New in the group!

[RAKY]

It's crazy idea build a cozy with 0 time pilot?

 

Thanks, Raky.

[cncdoc]

By the time you get your license, you could be halfway through building.

 

Here in Florida, there are many builders and the weather is great for building all year`round.

 

So with the Cozy being one of the fastest canard homebuilt planes that an average Joe can build at home, you gotta ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well do ya? (Clint Eastwood voice)

 

Or I would suggest going for your "beginners" pilot license by going to a local FAA physical examiner, let them check you out (If you flunk a physical, you would be building a Cozy for someone else to fly while you could fly in it

 

)

Then you could take a few lessons and see if it's for you. If it is and you can spare 30K to 40K bucks in the next 2 or 3 years and you have a place to build,

then I would go for it! (I can say that because I did go for it. Of course I'm not a 0 time pilot...wait. What is a 0 time pilot? Isn't that like 0 time pregnant? Either you is or you ain't..) but my suggestion could be tainted by my opinion...

 

In any case, welcome to the Forum!

 

or as we say when we're on your coast..."jump in! The water's fine!"

[Jon Matcho]

It's crazy idea build a cozy with 0 time pilot?

Raky, there are a silent number of us who feel this is far from crazy. You can expect a certain amount of "flak" from some once you are "found out", but the fact of the matter is that if you follow the plans, and learn the building skills (which flying does not teach you BTW), you can indeed build a perfectly capable aircraft without ever having been pilot in command.

 

I know another builder who started building without a) having his "license", b) having ever flown in a Cozy, and c) having ever flown in a small aircraft! "So what!", I say. It's not all about flying -- half of it is about the build.

 

I am setting out to build a Cozy IV without having my privot pilots certificate. My plan is to take lessons and be flying ~50 hours per year for the two consecutive years before my Cozy is ready to be airborne.

 

So, "Welcome!", and feel free to join the discussion.

[rmaddy]

Raky, there are a silent number of us who feel this is far from crazy. You can expect a certain amount of "flak" from some once you are "found out", but the fact of the matter is that if you follow the plans, and learn the building skills (which flying does not teach you BTW), you can indeed build a perfectly capable aircraft without ever having been pilot in command.

Actually I looked at this from the opposite direction. I read the original question as "Is the Cozy an appropriate airplane for a new pilot?"

 

Certainly building a Cozy has nothing to do with being a pilot. Almost anyone can build a Cozy. You learn as you go. I started mine having never worked with epoxy or fiberglass.

 

I also started building my Cozy just a couple of months after getting my PPL. That was 4.5 years ago. I haven't flown in the last three years. I'd rather spend the time and money on my Cozy.

 

When my plane is done in another 3 years I will get current again at the local airport in some old Cessna, find a Cozy I can shoot some landings in, and then fly my own Cozy. I'll have a whopping 140 hours by then, 130 of which will have been from 6 years earlier.

 

This puts me in nearly the same spot as Raky. I've had about 20 minutes stick time in the back of a Long-EZ and no stick time, so far, in a Cozy. I'm not worried at all. I think most people will tell you that a Cozy flies better than any Cessna you might fly - just a lot faster.

 

It's up to you. You can get your license now and start building too. Depends on your time and finances. You can build the plane and get your license just before finishing the Cozy.

 

Do you want to fly or build? That is the most important question. I chose to give up flying until I'm done. It wasn't easy. I work 150 feet from one of the main runways of the 2nd busiest GA airport in the country (KAPA). My cube window looks right off onto the runways. I watch planes all day. More incentive to hurry up and finish. Speaking of which - I think it's time to go sand the outside of my turtleback to shape so I can glass it.

 

Later

[RAKY]

Thanks guys,is very usefull your comments,some times I wonder if this is the way I have to go but now I know it is,I like working with composites and I have some experience,I follow the cozy from 2 years,reading the mailing list every day,checking the progress of the builder and now my daily vitamin this forum.Yes, maybe is crazy idea but now i know I'm not the only one.Thanks for share yours opinion whit me......Raky.

 

Btw: I have some pictures of Mark & Jon minutes before of take-of in sunday 18 in s&f,but have some problem with the size of the pictures.