pilots,

 

Just aquired a nice varieze airframe that has a little more than 440 hrs of flight time. Originally powered with an O-200, the engine did not come with the plane. Has a few small problems such as the main LG being knocked out but that happened with an amazingly small amount of damage. So I am looking for the latest and greates version of mounting the main gear in the VEZ, any leads would be helpful. I have nearly 20 years working on composite aircraft but have never spent any time with the VEZ and would like to find the best source of information for the questions that come up, hope this is the place.

 

I already own an IO-320 that I majored not long ago and I have found some evidence that a few have installed this powerplant, anyone have more info on that??? I would like to use it because I already own it. I am fully aware of how that may limit my useful load but I am not overly concerned with that.

 

I have more questions but will hold thost for later, thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Arnold Holmes

Lady Lake FL

Arnold Holmes

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Can't help with a Vari but there have been a number of Long-EZ gear-repair articles in the Central States Newsletters that might help. Join the Central States Assn an you'll also get a national roster. Might find a Vari owner in Florida with all the back issues. Good luck - Kent

http://www.ez.org/csa/csa_info.php

-Kent
Cozy IV N13AM-750 hrs, Long-EZ-85 hrs and sold

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Fellow builders and pilots,

 

Just aquired a nice varieze airframe that has a little more than 440 hrs of flight time. Originally powered with an O-200, the engine did not come with the plane. Has a few small problems such as the main LG being knocked out but that happened with an amazingly small amount of damage. So I am looking for the latest and greates version of mounting the main gear in the VEZ, any leads would be helpful. I have nearly 20 years working on composite aircraft but have never spent any time with the VEZ and would like to find the best source of information for the questions that come up, hope this is the place.

 

I already own an IO-320 that I majored not long ago and I have found some evidence that a few have installed this powerplant, anyone have more info on that??? I would like to use it because I already own it. I am fully aware of how that may limit my useful load but I am not overly concerned with that.

 

I have more questions but will hold thost for later, thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Arnold Holmes

Lady Lake FL

If you are planing on using the O 320 in the vari eze you may want to consider using long ez gear bow. they are stronger and can support more weight then the original vari bow. the original attachment design will work fine.

Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years

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Thanks for the replys. I have decided after much research that I will not use the IO-320. Instead I will look at the o-200/o-235 or a 190 CU IN corviar. I have several hundred hours flying "behind" a corvair and find it to be a great powerplant for the 100/125 hp range. Maybe flying "in front" will be as good!

 

I have discovered that the MLG bow that I have is in fact a LEZ bow:) That was a nice find.

 

Some of the items that I am going to work on as follows

 

Re-install MLG (need to find info on the laminate schedule for that)

Come up with engine

repair bottom of each rudder

replace right rudder cable

replace aileron hings on both sides (worn out)

remove what's left of the lower winglets (not rebuilding)

repair various hanger rash areas around airframe (none serious)

Inspect wing attach fittings for corrosion

sand paint off of a few areas where I have paint cracking to inspect laminate

set-up day VFR panel.

 

That should keep me busy for awhile. In all honesty, thats what it will take to fly the aircraft again.

 

If you have any interest in what it looks like now, send me an email and I will send you an invitation to my Kodak site for pictures

 

Arnold Holmes

 

Arnold@propbalance.com

Arnold Holmes

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Thanks for the replys. I have decided after much research that I will not use the IO-320. Instead I will look at the o-200/o-235 or a 190 CU IN corviar. I have several hundred hours flying "behind" a corvair and find it to be a great powerplant for the 100/125 hp range. Maybe flying "in front" will be as good!

 

I have discovered that the MLG bow that I have is in fact a LEZ bow:) That was a nice find.

 

Some of the items that I am going to work on as follows

 

Re-install MLG (need to find info on the laminate schedule for that)

Come up with engine

repair bottom of each rudder

replace right rudder cable

replace aileron hings on both sides (worn out)

remove what's left of the lower winglets (not rebuilding)

repair various hanger rash areas around airframe (none serious)

Inspect wing attach fittings for corrosion

sand paint off of a few areas where I have paint cracking to inspect laminate

set-up day VFR panel.

 

That should keep me busy for awhile. In all honesty, thats what it will take to fly the aircraft again.

 

If you have any interest in what it looks like now, send me an email and I will send you an invitation to my Kodak site for pictures

 

Arnold Holmes

 

Arnold@propbalance.com

If you put in 100 hp it won't be long before you will want more. I would not use less then 125 hp unless you want to do all that work to have limited performance aircraft. If you already have a good O-320 you should use it. any one who has will never go back. I fly with a vari eze that has an O 320 and it can keep up with me. Cruse all day at 190 knots on 6 gal/hr

Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years

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Lynn,

 

I agree with you concerning the extra HP. The old saying "the only time you have too much power is when you hit the start switch and the plane flips over" is one I subscribe to. However I have come to the conclusion that the O-320 is going to force me to fly above recommended gross weight. Today I read the Varieze flight manual written by Rutan that came with my airframe and ol' Burt will allow 1100 lbs GW under certain circumstances but that's it. I have an engineering background and tend to err on the side of the designer, especially Burt. With the O-320 I will likely empty around 725-750 lbs, granted that it's a guess right now but close I think. So 1100-750=350 lbs, I weigh 230 so now were down to 120 lbs left. I can get 25 gals in the plane so now I'm over by 30 lbs and I don't even have a passenger to enjoy the flight with. I can live with a lower cruise speed. If I go with the 190 CI Corvair, which produces about 125 hp I can have my cake and eat it too. The Corvair actually weighs less installed than the O-200. Check flycorvair.com for data. I have several hundred hours of corvair time and can attest to their power, smoothness and reliability. No reason it should not work in this application. Now all that said, I am not saying that I will use the Corvair but it is a strong contender in this decision. They are much lower cost to build and overhaul as well.

 

hoping for comments on the idea

Arnold Holmes

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Bruce Stephens has a 0 time Factory new RR-O-240 for sale. That is the dream engine for the Vari-Eze If I'm not mistaken it is the weight of an O-200 but is 140HP This engine was slated to go into a VAri-Eze but the economy changed all that.

 

I can get you his contact info if you would like, he is in MA.

 

Wild Bird

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Arnold,

 

The TERF CD's are available on eBay with a reserve price of $150 (so I'm told). Hope this helps.

 

Tom.

Buy it now price is $220. Perhaps you can win the bid chearper though.

 

The CDs also contain all of the canard pusher newsletters (also available elsewhere).

 

All in all I think they would be a good investment.

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The second owner say's he has the plans for the aircraft, so I'll wait to see if he comes through. As for the CP newsletters, I would like to have access to the full set, can I get this with a membership through central states??

 

The O-240 is not likely as I would expect it's cost to be a bidget breaker for me, though it sounds like the perfect match!

Arnold Holmes

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  • 2 months later...

mond-EZ

 

According to CP 23 the bare VariEze gear leg weighs 16 pounds, the Long-EZ weighs 21 pounds.

 

I measured my spare VE gear leg.

 

The VariEze gear bow is approximately 90 inches from end to end measured along the upper surface. The chord is 4 inches at the center of the bow. The trailing edge has a groove molded for the brake line.

 

If my memory serves, the Long-EZ gear is 3 inches longer on each end (because that's how much you cut off to put it on a VE, per CP 23), with a chord at the center of about 4.8 inches.

 

I hope this helps

 

John C

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