Kent Ashton

I see that the seller of the Ebay EZ above https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=66835 added that it has an Airworthiness Certificate but he doesn't say he has title to the airplane. Hmmm. I have a friend who bought one like that and he has not been able to register it.

This is about the best way I've seen to plumb an armpit cooling setup (pic 1). Hat tip Don B. He also has a smaller NACA on the bottom for carb air. I like it because the area under the strake is a relatively high pressure area in a climb, i.e., when the engine is making the most heat, and the air is directed right to the bottom of the cylinders. Air is heavy and you don't want to admit it to the engine compartment then have it change directions several times to get to the fins, or swirl around in the cowl, or pile up against the aft baffle as it tries to find a way out. The inlet edges are a bit thicker than seems necessary, though. The only thing I would change is to build a sharp-edged divider in the intake that would split the incoming-air horizontally, taking half to the forward cylinder and half to the rear. You can see other armpit intakes here https://www.berkut13.com/berkut28.htm but I think the first is a better idea. Pic 2 is a nice duct by Steve Velovsek. I don't recall what he had in the cowl itself but he said the duct worked well

This Long-ez seen on the Knoxville, TN Craigslist today. https://knoxville.craigslist.org/avo/d/lenoir-city-rutan-long-z/7073645011.html The price ($20K) might be a bit ambitious for a disassembled airplane with a dated panel and medium-time O-235 but the paint looks OK. Could be back in the air pretty quickly. I only see one EZ registered in Loudon County so it could be this one which appears to be registered to the wife of the builder--N19BP. https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=18BP If that's the right airplane, Robert L. Prior passed away in 2010 and likely the family is selling his airplane https://www.mylife.com/robert-prior/e691401442230 So the airplane has been sitting since 2010 I'll bet someone told them it was worth $20K without studying the matter. Make a "serious" offer listing all the updates needed (panel, ADSB, engine work, inspections, etc), and you might get a deal. BTW, the disassembled Long-EZ above on Ebay is up to $3150 with two days to go.

The Long-ez first listed here for $79,500 https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=63891 relisted in today's Barnstormers for $67,500. Keep 'er comin', keep 'er comin'. Beep, beep, beep.

Ground loops: One time I had a fuel pressure that would mostly read OK, then sometimes when starting the airplane it would be zero or 1 PSI, or go zero in operation then recover after flying for a while. I changed the Facet pump, the fuel pump, and checked the fuel system for obstructions. Turns out that it was likely a "ground loop". Those senders employ tiny currents. My gauge was grounded to a ground block behind the instrument panel but the sender was grounded on the engine. The difference in ground potential between the two grounding points created a conductive loop as this article explains. After re-wiring the gauge and sender to the same ground point, my problems disappeared. http://everything.explained.today/Ground_loop_(electricity)/ Another time I got high oil pressure. I don't recall the final diagnosis but along the way I learned that a Lycoming is very unlikely to show an unexpected high oil pressure. The oil pump pumps as much as it can pump and the excess pressure is relieved by a spring-loaded relief ball in a device above the engine (pic). The relief ball resistance is adjusted by using extra washers under the spring, a bigger spring, or an adjustment screw. It will almost never go high for no reason unless perhaps debris has jammed the relief ball--(then your engine is coming apart!). I think my problem was a ground loop there too. OTOH, low oil pressure is often a real indication of a worn out engine, worn out pump, engine running very hot, or loose bearings. Anyway, if you are wiring a pusher, ground those senders and gauges at the same point.

Link to Varieze sale notice today

Good price on this LIghtspeed Plasma II today, about half price of a Plasma II+. I am still using two Plasma originals. You get a few more features with the P-II+ or P-III versions but I doubt you could tell any difference in starting or performance. I had the P-III on the EZ and really couldn't tell much difference but I like them all. The manuals are still on line. http://lightspeed-aero.com/Manuals/Plasma_CdiManual_20130317.pdf CD IGNITION • $750 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • Light Speed Engineering:PlasmaII Electronic Ignition,Complete set-up. Replace 1 mag.863-698 8491 • Contact Craig Muth, - located Mulberry, FL United States • Telephone: 863-698-8491 • Posted February 21, 2020

Yeah, it would be good to have the Section II manual. Upload it to the Open-EZ topic. forums—>models—>open-ez

I imagine it could be done but the low profile version is $16,500. Throw in a custom engine mount and jiggering with the intake, exhaust and cooling setup to suit a pusher, it doesn't seem like a great advantage over a used O-320. Would you use a prop extension? It is a rather blunt engine without one and with an extension you'd have to determine if the redrive is strong enough. The choice of prop would be another question.

I I don't have a copy of Section II anymore but it shouldn't be a show-stopper. It was written for a carbureted O-235, air filter on the firewall . . . that's all I can remember. I never really looked at Section II for my EZ. If you go with an O-320 you will probably re-arrange everything anyway. There is nothing you can't figure out from looking a pictures of other folks' projects. By the time you get to that point you will already probably have it all figured out. The main things are what sort of engine, fuel system and filter, where to put the oil cooler, updraft or downdraft cooling, how to integrate a heat muff and carb heat. I have not seen a Section II online.

I think you will be fine to print them out from the buiilder manual PDF. If you want to check first, print a page with dimensioned parts and confirm the dimensions.

Just noticing this ad for the Rotec line of Throttle Body Carburetors. Something you might consider. The price for an O-360 version is reasonable $899--about the same as a refurbished Marvel carb. https://store.rotecaerosport.com/rotec-mkii-tbi-48-4-5 I have had TBIs on an O-320 and O-320 and like them a lot. Compared to the Marvel carb I've used, a TBI can be leaned smoothly until the engine will just about die. The atomization is better than a Marvel and the TBIs don't exhibit the roughness you get when over-leaning a Marvel. Consequently you have the choice of running very lean (when below 75% pwr) or richening to go faster. I estimate that I save around 1/2 to 3/4 GPH over the Marvel. My Ellison TBI was expensive to overhaul--$415. I see that Rotec sells an overhaul kit which Ellison did not. NVaero.com has taken over the Ellison system but these days, the Rotec looks better to me. http://website.informer.com/visit?domain=nvaero.com With a TBI you would still need carb heat but they are not as affected by icing conditions as a Marvel. You can't tune the cylinders like you can with fuel injection and I believe FI gets slightly better fuel consumption but I doubt the difference is appreciable. The Ellison TBI I have on the Cozy runs smoothly as installed. On the EZ, the engine would hesitate slightly when running very lean. It was uncomfortable. I installed a homemade airflow straightening block (pic 3) between the air filter and the TBI which helped a lot. It was pretty easy to make: stainless honeycomb, 2 pieces of aluminum, 4 spacers between the aluminum to keep from crushing the honeycomb and all held together with epoxy/flox.

The sad Long-ez first discussed here, https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/?do=findComment&comment=65528 seen listed on ebay today with a few more pics. Item No. 153837533279. N25ED deregistered in 2014. Seller does not indicate he has title. That, of course, is the problem. The FAA will not normally let you re-register a previously-register airplane without proving chain-of-title from the last registered owner. A little sleuthing revealed that the builder/register owner Davis died in 2012 https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/obituary.aspx?n=eric-laurens-davis&pid=157868661 It only took a couple minutes to find one of his sons. https://www.usphonebook.com/858-705-0030 If I was interested in this airplane I would call the family up, offer my condolences and politely inquire if Davis' heir--probably his wife--would mind signing an FAA Bill of Sale. Offer a couple hundred bucks for her trouble. Then get a certified copy of the Davis' probate judgement and bingo, you have proof of chain-of-title that would likely satisfy the FAA. No need for a bill of sale from the recent seller since he never owned the airplane as far as the FAA is concerned. With title and the old N-number reapply for reissuance of the airwortlhiness certificate. Question is, is this airplane cheap enough to justify the trouble? With an engine included, it probably is. Oh what a detective I would make! 🙂 https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/NNum_results.aspx?NNumbertxt=25ED

I saw a message from J.D. Newman today saying he had been sick but planned to resume his business (Infinity) some day. From the description of his problems I wouldn't count it it happening very quickly.

Seen on FB today. Cozy III with a Subaru . . . in Puerto Rico. At $15K, it is likely to stay there, too.

Made a cover for the Cozy. Fabric is 9 oz., 60"-wide Sunbrella Marine fabric. 60" will just stretch across the fuselage from side to side. It is probably too heavy to sew on your wife's machine unless she is a hard-core sewist. The fabric is somewhat expensive at $35/yard. Took 6 yards. To make the canopy shape, I am using a crude pattern made from craft paper (pic 2) but good way to make a pattern over the canopy is to use a "flexible shape pattern". Google it or check out this one https://cyclesource.com/flexible-shape-pattern/ Make the pattern on the airplane and mark cut-lines so it will lie flat. Make reference marks across the cut lines so that the fabric pieces can be matched when sewn, then cut the pattern until it is mostly flat and use it to cut fabric pieces. The rest of the cover is mostly flat pieces. A flexible shape pattern would also come in handy if you wanted to duplicate a wheel pant or cowl shape or confirm one side of the nose is symmetrical to the other. It is always a head-scratcher how to attach straps--I must take a better picture of that. Pic 3 is one I made for the EZ. Time or money, take your choice! 🙂

Here's an example of the moisture that comes out of an engine after flying. My oil temp was the Lycoming-recommended 180°F. After having had experience with spalled cams and tappets (i.e. rust), I blow it out with an air-mattress pump after landing unless I plan to fly again soon; not sure how much it helps. I'm sure the moisture, left in the engine, condenses on the parts. Maybe they are protected by the residual oil film, maybe not, but the film slowly drains off. If you are using a dehydrator it will help that too, otherwise the desiccant has to extract the moisture, which is also oily and coats the desiccant. Recently it had been cold here for several days and a warm front blew in. Everything in the hangar was dripping as moisture in the warm air condensed on the chilled airplane. Even the fiberglass was dripping. 😞 IMG_1779.MOV

Ah yes. Did you know Wilgrove is closing? Sold for development. There are a lot of improvements one can make on an EZ but i don’t know of a comprehensive list. I guess an O-320 and a longer nose are the main change. It takes a lot of research to find what has been done before. Check out the projects for sale in my “sales i’ve seen” thread. Some good values there.

This EZ today: decent price considering it has wings, canard, strakes, cowls and 500 hr. engine. Ugly nose but that can be fixed pretty fast. Needs "tip sails" 🙂 LONG EZ WITH O-320 • $15,000 • FOR SALE • 75% complete Fuse is on wheels, canopy is glassed and cut out but not finished on the inside. Wings are 80% complete, need tip sails mounted (supplied) and finished on the inner side next to fuse. All the major parts are built. Rans canard built by Dennis Olman. Lots of parts go with it, electric pitch trim, nose gear actuator and speed brake. Cozy Girls controls, engine mount, nav lights and power supply etc. Pre made strakes with baffles, Carbon cowl, upper and lower from a Berkut. 1 complete original set of plans. $15,000 with a 500 hour 0-320 out of a Cardinal • Contact Alfred Jones, Owner - located Marthasville, MO United States • Telephone: 3144986982 • Posted February 14, 2020

I downloaded the Rev 5 drawings about 6 months ago in PDF format and had them printed on a large-format printer at a FedEx store and they were right on. There was some confusion about the corner marks but it was just a problem with the marks, not the base drawings. I am sure the Rev 5 drawings are right. I believe the build manual is still available on Ari Glantz's website.

I saw this BD-5 on Ebay today which reminded me of a Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy thinks thoughtfully (yes, a dog can think thoughtfully) "Sometimes we do smart things and sometimes we do dumb things. One of the smartest things I every did: I never bought a Nehru jacket". One of the dumbest things I ever did was buy a BD-5 project (twice!). Here's a chap on ebay today who wants to get his hand out of the BD-5 jar but he is asking $18K so I suspect he will will be stuck a bit longer. What interests me is that he wants to sell it with no documents--not even a bill of sale! It has Canadian registry, which could likely be imported but the inspector/DAR will undoubtedly want to examine the chain of title to make sure it was not just hijacked from a Canadian hangar. Anyway, the ad had some good photos of the drive system. Glad mine is gone. If you ever want to buy a BD-5, lie down and take a nap until the urge goes away.

Have two of these. They are "unobtanium" these days. One is 120" + 6" of bare cable, the other is 105" + 4" of bare cable. They might have been installed in a project but never actually used. PM me. I will post a "sold" if they sell. $43 each includes shipping.

I got my oil cooler adjustable blocker installed. Had to cut off some of it off (dashed lines) because it hit the upper cowl and vent lines when fully open. It moves pretty easily from the cockpit. I will take another picture when I clean up the engine.

More on the chap with the cooling problem (above). I see that he has some armpit intakes which appear to be adequate (pic 1). The armpits appear to feed up to the bottom of the cylinders (pic 2). Good so far. However, I wonder if he is losing air pressure through the big open triangle (arrow, pic 3) or letting air out of the fins prematurely which exits through the triangle. Also, the exit air from his oil cooler and the exit air from the right-side cylinders are trying to get through a small cowl exit on the right side depicted above. That can't be good. He has reduced the cowl exit by partially blocking it with the oil cooler exit. We might think that would raise the right-side temperatures but air can cross-flow to the left exit so the difference from side-to-side may not be great, however, the total exit size is smaller than it looks because of the cooler sheet metal. I have laid on my back under the engine and thought about how to make a plenum for updraft armpit cooling such as his. I decided there was too much stuff under the engine--exhausts, for example-- that would have to be sealed or closed-off to make an airtight plenum. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some big leaks in that lower plenum and he is losing lots of air. Maybe he has no seal at all--just air directed to the bottom of the engine. A piccolo tube manometer would tell the tail. Another thing: the oil cooler has a surface area 3-4 times greater than the exit for the oil cooler which is likely restricting the flow through the cooler. None of this may be valid of course, but it's fun to think about. 🙂 BTW, Lycoming cylinders have a restriction on the aft side of the right cylinders (pic 3, dashed line) and the forward side of the left cylinders which ought to be allowed for, otherwise there will be no flow up those sides if the baffles are very tight.

Facebook--a repository of dumb advice: Saw this plaintive on a FB page (pic 1). It is an honest inquiry. I guess I was there once myself but building a BD-5, you learn such things as the minimum bend radius for alloys. I think Nat put these little gremlins in the plans to frustrate builders; the bracket for the fuel control is another one. The radius of the part is drawn impossibly tight and if bent as drawn 2024-T3 will generally crack. The answers here range from "make it out of fiberglass", "use a kitchen door handle", "2024 cannot be formed" (false), "use aluminum from Lowes" (soft 3003 alloy), and "practice on scrap". True, there were some useful answers but out of 17, nobody referred the OP to a document showing the bend radius required for the various alloys or warn the builder that trying to heat 2024 T3 with a torch in order to bend it will ruin the heat-treat of the alloy. https://www.americanmachinetools.com/bend_radius.htm I/8" 2024 T-3 requires a _minimum_ bend radius of about .062, in other words, bend it around a .125" or bigger rod. Having a few of these bending dies around the shop is handy (pic 2). I make them by welding a suitable steel rod to a piece of flat stock and cut to various lengths. Weld a bit at a time and let the welds cool in between or you will be asking your FB buddies "Why is my welding curved." 🙂