John Slade

Very nice, Joe. Now let's get to work on the jig table... ok?

I'll start by saying that my plane is white, except for a little chameleon trim. One point that hasn't been mentioned is that different epoxy systems have different tgs (melting point). Perhaps, if you build with MGS 285 you can move further down the color chart. I've also heard talk of using reflective paint. Don't know if anyone has done that. I'm just lucky I guess. I happen to like white. I'm going to have a cover made by the covergirl once I get the pattern done. I'm considering having it made in Union Jack colors. >Does the Thickness of the final paint make any difference???? Yes. The thicker the paint, the faster you land.

I sent him a birthday email. He doesn't sound too happy about it. At least he's ahead of me in SOMETHING.

Hey, this water misting thing was supposed to be for cooling, wasn't it? Now you tell me I can inject a mist into the throttle body and get more power. Hmmm. I just happen to have a spare vacuum tube I was going to plug. I guess now I'll need a bigger bottle for cooling. I'm still trying to figure out where to put my duel overflow / screenwasher bottle. Now I need another one. My cowl's getting to the point that you couldn't FIT a cat in there, never mind swing it. Made quite a bit of progress today. There could be light at the end of the tunnel after all.

I suggest the policy be that any post of private messages result in an immediate deletion of the entire thread with no exceptions. No, Jon. Lets not go too far to the right here. Next we'll be putting babies on the mountainside and keeping just the ones that survive. I understand that you drive a business during the day. Been there. Done that. Sometimes you just have to cut the crap and take action. Try to be a little gentler here. This aint a business - it's essentially a chat club. Knowing you have friends out there going through the same thing makes building alone much easier. While nothing on the internet is ever entirely private, direct email and the PM system are, nevertheless, typically used for saying things you might not say in a public. I don't think private messages should be made public without prior warning that they will be. If I got a message asking that a private quote be deleted I would delete it. The quote, that is. I'd replace it with "Private quote deleted at the request of ...". Now I'm really off-line for the rest of the day. Enjoy the build. (especially you Dust, since that's you're tag line)

Yea, ok. Point taken. Give it some consideration, but dont finalize the decision. Put in a few extra AL pipes down the heat duct if you like. They can always be used for a seperate liquid cabin heating system, or oil, or not used at all. Add EFI return lines to the tanks. You can always cap them. Other than that, and I'm sure you get my point, leave the DECISION until the latest possible moment when the latest information is available. Whether you end up fitting a 13B, a Lyc, a Subie, a V8 or a Diesel, the basic build doesnt (and shouldnt) change very much. If you're going to stick a turbine on it, then some serious redseign is needed, but even that can be done afterwards as proven by Greg. The closer you can keep the airframe to stock, the better, so my point was build the plane. You're much more likely to finish if you just get on with it as detailed in the plans. Changing things later is actually a lot easier, because you'll be an experienced epoxy guy by then. In a couple of years you'll be able to go to my website and others and know if the rotary is a good idea. If I'm flying fast and happy with full coverage, join me. If not, go a different direction.

Seems I was drafting a reply in one area while you guys were all huddled in another corner discussing this. Ah well. I'll add my 2c here, then I'm off down to the hangar. I have a damn plane to finish. Jon took over the "software admin" part because he offered the resources and time to do it. My offer of server space had a potential business advantage to me attached to it, and was deemed inappropriate. No problem. I'm happy with the overall direction, and I'm too busy trying to get through this last 2% of building to dedicate time to admin functions that Jon is doing. Once he gets into building, and I'm flying, perhaps I can help out more. Maybe I'll be having too much fun to even visit here. Dust - consider my idea about a new thread with a single post listing your "picks". I think it would work well, and others (including me) could add posts containing their favorite threads. Native - don't lurk - ask questions. That's what we're here for. I understand Jon's concern about posting private messages. This should not happen. Having said that, I once had a problem with a certain airplane designer who kept sending me nastygrams. I put that person on notice that future private messages were subject to publication. The nastygrams stopped immediately. I disagree with Jon here. Once put on such notice, be prepared to have FUTURE private messages posted in public. I wish we could all get together in a bar somewhere and discuss this stuff in person. Maybe one day we will. I think we'd find that we're all very good freinds. Off to fit an alternator belt. Chat amongst yourselves while I'm gone.

Come on, Dusty, get this in perspective. You were going off in the wrong direction. I agree that all those dustpick posts should have been chitcanned. I would have done it myself if Jon hadn't. As I said earlier, I like the idea of rating threads. I also agree with you on the overall purpose of contributing to this forum. I hope you saved a note of the threads you earmarked. While we're waiting for a better solution using the rating system, I'd suggest ONE post in a new thread called "Threads I think are good" listing those threads. As for censorship - Jon, Nick and I had a discussion on this issue months back and we agreed that it would not happen. If it does happen I will cease contributing. Removing your dustpick posts was housekeeping, not censorship. Enjoy the build.

I have been contemplating a rotary engine I would respectfully suggest that this is a bad idea for someone just starting the build. I would also suggest that considering (or worse, buying) a Lycoming is a bad idea too. The playing field is changing. My advice is get on and build the airframe and give little thought to which engine will power it until the last possible minute. In 3, 4 or 5 years the situation will have changed. That much is certain. Perhaps rotary and/or subaru powerplants will have proven themselves. Perhaps not. There might be a reasonably priced diesel available (dont hold your breath). Perhaps insurance will be easier, or harder to get. Maybe the available fuels and/or prices will have changed. To anyone just getting started I say don't even think about it. Keep in touch with what's going on, but save you're decision until you're airframe is complete..... then examine the issues as they stand at that time with respect to performance history, cost, insurability etc. etc. PS - So far I've collected info from two insured rotary flyers with a total of over 900 hours and zero claims.

John, look at the activity your plastic peel ply post just got The activity was people looking at the last post (your one word post) then hitting the little X at the top right side of the screen in disgust.

I appreciate the sentiment, Mike, but surely there's a better way to do this that doesnt involve a bunch of one word posts and lots of searches for "whoeverpick". Jon's getting deeper into the software. I'm sure the rating system can work for us, perhaps with slight modification. What say you, Jon? On second thoughts, Mike, this is a bad idea. I'm looking at 21 new posts. I don't have time to look at each to see if it's a damn dustpick, so now I'm going to miss anything worthwhile. I understand what you're trying to achieve, but there has to be a better way. Please stop doing this. I , for one, don't like it at all.

For those who'd like to follow this saga, there's an update on my website, http://kgarden.com/cozy/chap27.htm#MoreInsurance In summary, I'm assured that the life policy IS valid for flying Experimentals, and work continues on getting ground liability coverage. I've been asked to collect data of currently insured automotive installations, so if you're flying an automotive (especially a Mazda) and you have coverage, please let me know name, level of coverage, underwriter, model, type, engine etc.

No major problem with that, but here are the negatives: - The weight is at the back. It's often better to have extra weight in the nose for weight & balance reasons. - The heat is transferred via a long tortuous fiberglass air duct. Much of it is lost in the transmission.

The plans Cozy method is a hot air muff around the exhaust ducted to the front. It's apparantly tolerable at best. The Velocity (and Jack Wilhelmson's Cozy for one) has an oil cooler up front which works pretty well if you don't mind piping you're life blood that far. I have an automotive heater core. It has a valve in front of the pilot seat which controls the feed (requires liquid cooling, of course). I like the sound of a separate liquid system for heating. A small pump and a closed system makes a lot of sense. And to answer someone's private email - yes I've been busy on the plane. Today I spend about 4 hours performing "arthoscopic (sp?)surgery" on the throttle quadrant with a set of long needle nose pliers and a couple of screwdrivers. I have three Vans push/pull cables in there now. Throttle, cowl flap & waste gate. Plus 2 landing light actuators. Getting all the cotter pins in, the microswitches for the voice warnings lined up right, and the wiring all tied down properly was an exercise in pure frustration. Phew. Whoever said "simplicity is a good thing" was probably right.

Do you think we should tell them that we don't stand around in lycra hot pants chatting for hours, and that they'd have to actualy play a WHOLE game. No. Don't mention that, or the fact that when you loose a man, you REALLY loose a man, probably for a couple of months. >I went to a fight one time and a Rugby game broke out.... I once watched a forward run to the touch line because his ear lobe had been bitten almost clean off. We all thought he was going off and we'd be down to 12 men. (2 had already been carried off). In fact the blood was getting in his way. He ripped off the rest of the ear lobe, threw it into the grass, grabbed a head band and ran back into the fray. True story. (And this was "high school" rugby). >as he bends metal objects using pure will power if only it were true.

>just act like you have never been here. And we would know the difference.... how? >and soooooooooooo much would be forgiven. Good to see that newbies are reading the archives.

The plans number is printed on the plans. Choose your reg number here: http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/acmain.htm Then see this link to reserve it: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraft.asp#SpecialN-Number Note: Pick a number that's easy to say. I reserved my initials for 4 years, then dumped the number because Juliet Sierra is a mouthful.

>1. What insurance is required? As far as I know, none other than what's required by you're hangar lease or FBO tie down etc. >2. Is it possible to get simple liability coverage (no hull) on an auto conversion engined experimental? Yes. Lots of people have it. Incredibly, they consider such things as time in type, total time, rating, engine type & installer, transision training planned, etc. etc. when they decide on NON MOVING GROUND LIABILITY, no hull. The "explanation" I got was that they use the same criteria for all levels of insurance on the basis that once they write you, they can be held liable for anything. One thought I've had on liability insurance is that it make you a target for contingency fee lawyers. No insurance, no attackable assets = not worth suing. Also, before taking out life coverage through Harvey Watt, the EAA recommended company, check out the wording of the policy. It seems it doesnt cover flying in EXPERIMENTAL planes. Duh! No offense to our resident Cozy building attorney, but personally I'd line up the the insurance executives right there alongside the lawyers on "judgement day". At least most lawyers know how to make money. These insurance people dont have a clue how to assess risk. If anyone wants to read the currently unfinished saga, it's at the end of http://kgarden.com/cozy/chap27.htm

I'd say you're overdoing it, John. I used to sand with 60 grit, then just blow the area off with an air hose. Sanding removes contaminates, and a few particles of DUST will tend to just go disappear into the epoxy and form part of the layup.

Look who just joined the canard forum. Jim Irwin, president of Aircraft Spruce. Welcome Jim. Good to have you with us. Before you know it, we'll have you building one of these babies yourself.

Theoretically no, but it sure can't hurt provided you dont overdo it and damage the threads. Especially if the area has been exposed to the air and/or potential contaminates (like you're fingers) since you took the peel ply off.

Correct. The surface is too smooth to get a good bond. In areas where peel ply is called out in the plans I added the dacron, then used the plastic on top of that. Just sanding it would probably be ok, but I used the dacron to be sure. By the way, I picked up the folowing source for rolled plastic from the Cozy list, compliments of Joe Hull. I never had much of a problem with the creases myself because warming with a hair dryer usually eliminates them, but no creases at all might be a bit easier..... Trinity Packaging (www.tripack.com) 1358 Charlestown Ind. Dr. St. Charles Missouri, 63303 Phone: 800-873-4610 Fax: 636-724-1801 Part No: CF404C 4ft x 100ft x 4.0mil Clear Poly Sheeting Specify rolled with NO CREASE. It was about $20 a roll.

That's what I'm hoping. Ceramic coating the short exhaust pipe might actually be a bad idea for me since I want heat transfer to occur.

>I'm a huge fan of writing computer programs to write more computer programs. Me too. I've been developing them for years. Just don't like using them, especially early versions. >what better way to get the juices flowing than to be taunted to >sand some Starship-like lines into your Cozy project? Sure. Have some starship pictures somewhere, but not on the index page. Personally I like the picture we have. That's what I'm building, and to see it flying (animate it?) every time I visit is good focused inspiration. There's a thought. How about a section with video of a Cozy ride for those who arn't bandwith challenged? >checkbox to indicate whether or not our thread reply is to be archived... Good idea. Perhaps the checked messages could be purged at quarterly intervals.

>These articles should separate the wheat from the chaffe. Aint THAT the truth! Facinating and very valuable info, Wayne. Many thanks. One point that jumps out at me is that the 4 seat canard behaves vastly different to the 2 seat variety. I guess it's steep turns for me.....