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Greetings from Canada


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I just wanted to introduce myself. I think that I have officially decided to build a Cozy MKIV. I have been dreaming about aviation ever since I was a kid when I used to watch the Beavers take off from the lake at our family cottage. In the last few years I have been dreaming about building kit plane or homebuilt. I love working in the garage on projects and I think that building my own plane in the only way I can justify flying financially. For a long time I thought I would build something like a Zenith Air CH701. I like the idea of a bush plane, but I am not sure if I want something that utilitarian and that slow. A few months ago I came across the Cozy website and before long I had Cozy on the brain. If I am going invest all that time and passion into a project I want to final product to be a thing of beauty, and the Cozy certainly fits that description. I also want something that is going to improve my quality of life and for me that means saving time and traveling far. I really want a cross country aircraft to escape Metro Toronto back home to Northern Ontario for regular weekend doses of the outdoors. The 8 hour drives and weekend traffic just isn’t cutting it anymore. I can just imagine being whisked up north within a couple of hours waving to the traffic below.

 

So I don’t actually have a pilot’s license yet. I have always planned to get one, but I don’t want to go down that road until I know that I can afford to fly on a regular basis in the same plane. I think irregular flying is probably dangerous flying. So I think it is best the get a line on a plane and then get the license when the plane is within a year or 2 of completion. I hope this doesn’t inhibit my building ability too much.

 

One more thing, I find the concept of powering the plane with a rotary engine very interesting. I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew, but I would really like to consider this. I love playing with engines and I have some decent mechanical abilities. I just want to be careful about getting into a situation where I have to test a new engine at the same time as learning to fly a new type of aircraft. So I look forward to learning more about this from other builders.

 

For the next 5 to 10 years I hope to get a lot of information and advice from other Cozy builders and look forward to being a part of the canard flying fraternity. I expect to have access to a nice garage starting next fall, so I think I will probably look to get the plans in the spring so that I can spend time studying them before I start.

Crazy Canuck

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Cozy MKIV #MK1536

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Hi and welcome to the site!!!

 

I am relatively new to the forum also. You will find a wealth of information here. I usually just lurk and try to absorb as much info as possible.:) Although I live in the the USA, I have lots of family in Ontario. Mainly around the London area but a few in Toronto. If you are serious about building, be sure to check out Marc Zeitlin's site and join the cozy mailing list!!!

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Welcome to the group! I have to agree with what you've said. The Cozy is a beautiful and fast airplane that is soooo nice when built to plans. There are a few easy modifications that many people incorporate, and then there are the more difficult ones such as rotary engines that many dream about but with only a few showing success.

 

I just started my flying lessons, and I'm only on Chapter 6 of the build, and so far the flying lessons have almost no impact on my building schedule.

 

You say you like projects, so like most of us building a plane may be just the thing for you. I really love having something to work on in the evening after all the other items of the day are out of the way. Its really something I look forward to. Once Again, Welcome!

Andrew Anunson

I work underground and I play in the sky... no problem

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Congrats on getting going! I was in the same boat 3 years ago. Let me chime in as being on the side of getting your license and then renting. Make sure you like to fly before you start building simply so you don't end up with an expensive bit of fiberglass in your shop after you find out that something about flying bothers you. I'd always wanted to build since I was a kid. I saw a BD-5 jet at an airshow in the 70's and I was HOOKED! The idea that you could build your own plane just did it for me.

 

Bit of background. I've ALWAYS wanted to fly. When I started training a bit over 3 years ago, I found out quickly that lessons in stall recovery left my stomach behind. Same in moderate turbulence. I had issues with airsickness for my first 7-8 lessons. So, I was up to about 10 hours of loving the flying but getting airsick during hard maneuvering or stall recovery. I was determined to get past it, and then one day it just didn't bother me anymore. I guess it was kind of like getting your sea legs or something. The reason I bring this up is, make sure you CAN fly in a small plane first, and then decide to build. I had several people at work ask me why I flew if it made me sick and my reply to them was "because some day it won't." I'd been flying for several months and had gotten over my hump thoroughly before we made the final decision to build.

 

We ended up starting an RV9A tail kit to get a taste about 2 years ago. Loved the building, but I was about done with my ticket and realized that we didn't have much for rentals here in our area. We ended up researching certified stuff and purchased a Beechcraft Musketeer. It's a nice, solid flying plane with decent handling, a roomy cockpit and 4 seats. Downside is, it's not that fast (108-110 knots). Climb is good and it's a solid plane to learn IFR in which is what I plan on doing next spring. We've purchased a MK IV project and will get going on it in a month or two as money and space become available (setting up shop).

 

We've owned our plane through two annuals and quite a bit of upkeep. She's in great shape, but parts get worn out on these planes that sometimes don't get replaced. We're replacing, repairing or rebuilding ANYTHING questionable. When we finally sell her, someone is going to get a great deal.

 

Everyday we're all getting one day closer to losing our medicals. My recommendation is to GET FLYING. Do whatever you have to. Get a second job to pay for the lessons, just get flying. You won't regret it!

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  • 2 months later...

Rumour has it that my wife ordered the Cozy MKIV plans for my birthday. :)

Two people can keep a secret if one of them is ... Oh, never mind ;)

 

Don't be giving the posties a difficult time waiting for the plans, they'll be bringing more 'stuff' to build with down the road :D

 

Rick

Rick Hall; MK-IV plans #1477; cozy.zggtr.org

Build status: 1-7, bits of 8-9, 10, 14 done! Working on engine/prop/avionics.
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Welcome eh!

I'm in Guelph, and I just got my plans last summer. It's good to know that there are other builders in the area who are starting the project too. I'm also quite new to the Cozy/EZ world, so feel to PM me if you want to compare newbie notes. If all goes well, we may be comparing Cozy parts in the not-too-distant future.

 

Joe Polenek

Joe

Cozy Mk IV #1550

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Welcome eh!

I'm in Guelph, and I just got my plans last summer. It's good to know that there are other builders in the area who are starting the project too. I'm also quite new to the Cozy/EZ world, so feel to PM me if you want to compare newbie notes. If all goes well, we may be comparing Cozy parts in the not-too-distant future.

 

Joe Polenek

Yeah, we will definitely have to keep in touch. I plan to start building within the next 12 months. I first have to secure a workshop which should happen soon.

Crazy Canuck

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Cozy MKIV #MK1536

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  • 4 months later...

I am currently flying out of CYAM (sault Ste. Marie) is that the "up north" you were refering to? i also have family in Toronto area and their plane is based in burlington airpark. good to know i'm not the only one who likes these canards in canada.

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Up north for me is Timmins, Chapleau, and Iroquois Falls. I am not flying yet, but I have got the plans and I am working to secure a suitable workshop. I look forward to the day when traveling up north doesn't involve an 8 hour drive and traffic congestion.

Crazy Canuck

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Cozy MKIV #MK1536

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  • 4 months later...
  • 6 months later...

Good day,

 

I am currently in the market for a long-ez, I would be interested to know if it would be possible to get a check ride from a Long-EZ owner? I would be more then happy to compensate anyone for his troubles. I am located in Montreal but can go pretty much anywhere in Canada for the ride.

 

It's easier to stay within Canada but I can also fly pretty much anywhere in the US.

 

Thanks

 

Eric

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