Flying / Flights

[tu54]

Does anyone have a notable flight to report? Like a first flight? Norm?

[Norm M]

A copy of what was posted to the maillist:

 

<<47 months and 1 day after the big order of parts arrived, Cozy N750CZ made it's first flight!

 

Just before 8am, with calm wind and 10 mile visibility, I lined up on Runway 30 at ALO. 8430 ft x 150 feet wide. I had done a fair amount of high speed taxi testing, and Dennis Oehlman had allowed me to do 6 T&Gs in his Cozy III the day before. The takeoff roll was brisk and straight. I did the customary takeoff bob (carryover from popping the 152s off the runway and then letting the nose back down to build speed). Climbed out and did a lazy pattern (very gentle turns) to build altitude over the airport. Departed for the practice area where I proceded to run through the controls, turns, slow flight, and nose bobbing protocol.

 

45 minutes after takeoff, I returned to the airport to enter a crosswind and fly a tighter pattern. Kept the speed around 100 mph until final, 90 mph across the numbers, nose in takeoff attitude, pull the power, and it settled peacefully onto the runway. Probably the best landing I have made yet! Pulled the cowls to look everything over, checked all the controls, and buttoned it back up.

 

No concerns with cooling, the cooler outside air temps probably help that alot. No oil leaks or similar problems, I did decide to index the prop to try eliminate some of the soot. Departure lost the transponder several times, so there may be some development work involved with antenna location and/or ground plane.

 

Second flight was a repeat of the first flight (I am basically following Marc's Protocols 'Thanks Marc!'). Did more flying with bobbing nose, more turns, and just general getting to know the plane kind of stuff. The air started getting bumpy, and there was getting to be some traffic in the area, so decided to head back to the airport. Approach lined me up for a 10 mile straight in approach, should have turned that one down and made a dog leg into a standard pattern. I didn't have a good feel for altitude and speed management like you get when you setup your position, altitude, and airspeeds in a standard pattern. Came in high and hot, and made a very un-graceful landing. Yet, it was quite tame and manageable, and turned off at the taxiway about 2/3 down the runway with ease. The plane is a pussycat and the 6 inch Clevelands stop the plane when you want it to stop.

 

Had some lunch, decided to do some pattern work to try build some skills and techniques. Made half a dozen T&Gs, some better than others, but all very much under control. Rex Pershing (long time Cozy III driver) offered some suggestions afterwards, and I'll try to incorporate his advice next time up. Managed to kill about a gazillion bugs! The plane was a mess after the pattern work! I think I'll stay at altitude for awhile, and maybe we'll get a hard frost to knock down the bugs.

 

OK, so now for the obligatory acceptance speech: First and foremost to 'The Wife' and kids for putting up with the process. We took about a year off in the building process to go fight robots, but there were certainly many evenings and weekends where I would disappear into the shop.

 

To the big guys: Burt Rutan for developing an incredible set of plans and instructions for the Long EZ. I still can't believe how well written the plans are, and how efficient they are with the use of materials. And Nat, of course, for creating the Cozy and keeping the plans and support available.

 

To Marc, his website & mail list, and most of the people on the list. The support and encouragement is a big deal. And to Rex Pershing and Dennis Oehlman, for answering a zillion questions, and taking a look at the project now and then. The T&Gs were greatly appreciated.

 

And, I need to offer up one raspberry: To the guy at Oshkosh a couple years ago. At the builders dinner I announced that a year into the building process I had all the major glass work complete. This person made the comment 'yeah, just watch. No friends, no family...' In the four years, we were out to Battlebots 4 times, winning a Giant Nut for most aggressive and being on the TV show 4 times. I climbed Devils Tower twice with a group of college kids, and received 4 marriage proposals for my excellent camp cooking! While we are flying around the countryside, I will remember your comments, and smile, knowing that in a couple years you will be starting to sand on your plane!

 

I will update the website in a couple days, right now the focus is on cooking off the flight tests and the hours!

 

Marc- Please mark my plane as FLYING!

 

Regards-

Norm Muzzy>>

 

 

Update: 20.9 hours on the meter and counting.

[tu54]

A big congratulations from me Norm. I've checked your site often and had been wondering too about your project.

[John Slade]

Well done, Norm. You beat me fair & square.

For information - Norm visited my project early in his building process. I guess he learned a lot about what not to do and leapfrogged me.

 

Of course, he did chicken out and install a Lyco...

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the finishing and upholstery are yet to be done, right Norm?

 

Probably a good plan. I used to think I'd never do it if it wasnt done before first flight. Probably wrong. Flying the plane will give you incentive to finish it, and this way you don't damage the final paint with all those last minute adjustments.

[Norm M]

The paint has top coat on it. I plan to buff it out a bit, once I know that there aren't going to be any reworks. There was a bit of orangepeel on the wings that I colorsanded already. It certainly isn't a show winner, but it is flying. And it looks better than a lot of other planes I have seen.

 

I am glad the upholstery isn't done yet! I would have had to start over, as I planned on putting 3 inch thick cushions in it. I have a set of leather seats that look like they will fit, but for right now I am focusing on flying the hours off and debugging the plane. If the leather seats fit, they will be a readily available, inexpensive source for all builders. I am using two inches of conforfoam, with a beach towel on top of it. I have the seat fabric that I am going to use if the leather doesn't work out.

 

Still working on figuring out the weight and balance. Flew it today at 1800 pounds with a 96 cg. You don't flare at that cg, but I think the landings are fine. And takeoff roll is fine. Then again, I have nice long runways, a 200+ hp Lycoming, and a climb prop... Just loaded another 200 pounds of lead in the back of the pickup, this weekend it is going to work up to 2200 pounds at 98.5 cg. We'll see if it gets there!

 

Should have the hours flown off this weekend, and then this dawg is off the leash!

 

I don't know what the right way to finish one of these planes is. I thought I had a builder lined up to put the last finishing touches on the plane, stuff that he could make look perfect in 2 hours that would take me 3 months to even get close. But it didn't work out. Once you have it finished, I think the last parts go better. Finishing these guys by yourself is a real bear. When you are ready to start the filling part, you are about 50% done with the plane. Maybe less...

 

All said and done, I would rather fly what I have now, than wait another three years for a show winner. And I don't think I am capable of building a show winner. The way it is, I can point to it and claim that I built this all by myself. Except for the three Brock parts (front axle, safety catch, and nose lift end attaching bracket piece), the rudder pedals from Dennis, canopy & cowls, and the normal engine stuff.

 

Regards-

Norm