Kent Ashton

I flew CE-172s years ago. I recall that we might rub arms with a copilot but it was not objectionable. In a Cozy III, we usually overlap arms and I told my copilot not to sweat it and just relax. When I am flying the III, my arm will be over his and vice versa. In a Cozy IV we might overlap arms a little but a copilot can keep his arm to himself if he wants but it is still more comfortable just to overlap the arms a little. The IV is 2" wider than the III and I am 230 lbs so take that into consideration. The Cozys are more comfortable than the RV-6 & 7 I've flown in but because you are more reclined in the Cozys, it is awkward to turn around to, say, reach something in back or spot the bandit behind you. Also probably harder to pee in a Cozy. If there is anything I need from the back seat, I bag it and/or tie a rope to it so I can pull it forward. Or stow it under my legs. I found an EZ quite comfortable. I hogged out the inside fuselage wall foam where the forearms are positioned and it effectively gave me another 1..25 to 1.5"" of cockpit width. Which was nice. An RV-8 seems much more roomy in the front and better for air combat. 🙂

More clues, Dr. Watson. Impulse mag or non-? Using a key switch or toggles? Tried leaning the mixture? What sort of LSE triggers are you using? How do you start up and how does it work after starting? How's the engine run when switching ignitions in idle. How about when going from idle to higher RPM on only one ignition? I think you would hear a backfire.

Let the layup overhang get partly cured but still flexible. It can be easily cut with a sharp box-cutter or razor knife. It won’t hurt to cut into the foam a bit—no way to avoid it. After it hardens, smooth the rough edge with a sanding block.

https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/33514-varieze-for-sale/?do=findComment&comment=64949

That airplane has been discussed here by Marc Zeitlin. A search for Sq2000 should bring it up https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=63188

Welcome to the world of Experimental airplanes, my friend. Long-ezs do not spin. I suggest reading the Wikipedia entry for long-ez. Also search google for LONG-EZ OWNERS MANUAL or POH (pilot operations handbook). [EDIT - the two sites mentioned in this paragraph have left the building 😞 ] There are three canard forums for EZ-type airplanes. Two are inactive but they all have SEARCH boxes where you can find answers to questions: _This_site_ which is active, http://forum.canardaviation.com/ and http://canardcommunity.com/ the last two are inactive but have lots of info. For more current information on insurance, annuals, transitions, checkouts, I suggest you look at https://canardzone.groups.io/g/canard-aviators and search the posts for those topics. That is an old and active discussion group. The builders and owners of Cozys are also very active and talk about the similar things. Start here http://www.cozybuilders.org/ and search their builder/owner discussion here https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/cozy_builders The Experimental Aircraft Association has good discussions on registering and testing Exp. airplanes. For example, try a search like this SITE:EAA.ORG REGISTERING. There are piles of other sites for canard airplanes https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/32503-a-heapin-helpin-of-builder-links/ I hope that gives you enough to get started learning about these airplanes. If no one answers your specific questions, I will give it a go later on. Cheers.

https://www.ptm-w.com/aeropoxy/aeropoxy-faq.html#14

This post on FB reminded me of my Miniature Pincher named Charlie. One day while my wife was a work, I decided to take Charlie to a fly-in not far away. I put him in the right seat and off we went. After leveling off, Charlie came over and stood on my chest. "How cute", I thought. "He is looking around." Then he threw up all over me. Sorry Charlie. Good thing he was a small dog. Unfortunately my wife has the same sort of stomach. After returning from a short flight in bumpy conditions, she got out and sprawled out on the floor of the hangar for 30 minutes to recover.

I am going by the Hunter list maintained by Marc, linked above.

Sorry, for bad info. The 209 is approved

See "Gary Hunter's Epoxy Comparision table" here http://www.cozybuilders.org/ref_info/ People have built structure with West but I believe the lower tensile strength is why it's not an "approved" epoxy. To me it seems to be a softer epoxy. Fine for finishing though. Buy the West Microlight filler in the big box from a boat supply.

Cleaning out some things and thought I would post a pic of first-efforts at making sparkplug thermocouples. I have previously talked about making bayonet thermocouples for Lycomings. https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/31152-homemade-cht-bayonet-sensor/ Those things are outrageously expensive--$100 or more--but can be made for a few bucks in parts with a bit of practice with silver solder. https://www.jpinstruments.com/shop/cht-bayonet-probe/ https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/gem6.php?

It ain’t like a woodworker’s shop. There is little dust from building. No more than the dirt that blows under my hangar doors all the time. When the time comes to sand, the dust particles are heavy, fall to the floor and can be vacuumed up. Painting is where you can create problems from paint mist. Epoxy drips can be a bit messy. FAA policy is that federally funded airports must reasonably accommodate aircraft construction in hangars. I would take the position that the dust Is a non-problem but for the short time you’ll be sanding, you will use dust control. People build these airplanes in attached garages without contaminating their house. I built mine in the basement. My wife never complained about dust upstairs.

Here are my costs for a Long-EZ, FWIW. $38531. That was with 2nd-hand avionics, an $8500 engine, 2nd hand prop and I made the engine mount and most of the parts people buy from the Cozy girrls. Anyone who can come in under $40K to build one is doing pretty well, I'd say. The biggest cost-saver is to buy an advanced project. Long-EZ costs.pdf

Never heard of Service Bulletins and the like for the EZ. Rutan put notices in the Canard Pushers. The Cozy Newsletters discuss things that can also be applicable to EZs. You have probably found the searchable Canard Pushers: http://marc-borom.com/LongEZ/CPs_1_To_82.html There is an Excell file of changes here. It was a little funky to open but I eventually go it opened and it looks pretty thorough. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8ljui4BNLG8NTg5WXBfa3E3ODQ/edit This is one of the fun things about building an EZ: reading about what others have tried and deciding what you might like to change.

There are pushers with CS props but the props are expensive, heavier (?) and it is expensive to repair damage from stones or a tip-back. 2 X 180# persons in the back probably means 4 persons total. Ok for a short trip, I suppose. The weight can be whatever to build and test for but on a hot day, even in Ohio, the takeoff gets long and climb is slower. I generally fly with my wife, baggage and almost full fuel. See the Wt&Bal below, you can plug those nums into your own spreadsheet. That's about as heavy and I want to fly in the summer. (O-360 & fixed-pitch prop). There are no flaps to help with takeoff speed and the airplane cannot fly until the canard reaches a speed to lift the nose. These are not short-field airplanes. To me they are two-persons + ample baggage airplanes. Nose extensions: Not usually done. you are probably reading Long-EZ comments. 15-20 years ago I would have said $20K to build the airframe. These days I would guess $25-30K for the airframe but there are many discontinued projects that come up. They will save you a bunch

This complaint (pic 1) grabbed from FB. Experience--mine and others-- has demonstrated that a transponder antenna in the nose is problematical. Pic 2 is an EZ tilted to about a +2º deck angle as one might see in cruise. If you are climbing away from a radar station, the deck angle might be 3-4º nose high. Say you are 20 NM from the radar station at 5,000' AGL. The look angle from the aircraft to the radar is only 2.5º low. If you're cruising with a +2º deck angle, large bags of water (you) and the engine are between the antenna and the radar. Worse when climbing. A commenter to the FB post said he put the antenna in the strake but the same effect can occur if the bodies get between the antenna and the radar. Also, there is relatively high loss in a long transponder coax so for my money, the best place is on the belly below the seat. A transponder reply burst is only miliseconds--too short to heat up any important parts of your body.

Now I have to take exception to that. You haven’t been building for 13 years have you Andrew? It doesn’t seem like it. Anyway, I think an good effort that works a little every day, and a full Saturday or Sunday should not taken much beyond 4 years and 2000 hours.

For one, Aerocomposites who makes gear legs and cowls may not make them until they have several orders. Canopies may take a few weeks. Other stuff is pretty available but you have to look it up, place an order and wait for shipping. If these were as complete as RV or Zenith kits, it would be great but you are ordering each item.

For me the holdup is parts--gear legs, canopy, Cozygirrl parts, premade cowls and wheel pants if you want them. If you had everything you could build one in two years. When there is a delay getting these things, it slows you down, saps your enthusiasm and the project stalls. Just spend the money, order all the materials you can and a couple gallons of epoxy. Shipping is so expensive these days. 🙂

Page 7 here http://www.cozybuilders.org/Canard_Pusher/1982-10_cp-34.pdf

Very nice workmanship. Moving is discussed fairly regularly. In the interest of teaching a man to fish, there are four main canard forums that are useful for answering questions like this: First search for Cozy AND Trailer here. It will bring up a post on moving by Manju Nag with a link to pics of his move. Also search www.CanardCommunity.com, www.CanardAviators.com and the cozybuilders Google Group https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/cozy_builders If you don't find anthing helpful, I will be glad to post some pics. A Cozy is an oversized load if shipped flat. Manju got permits. Some people tilt the aircraft so it doesn't require the permits. You might get a lower quote through https://www.uship.com/

Just reading this recent report on the crash of Atlas Air 3591. At around 6000 descending in IMC, somebody put the airplane in Take-Off Go Around mode. The First Officer (flying) mistook the acceleration and climb for a stall and put the airplane in a 50 degree dive. When they came out of the clouds at 3000 feet they could not pull out. Hit the ground at 433 knots in a perfectly good airplane. The FO had failed a bunch of training at other airlines and nobody caught that during his hiring. He had a history of panicing on emergencies.

Interesting. After one year on Titan and the condition inspection expires, will they ground it? 🙂

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