strake skins

[Ray Kouns]

just wondering when you are skinning the strakes how did every one

get the the nice bend against the body of the aircraft? I have been

stewing on this for a couple of days now and it does not say much in

the plans. The only thin i can think of is that when you cut the foam

to make the bends it follows the curve on its own. Any comments on

this.

[Chris Byrne]

Butt your skin against the fuselage in the correct position with reference to the spar. The stake will be touching the fuselage side but will have around a 3 inch gap at either the forward or aft end of the fuse(Cant remember and there may even be a gap at both ends) Anyway find were the largest gap is ( This is the ammont that will have to be removed from the area where the stake touches)

Get a piece of thin wood (or cardboard) and drill a hole in it for your marker pen at the distance of the gap. With your pen in the hole run this piece of wood along the side of the fuselage marking the strake as you go. You then cut along this line (be conservative and dont cut to the line in one go)

Before you cut have a look at the mark, you will see that in the area of the largest gap you will not be cutting into the strake at all. In the area where the stake touches the fuse side you will be removing the most (this will be the 3 inches IE you will be cutting of as much as the gap is wide)

[Wayne Hicks]

I have pictures of this process on my web site:

http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/waynehicks/index.html

 

....Wayne Hicks

[steve]

i found some pics on the other forum, i got 4 but there are more.

[Robert Wieczorek]

Hello everyone I am new to this site My name is Bob Wieczorek. I am rebuilding the fuse of a cozy MK IV (The canopy and the front tip.)

But my question is has anyone ever inclosed the  storage area next to the fuel tanks (strakes) and turned it into a larger fuel cell?

[Kent Ashton]

Well, the existing 50 gallons at 8.5 GPH will get you about 5.5 hours. How big is your bladder?

 

The strake storage is nice for a spare nose tire, O2 tank (which you will need) and odds and ends. I'd keep the storage and if I really want to fly long distances, I might fab a removable extra tank that would sit in one of the back seats. Be sure to plan for a relief tube!

[Robert Wieczorek]

You are right about the bladder. But my interest is in kerosene for a GE T 58.

[Jon Matcho]

You are right about the bladder. But my interest is in kerosene for a GE T 58.

 

Woah!

 

You'd need that then. There are few jet projects out there, but I'm not sure if Robert Harris is still doing them these days.

[Robert Wieczorek]

Yes Robert is still very active. I flew to Tennessee earlier this year and went to his hangar. Great guy very informative has several projects going. I took notes videos and photos. excelent work.

I will return to Tenn  in early 2017 as my work on the aircraft will begin. Need to build the fuel cells and the engine mount. I will need expert help. I am willing to learn and invest the time. I am pretty JAZZED about this project.

 

Bob

Built and flying RV6a

worked on the only manned rubber band powered aircraft.

Building Cozy MK IV

[Robert Wieczorek]

OK I have asked the question about sealing the storage area at the fuel cell I would like to see some pictures of the process in turning that AREA into a fuel cell if anyone has done it before. Please.

[macleodm3]

OK I have asked the question about sealing the storage area at the fuel cell I would like to see some pictures of the process in turning that AREA into a fuel cell if anyone has done it before. Please.

The baggage area is built the same way that the fuel tanks are built.... there are just large holes cut in to the fuselage area for storage.  I would build it the same way that the rest of the fuel tanks are built.  There are many builders websites that show the strakes (fuel tanks) being built.  Just do a google search for "cozylinks", then go to Chapter 21 builders websites.  Also, Chapter 21 of the Cozy MKIV  plans has a good description of how to build the fuel tanks.

 

There is good chance that nobody has done this modification.  The baggage area that you would like to turn into a fuel tank extends further forward than the plans fuel tanks of the Cozy.

When we burn away fuel that is in the plans built fuel tanks, the CG changes are acceptable and known.

 

With your proposed fuel tank location, which is further forward than the plans location, as you burn fuel your CG is going to be changing (the nose of the plane will be getting lighter as you fly... increasing your risk for an unrecoverable deep stall).  You can figure all this out to see if its acceptable... but you still need to figure it out.  Its a major modification, and one that affects the CG.

 

Would you consider turning the rear seat area in to a fuel area?   Fuel burn from this area has been shown to be acceptable.  This has been the solution for around the world type fuel tanks in a Cozy.

[Robert Wieczorek]

Andrew;

 Thanks for your response , yes CG is a concern it is very important in canard aircraft. But the forward CG at that point should be manegable. We still put things in there, O2 bottles and other things. My concern is No leaks and fuel flow.

 

Bob

[Robert Wieczorek]

Yes the rear seat area, good idea, please let me look into this good point. Thanks.

Bob

[mikesatch]

Scott Carter's ExtraEZ has the passenger baggage area configured as fuel storage:

 

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/109363414788647850571/album/AF1QipNm8YWoJ3Kf2BYDkv-u20CUzMaTZAny9BSbKunk/AF1QipNiAJdzt6-g3C5E7Zgn2403RIf5ObdjecPYRG5_