"Cozy Girrrl Strakes" = Bigger Cabin

[Jon Matcho]

The Cozy Girrrls have done it again... another modification that (a) looks good, and (b) yields additional cabin room as I see it.

 

The per-plans Cozy brings the strakes up just forward of your elbows, not leaving a whole lot of room for you or your passenger to spread out. The Girl's mod brings the front of the strake to the fuselage about 12"+ more forward, all the way up to the Instrument Panel bulkhead. This allows you to dig out more room inside the cabin to mate with the strakes.

 

The Girls designed this mod for different purposes, but I'm looking at it ONLY for the extra room in the cabin it would allow. Look at the substantial amount of extra room in these pics.

 

Wayne Hicks, an expert builder, said he would definitey do these if he did it over again, but I also talked to a flyer who didn't think it was worth it.

 

Marc Zeitlin says the aerodynamic impact is neglible.

 

I'm going to do them!

[Jerry Schneider]

I AM doing them.. right now. (See the site. I'm working on a major site revision right now, but within a couple of days I'll be giving credit where credit is due... ie: Girrrls. )

 

When Deb & I visited Chrissi & Randi, I saw what they had done. I thought, "OK. Looks cool. When's dinner?" But when I sat in their plane, a MAJOR lightbulb went on.

 

This relatively easy mod adds SO much to the creature comfort, I just couldn't resist.

 

The only way I can describe the experience is like, if you grow up poor, you don't realize you're poor until you get a few bucks in your pocket. Then you look back and say "Man, I was poor!

 

When you sit in the CozyGirrrrl Strake Plane and your elbow swings out about 3"-4" you say "Man, I was crowded!

 

IMHO, this was a no-brainer. (After checking a few things with brainers like Marc. )

[Len Evansic]

Ya know, the more I see of the Cozy Girrrl's plane, the more I want to build an EXACT replica of it. Front-opening canopy, the strakes, retracts, BMA panel. All of it. Well maybe all of that plus a few inches for shoulder/head room.

 

I gotta get building...

 

-- Len

[Nathan Gifford]

I wish I could see some real pictures/drawings highlighting what they have done.

 

I still haven't decided on whether to go with front or side opening canopy, but I am leaning toward side opening canopy because of the miserably hot weather we have here and that I probably won't install A/C like John did.

[Wayne Hicks]

http://www.cozygirrrl.com

 

Just be surrre to maximize yourrr scrrreen, crrrank up the volume, and push the rrred button.

[Nathan Gifford]

Yeah, I've been there and cruised around before. Really I think the best idea is to go for a visit sometime and see if I can get some pancakes...

[macleodm3]

I plan on using the step which I bought from the Cozy girrrls, and was wondering if anyone with extended strakes had figured out a good place for the step. It seems the step will be useless in the plans location if extended strakes are built. Any experience with this?

[Cozy Girrrl]

I plan on using the step which I bought from the Cozy girrrls, and was wondering if anyone with extended strakes had figured out a good place for the step. It seems the step will be useless in the plans location if extended strakes are built. Any experience with this?

We'd advise you do not mount the step till you finish the strakes mod, you will want the step further forward.

Regards, Chrissi

[macleodm3]

We'd advise you do not mount the step till you finish the strakes mod, you will want the step further forward.

Regards, Chrissi

OK, so for now I'll just leave out the wood for mounting the step? I guess I can add the wood later (possible?).

[Kraig]

Chances are, you will end up doing a step like Wayne Hicks just finished. He also moved it up further, even though he has stock strakes. The girrrls have the best advice, (a real shocker, huh?), wait till the strakes are done.

 

Kraig

[Edge 513]

I mocked up my strakes and elbow strake additions, to see if the plans step location would work...Its not optimal.

I was going to just redo[my plans wood mount is set] the plans step forward 6 inches but am toying with the Zeitlin/Hicksian Retract-a-rama design...Tho mine would be in yet a bit different place, so as to lessen interfering with the storage under the seat...I think I will be going with a piece of UHMW [instead of metal to metal] as the bored sleeve at the exterior fuselage connection to promote smooth operation/lack of possible corrosion? Maybe it is overkill. What does the group think about moisture getting in here at this point and fouling the slide-action at this point?

[Big Steve]

I had one of these on my old Longeze it was just on the other side of the instrument panel. It was hand operated and it worked great just rotate the handle and push. It did weigh more than the plans step. You live in Sunny Calif. and plan on hangering I bet. I would worry more about weight than rust or corrosion. Since you are much lighter than you used to be you dont have to make it to hold up to an elephant. Remember Burts rule throw it up in the air if it comes back down dont put it in the plane. my.02 STeve

[Drew Swenson]

I don't even have a step

[dirtdox]

The Aerocanard DVD's show a step the retracts vertically on the foreward side of the IP. The "L" shaped step points aft and fits up into a recess when retracted.

[Edge 513]

I don't even have a step

I have heard of a few guys ommiting the step-or a step of any kind. Thought about it at one time also.

I have asked myself..."Self, How are people that are the size of 5-6" or less going get up on the strake to get in the backseat or over the "gunwale" if I have to step, without marking up the side of the fuselage"?

You have this figured out, so whats the sitch?

Odds are theres going to be somebody who isn't as tall as you entering your plane.

I've flown quite a lot in a MarkIv, and the step seems pretty darn useful.

[argoldman]

I have heard of a few guys ommiting the step-or a step of any kind. Thought about it at one time also.

I have asked myself..."Self, How are people that are the size of 5-6" or less going get up on the strake to get in the backseat or over the "gunwale" if I have to step, without marking up the side of the fuselage"?

You have this figured out, so whats the sitch?

Odds are theres going to be somebody who isn't as tall as you entering your plane.

I've flown quite a lot in a MarkIv, and the step seems pretty darn useful.

One of the things I'm thinking about for my Aerocanard is the carrying of a small collapsible stepstool for my wife, and probably me, in the aircraft. I'm also considering a step considerably forward of the plans location because of the modified cozy girl strakes.

 

Thinking of easy ingress perhaps rope ladders connected to and stored inside the strake extensions might not be a bad idea.

 

Since I'm using a forward hinged canopy one of these on each side might just work.

[macleodm3]

Chances are, you will end up doing a step like Wayne Hicks just finished. He also moved it up further, even though he has stock strakes. The girrrls have the best advice, (a real shocker, huh?), wait till the strakes are done.

No, I think I'll KISS (keep in simple step). Like I said, I already bought the nice step. I was just hoping someone had one mounted in a location that worked. I'll check on the mail list too, especially with all the flyers we've got over there.

 

Maybe one of those little trampolines next to the plane,... just bounce, bounce, Bounce your way into the plane.

 

It is not best to wait till later to put the wooden piece into the fuselage for the step. Now is when its in the plans, and it seems mucho easier now.

[Drew Swenson]

To answer how I get in without a step...

I usually fly with my wife and daughter in the back (me alone up front---with lots of ballast in the ballast door.

 

In that situation, I have the nose on the ground, pull up the pilot seat cusion. Wife steps on seat and then steps over into the back. Then hand daughter over. I then electrically extend the gear, hop my back end onto the strake and then slide my feet in (I am 5'8).

 

If I have a front seat passenger who is not nimble (like my Dad), I let him get in while kneeled, then electrically extend the gear, then I get in just like above.

 

While the nosegear will lift 2 people off the ground, it sure does not sound like it likes it---so I don't.

 

When my wife was pregnant---I flew with the stool.

 

It works for me---it is not for everybody

[ZUCZZ]

So, I did not install the standard Cozy step.

 

By now I have 23 hours on my Cozy and have not missed the step to date.

 

Just another place someone will mark the outside of the plane

 

My Softness climbs in and then I lift her and the plane, while she cranks the wheel out.

[macleodm3]

Cool... thanks for mentioning that.

[Windwalker]

And.. This Thread is Resurrected!!! Whoo hoo! I feel like a 18th level cleric.

 

On to the point.

 

How would the extended strake effect the Weight and Balance? It seems that larger people might want to implement this, but by moving a structure closer to the canard are you also not moving the CF Fore as well?

 

Seems like an Awesome Mod.... There has to be a Gotcha.

 

Robert

[longez360]

This step picture brings back fond memories of Joe LaCour's old Long EZ, N97EZ I saw at Oshkosh 1989. My favourite Long EZ of all time. Joe had a step at the base of the front seat. It was simply hooked up to the canopy brace via a light 1/16" cable and pulley. It was spring loaded. Automatic with canopy opening.

 

PErsonally I don't think these aircraft require a step after steve wright and jack wilhelmson's work.

 

Cheers

 

Wayne

 

 

 

I mocked up my strakes and elbow strake additions, to see if the plans step location would work...Its not optimal.

I was going to just redo[my plans wood mount is set] the plans step forward 6 inches but am toying with the Zeitlin/Hicksian Retract-a-rama design...Tho mine would be in yet a bit different place, so as to lessen interfering with the storage under the seat...I think I will be going with a piece of UHMW [instead of metal to metal] as the bored sleeve at the exterior fuselage connection to promote smooth operation/lack of possible corrosion? Maybe it is overkill. What does the group think about moisture getting in here at this point and fouling the slide-action at this point?

[Cozy Girrrl]

Thats exactly where we were headed if we decide we need step(s), hook the cable(s) to the FHC canopy hinges and let the rising canopy deal with the steps.

[Lynn Erickson]

And.. This Thread is Resurrected!!! Whoo hoo! I feel like a 18th level cleric.

 

On to the point.

 

How would the extended strake effect the Weight and Balance? It seems that larger people might want to implement this, but by moving a structure closer to the canard are you also not moving the CF Fore as well?

 

Seems like an Awesome Mod.... There has to be a Gotcha.

 

Robert

when you move the strake forward, the extra material added might weight a 1/4 of a pound and you would have to try hard to make it that heavy.