Kent Ashton

One of the best guys I've listened to regarding cholesterol is Professor Ken Sikaris, a pathologist at a big lab in Australia that does 15,000 tests a week(?) and he really knows his blood work.   Most people know that a person is diabetic at an HBA1c >6.5 but the risk of coronary artery disease starts between 5.5-6.5.  HbA1c is how much sugar has attached to your hemoglobin.  Hemoglobin cells are replaced every 3 months so it's a history of your blood sugar.  Mine was 5.6 recently.  The docs generally do not test for HbA1c unless they suspect you're diabetic but trouble starts way below the 6.5 diabetes threshold.

Then he relies a lot on triglycerides.  Trigs measure the amount of fat being transported in the blood by cholesterol.  Fats are good, cholesterol is good but high Trigs show the fat is not being metabolized properly.  The interesting thing is that high Trigs indicate you probably have a lot of small, dense LDL.  sdLDL is normal LDL which has been over-used.  sdLDL is not recognized by the liver and recycled.  It hangs around in the blood where it leaks into the arterial lining, macrophages engulf it, and plaques build up.  If your Trigs are less than about 88 mg/dl (1 mmol/L) you don't have much sdLDL, Sikaris says.  My Trigs have been in the 130 range but came down to 103 in my last test.  I have decided not to worry worry about LP(a) or cholesterol fractionation tests. 

BTW, I booked a cholesterol panel and HbA1c test online at a Labcorp near me.  $98 for the two tests which includes a doctor's order.  I was stupid about this stuff before, and it cost me two heart attacks. 

Sikaris "Does LCHF improve your blood tests?"   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXkE8_NdAyQ      "Blood tests to assess your cardiovascular risk"   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFRi-nH1v8    "Cholesterol - When to worry"   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyzPEii-wo0

Note:  There are many sites for converting Australian mmol/L to U.S. mg/dl but the conversion factor is different for trigs than for total cho, HDL and LDL.

talking to my friend about a loose nose wheel.  I have found that the aluminum spacers which hold the bearings tend to wear where they press against the tapered bearing (pic).   I have made some spacers out of steel in the past which wear better but the bearings might be tightened up by shaving a bit of metal off the spacers where they meet in the middle.  If they seem too tight, add a thin shim between the spacers.

Another problem was his CHT indications.  CHTs are pretty simple.  If you remove one wire-pair for a cylinder at the gauge, it should not show "OL" or open line between the two wire.  That would be a break in the wire-pair.  CHTs are either J- or K-curve (pic), usually J-curve for a CHT (pic). (H/T  http://thesensorconnection.com/blogs/neillm 

I pulled this J-curve chart from the same source (pic 3).  On a 25C day the voltage should be -1.239 millivolts.  Fun, huh.  🙂

E-Racer project on B-stormers first listed at $15K, then $7.8K, reduced to $7.3K today.    Probably would have sold it if wasn't such a rare build.  The professionally-build cowls, canard, strakes, winglets and wings look nice.  They are probably worth that to a Long-ez builder.  Retracts, canopy, plans could be sold, I expect

History:

https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=82873

Today's Barnstormers

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LONG EZE LONGEZ RUTAN • $42,500 • FOR SALE BY OWNER • 2018 Long eze ,110 total time , LYC 0290 ,Cato 3-blade Trio autopilot ,ADS -B ,electronic noise gear ,one electronic mag,one reg mag,carbon fiber wheel pans ,Armpit cooling (cylinder heads temp 325) ,I-pad set up ,current condition inspection,COME FLY IT AWAY ! • Contact Saeid Hamidi , Owner - located Yorba Linda, CA 92886 United States • Telephone: 714-924-0802 • Posted May 1, 2022

Just looking at this Piper Cherokee crash   http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2022/05/aircraft-structural-failure-piper-pa-28.html    Airplane appears to have been bought in October, crashed the next May.    Pilot:

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93.9 hours (Total, all aircraft), 28.8 hours (Total, this make and model), 38 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 11.3 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 8.1 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0.5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

So the 38 hr PIC pilot had barely gotten used to the airplane. loaded it up with his three friends, then stooged around at 100 knots flying steep turns to look at a farm on the ground, it appears.  Lets the nose fall, exceeds VNE and pulls the airplane apart trying to recover.

Does the pilot syllabus still call for turns-around-a-point?  No matter, even that sort of practice probably did not prepare him for this maneuver.  It is easy when looking at stuff on the ground and yucking it up with buddies to forget about the fuselage angle in relation to the horizon.  Pilot allows the nose to drop in the steep-banked turn.  The aircraft is slow but still does not give any stall warning because there is less G being required than in a level turn.  Pilot notices, too late, that he has let the maneuver go to hell and tries to pull out.

A related situation often occurs when a pilot makes a high-speed low pass followed by a steep climb.  It is very impressive to watch but at the top, pilot may realize that his speed has fallen well below level-flight stall speed but his nose is still 20-30 degrees high.  This calls for a very ginger wing-over recovery without putting any G on the airplane--and coordinated.  Poorly done, a stall-spin can result close to the ground.

When stooging around close to the ground, it is important to always monitor the fuselage angle in relation to the horizon and not let it get too extreme.

Some random thoughts:  I get the impression you are only ground-running this engine.  That will only tell you so much.  If the engine starts normally in 2-3 blades, has good oil pressure, idles smoothly, accelerates smoothly, you lean it as much as possible on the ground  and after it warms up a bit it appears to pass the "idle mixture check", then there can't be much wrong with it.  At Arkansas spring temperatures _in idle_, it will warm up slowly--I'm guessing maybe 10 minutes to reach 300-325 degrees.  It was an 1800 hour engine, right, so we know it probably ran OK and you're not seeing problems from a break-in.  An older engine might get a sticking exhaust valve and display "morning sickness" until it warms up, then appear to run normally.  Your compressions are good(?) but even a low compression engine should run smoothly.   There is not much point is ground-running beyond that unless you're making adjustments to idle mixture.

A miss-timed engine (too advanced) can run hotter than a properly timed engine but you are only complaining about one cylinder.

I don't think the airbox is your problem but you could run the engine without the air box--even fly without it for a while.  That mesh is only keeping squirrels out of the engine  🙂

A diffuser might help but the improvement can be marginal, so I wouldn't worry about one until you can fly it. 

An intake air leak might be noticed during a compression check.  I saw a video where I think they backed the prop up until the intake valve began to open and the pop as the compression was suddently released into the intake was seen as a sudden leak at the the intake piping.  The intake pipes are swaged into the sump.  I have also read about squirting propane around the intake swages.  If they are loose, the rpm will rise as the propane is sucked in.

It is often true that in flight, #3 and #4 run hotter by say, 25 degrees (or so)  because plenum air piles up against the aft bottom baffle and cools #1 and #2 well but until you fly, you can't tell.  The angle of your airbox and SCAT might be degrading the flow up to #4 but you wouldn't see that when ground-running.  You might take a look at what this guy did   https://alongwayroundtheworld.com/category/non-build-mods/ram-air-box-for-jze/

This doesn't sound like an airbox problem.  Restricted carburetor airflow would cause rich (cooler) running or less power output and thus lower cylinder temperature.  It sounds more like a gauge problem.  It could possibly be lean running from excess air like with an intake air leak but I would think that if your other cylinders are normal, it would be hard to get a huge difference in one cylinder, even from an intake leak.

Maybe you are breaking-in a cylinder which might run a little hotter but you shouldn't let it get more than about 300-350 for a ground break-in.

I would test the CHT indications dipping the sender into a tin can with an inch of oil heated with a propane torch and measuring the oil temp with a candy thermometer.  Compare a couple of cylinders.  Also consider that at idle, an engine is not making much power and not rejecting so much heat so it is harder to get temperatures that high. 

However, 450 is very high and parts of a cylinder at idle airflow can develop hot spots and be even hotter.  Lycoming says for best engine life, keep the temps below 400.  At 425 on the ground, I am shutting it down to cool off.

Craigslist today  https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/avo/d/carlsbad-rutan-designed-long-ez/7476114460.html

Seen today.  Project in Cle Elum, Washington.  No price stated

Today:

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COZY IV WING AND WINGLET CORES • $2,400 • AVAILABLE • Eureka CNC Cozy Mk IV wing and winglet cores for sale. Eureka CNC is closing up shop indefinitely. This is a set of cores I had in storage. They have a few minor dings from being in storage that are easily repairable using normal Rutan building practices. They are discounted $1000 from the normal price. I can also offer to include a newly cut set of Cozy IV canard cores if needed for an additional $600. I may even be able to offer delivery in some areas. If unable, they can be shipped FedEx. • Contact Steve James , - located Alamogordo, NM 88310 United States • Telephone: 702 416-8729 • Posted April 20, 2022 • 

COZY IV WINGS • $5,000 • AVAILABLE • Cozy Mk IV wings complete through wing skins. Not yet drilled. No winglets are attached for ease of shipping and storage. These were built by a professional builder using Eureka CNC foam cores. These wings have straight trailing edges and extended ailerons. • Contact Steve James , - located Alamogordo, NM 88310 United States • Telephone: 702 416-8729 • Posted April 20, 2022

and  this one,  N511EZ.  Nice looking airplane  (pics)

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VARI-EZE / FAST & EFFICIENT! • $35,000 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • Fast, fun, and efficient aircraft. Max performance, 196mph burning 5.7gph. Will deliver for expenses. Due to fast approach speeds and loads, this aircraft is recommended for experienced/talented pilots under 210lbs. Full spec sheet available. • VARI-EZE SALE SHEET • Contact Britton Shaw , Owner - located Fort Smith, AR 72908 United States • Telephone: 4796296184 • Posted April 19, 2022

Selling my extra Lightspeed Plasma (original version).   I upgraded to Plasma IIIs.  It would work well paired with a magneto, paired with another Plasma, or kept as a spare.  It comes with the manual and wiring diagrams. To use this Plasma, you would need Lightspeed's Hall Effect trigger or either of Lightspeed crank-sensor systems like the Mini-Sensor or the green ring. This Plasma is marked "Hall Effect" but per confirmation from Lightspeed, it works with any of the three trigger systems.  To complete the installation you would need two coils, two RG-400 cables with female BNC connectors, some twisted-pair wire, a 25-pin D-sub and crimp pins, quality plug wires and 18mm auto plugs (Autolite 386, for example) or 14mm Denso/NGK plugs with inserts. The mag-hole Hall Effect sensor is your easiest option.  Klaus checked it last Fall and says it works perfectly.

In operation, these are indistinguishable from the latest model Plasmas. The newer models have some timing-control and monitor options which are not required unless you feel you need to monitor the timing, otherwise they are all good ignitions, easy to setup and time and offer noticeably better cruise performance than a mag. With the Hall Effect trigger, timing is a matter of setting the engine on TDC and rotating the sensor until a green light comes on. You're timed.

See www.lightspeed-aero.com   PM me if interested

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LIGHTSPEED PLASMA IGNITION • $520 • FOR SALE • 4-cyl Lightspeed Plasma I EI. Checked by mfg. Pics and details upon request. Includes shipping. • Contact Kent Ashton , Owner - located Concord, NC United States • Telephone: 704-784-1874 • Posted April 17, 2022

I wouldn't think you would learn too much from an adjustable pitch prop.  See the chart below.  When I read about a prop in use, I added it to the chart and used the figures to build my own prop although it is probably easier to specify the engine to one of the established prop-builders and they will give you a good prop. 

The first prop I built worked great on a 160hp O-320 (a 65" Dia X 79" pitch) and the second one for an O-360 would have worked great if I'd taken a little more care in building it.  Happy to send you the airfoil files if you want to try one but it takes an apparatus to clamp up the boards and a vertical mill to drill the prop holes squarely.  After that it's just a lot of cutting, carving, and comparing.

In the PDF,  "C at 75%" is calculated circumference at the 75% blade station.  "Angle degrees" is the chord angle but it is often a guess because prop builders quote the chord angle in different ways

PropCompare2.pdf

18 hours ago, EzFernando said:

I need to install lights on my Vari-Eze. It came without lights (built in 1979). Dous anyone have plans for this?

What sort of lights?  Wingtip, cockpit, landing?  For wingtip lights, the Long-ez has a hole through the wing for running wires.  Not sure if one is there in a Varieze.  If not you might sharpen the end of a long piece of EMT (electrical metallic tubing) and drill a hole down the wing.  Or run wires along the aileron cutouts.   Or a combination of things. 

The easy way to have cockpit lights is to buy a couple of cheap LED light arrays and fix them so they shine on the panel.   Dim them with a PWM from Ebay.    There are hundreds of those sort of LEDs.  For example this (pic) is a little square array I got for a buck or two.  They come in all sorts of strips and will light up a cockpit or panel.  They are so cheap they are not worth advertising. 

Landing lights are not absolutely required and they really do not help much for landing--mostly useful for taxi.    You could carry a strong LED torch that plugs into a cigarette lighter or embed some LEDs in the nose or wing leading edge. 

Today's B-stormers:  No pics.  N35PC   http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/3/N35PC.shtm

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VARIEZE • $38,000 • FOR SALE TO GOOD HOME • Great flying Varieze,Low time O-200. this is your grandfathers airplane,thats why it flys so well. • Contact Gil Hutchison , Owner - located Salem , OR United States • Telephone: 503 510 2317 • Posted April 11, 2022

The Manteo NC EZ drone(?) ad updated today on Barnstormers.  Same price ($5K) but I think there are a few added pics.  Looks like something could be done with this one.  Pic below

Seen today.  Nice repair job on the fuselage.  The original finish appears to be the black UV-blocking primer that was recommended in the early days--that stuff did not stick well but is easy to sand off (in my experience).  Some earlier intel here   https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=66835

This EZ today on Ebay.  Buyers must beg for details.  Located at KLCI--yeah, doesn't everybody have every airport identifier memorized?  Jeesh!.  (The airport is Laconia, NH)

Inflation hits home!   This Long-ez relisted at $1K higher price.   https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=82280   Pics at his website

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215HP LONG EZ • $53,500 • FOR SALE AGAIN • Unique 185kt Long EZ without wheel pants. (New carbon wheel pants are included but not installed). Fantastic performing 379 Titan Lycoming only 130hrs since new. Electric Nose gear, electric speed brake, Garmin G5, MGL V6 com, Vega EMS RDAC, Airfrow fuel injection, dual Lightspeed ignition, Ecco ADSB out. Built originally in 1988 only 1050 hours tt. Aircraft located in KSPZ Santa Rosa CA for a few weeks then back to Spokane KDEW Spokane WA. • VISIT MY WEBSITE • Contact Kevin Eldredge , Owner - located Deer Park, WA United States • Telephone: 509-890-5371 • Posted April 5, 2022

and this one  (pics 1,2)  N1LZ

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LONGEZ • $36,000 • MOTIVATED SELLER • 1991 LongEZ 860 TTA, 0235 1653 TTE, 3 separate GPS systems, Garmin 496, GRT Sport EFIS+ Engine Inf Sys. with battery backup. GRT is PFD+mov map with engines all in one. Echo UAT ADSB in/out waas to 6’ good with ForeFlight ect. King 96A com,King 76A Txp, Trio AP, electric nose lift. VG’s front canard. All electronic, no vacuum system. Flys great I plan 142 tas at 6 gph, Medical issue forces sale. Needs current conditional. Located KFWS Spinks/Ft Worth • Contact Michel Kaiser , Owner - located Fort Worth, TX United States • Telephone: 623-925-2233 • Posted April 4, 2022

Barnstormers:  This E-racer project listed more than two years ago at $15K, reduced today

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E-RACER PROJECT • $7,800 • PROJECT FOR SALE • E-Racer project for sale. Canard complete, wings need winglets attached (included. I have most of the RG gear pieces as well. Fuselage has bulkheads installed and nose gear. Spar had not been drilled for wings or installed. Factory strakes and cowlings included. Lots here. no engine Text if interested. • Contact Martin Skiby , Owner - located Bakersfield, CA United States • Telephone: 661-340-0575 • 661-393-5418 • Posted April 3, 2022

Old ad  https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=64922

Spruce sells the various Cozy subkits.  https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/kitspages/cozy.php    The Eureka cores are worth the price (current price not known) but many have cut their own cores with good results.  http://eurekacnc.com/Cozy IV.htm       The most efficient way is to buy a partially-completed project.  See my "Sales I've seen" thread here.  Usually great value.

Most  plans changes have been incorporated.  See Newsletter #88, first paragraph   http://www.cozybuilders.org/newsletters/news_88.pdf      and here    http://www.cozybuilders.org/newsletters/MKIV_corr_by_chap.html

I hate to recommend the Cozy Facebook site but there are lot of discussions by new builders and Zoom meetings there that would keep your enthusiasm up--also a number of completions recently that are good to see.  Unfortunately the search and archive capability of FB is terrible and a lot of bad info is passed around but check it out.   https://www.facebook.com/groups/CozyMkIV

It's a big schnitzel to eat so you have to enjoy the process and keep the parts and supplies coming in, otherwise you end up here  https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/    🙂

Today.  No pics.  Could be an expired registration   https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N81465

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LONG EZE • $40,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • Looking to Sell LongEZE located in a hangar in Compton/Woodley Airport. Please let me know if you're interested in checking out the plane. Kept in great condition out of the elements. • Contact Jeff Baione , Owner - located Rancho Palos Verdes, CA United States • Telephone: 9177674587 • Posted March 29, 2022

And this Defiant seen on FB.  Sounds like a great buy compared to a Velocity twin--or any twin for that matter.   Low time engines and modern avionics--that's maybe $65K right there.  Wait!  The floor paint is a little scuffed.  Reject!    🙂  https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N431RA

Barnstormers today.  Decent price with the overhauled O-320 and prop.  Avionics due for an update but not necessarily required.  A few more pics in the ad.  There is an outfit in Texas that repairs those Terra radios but it's somewhat expensive--not that they need repair.

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LONG-EZ N64MC • $49,000 • FOR SALE BY PROUD OWNER • + Total time 1750 hrs. Empty weight 1088 pounds + Engine O-320, + Top overhaul by Ly-Con, 110 hours ago New cylinder assemblies, port flowed, new valves + Electronic Ignition: + Catto Propeller 3-blade + Autopilot: Trio Pro-pilot + Terra comm, nav & transponder; recent IRAN, latest digital displays + ADS-B In and Out + Cabin heater; Electric nose gear; Vortex generators(Jim Price design) + Currently flyable, Hangared: O32, Reedley, California (near Fresno) + Leave voicemail message • Contact Bruce Mcelhoe , Owner - located Reedley, CA United States • Telephone: 559-859-6311 • 559-638-3746 • Posted March 25, 2022

On 10/10/2021 at 10:24 AM, Kent Ashton said:

Relisted:  Sweeny Cozy IV at $65K and Machen Long-ez at $25K

The Sweeny Cozy apparently sold.  (pic)   No price mentioned

Seen today.  No pics.  This chap posted a Long-ez for sale back in November.  A good deal, I'd opine, even without plans.

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COZY MK-IV PROJECT • $1,500 • CLEANING OUT THE HANGAR • Great start on a Cozy IV! Tub complete on gear with tires and brakes. Very nice build. No plans. • Contact Stephen Glover , Owner - located Mission Viejo, CA United States • Telephone: 714-293-9787 • Posted March 19, 2022

Saw this recent pic from a guy excited to get his new Cozy IV plans.