tonyrothwell

Hey Colin, Wayne gave you some good information but to take it a bit further; there are two ways of building a homebuilt VH registered aircraft; one is virtually identical to the USA rules; build whatever you want to build however you want to build it and you MUST be given an experimental certificate BUT it may contain limitations on where you can fly but only to protect other people outside your aircraft. However if you build something apparently likely to be safe in operation with a well known quantity for an engine then you should have few if any restrictions placed on your aircraft - same as in the USA. OR you can build an aircraft on the CASA 'approved' list so long as you stick to the plans etc and get an 'amateur built' certificate of airworthiness. Then again, if you want to build an aircraft that fits within the "ultra-light" rules you can do so without reference to CASA by joining the Recreational Aircraft Assn and working to their rules (raa.asn.au, if memory serves) Any which way you look at it, you are way ahead of UK rules in Oz.

Cozy Mk III (VH-COZ) Lycoming IO-320-D1B MT Prop Lightspeed Electronic Ignition replaced one magneto IFR, 2 x VHF, Txp, ILS/VOR, Apprch GPS, and HF radio 1080 Lbs complete with full oil, ELT, Tie Down kit etc.

I gotta tell you, Chris's COZY Mk IV is one of the nicest Cozy's I have ever seen. The panel and finish and workmanship etc are all first class and he is my tip for this year's "Concourse" winner at Cowra.

With my wife, builders and pilots of a Mk3 with a Lyc IO-320 and MT constant speed prop. Fantastic aircraft - we are still thoroughly enjoying with over 1000 flight hours up. Thanks Burt and Nat.

To start the ball rolling Brenda and Tony Rothwell from Australia - we just managed to get a couple of frequent flyer tickets so we'll be there again! Anybody got any ideas of dates etc for the traditional get together and any ideas for the less informal dinners, talkfests etc etc? (We have a Cozy Mk 3 with > 1000 hours on it, Lyc IO-320 and MT cs prop) Looking forward to it already! Tony

Hi Jon, Yep, friend with a few hours on the aircraft was flying and he had set up the approach not really lined up with the centerline; Cross wind from the right. At the last minute I SHOULD have called for him to go around but didn't, I tried to drop the right wing to stop the drift. I was too successful and hit the nosewheel hard sideways. The fork broke off completely and we skidded to a halt on what was left of the lower part of the swivel. Very fortunate that nothing hit the MT three blade constant speed prop. The lesson is the same old one; Do not try and rescue a crap approach; go around and do it right. Murphy of course got into the act; I had planned about 14 legs over easter but Longreach was by far the furthest from home so of course that was where it happened! You'll find it (YLRE) on Google Earth in outback Queensland - the place with a B747 outside the museum to the founders of Qantas Airlines - and you can figure out how they landed a Jumbo on a 100 ft wide runway!! http://www.qfom.com.au/ will take you to the web site and a whole raft of interesting history - and the reason we went there. See you all at OSH 07, Tony

Conclusion: Jon reminded me of Jack's manufacturing business; Jack has a whole assembly in stock - Pay Pal works really quickly and I should have the parts all the way from SC to Canberra Australia in 3 days guaranteed - well lets say a week or so anyway! Wonderful service. Tony

Gidday Mate, Thanks Jon. Have now made it home, looked in the plans and it is NG-16 installed in NG-17 that I need. Followed your lead and emailed Jack this evening. It's the nose gear fork and the bottom half of the swivel for a MK -3 or Long Eze that I need; will wait Jack's reply before I chase around more widely. Hooroo, Tony

URGENTLY REQUIRED Folks I landed cozy-3 VH-COZ at Longreach in the outback of western Queensland, Australia in a crosswind and sheared the nose gear fork right off on Easter Sunday. So far I have not made it back home but what I need rather urgently is the swivelling nose gear assembly and the fork. Front wheel and axle are OK and so is the nosegear strut. If my tired old memory serves me correctly we could be talking NG-15A but its the swivel and fork assembly for a Long-EZ or Cozy-3. Anyone able to help please email tonyrothwell@grapevine.net.au with details. May take me a day to reply since I have ridden the dog for 17 hours and have 6 hours driving plus a two hour flight to get home!!!! Thanks lots, Tony Rothwell

Jon, Thanks for putting it someplace useful Raiki, Building a -4? Well let's put it this way..... I am having a 'thoughtie' ..... and a new garage/workshop is being built outside as I write....... have had plans for years but too busy flying the -3, around a 1000 hours on it now. But I have some ideas for something a bit different too, not mature ideas yet!! Weights of other peoples Cozy-4 parts would give me some useful input in the design process!! Cheers, Tony

Has anybody kept an accurate record of the weight of Cozy IV parts? EG Port Wing with winglet and aileron before finishing weighs? Canard weighs? Etc for the whole box of bits before (or after) finishing, so long as it is clear which is quoted. Would appreciate info and Forum Host please move this to an appropriate spot. Tks, Tony Cozy 3 VH-COZ

Wow -a that's high tech. I used a long piece of clear plastic tubing with green cooking dye and water - and would you believe this is so accurate that you must mix the water and dye in one batch so it all has the same density and also you must not let the sunlight warm one arm of your level! Works a treat. Use it to level the table too.

Whilst I would dearly love a turbo on my Cozy-3, that would be a lot of extra weight and I really do not know how I would fit it in BUT, at FL180 with 50% power I can still get 157 Kts and of course I only pay for the 50% power fuel flow. Economical motoring on an IO-320.

From my experience, it is WAY cheaper to simply order the whole kit of stuff from Aircraft Spruce. You can (maybe) get divinycell here in Australia but last time I checked there were exactly two sheets of 3/8 low density in MEL and none in SYD. You could get a type of clark foam equivalent from a surfboard shop in Brookvale SYD but they have gone down the gurgler unfortunately. West System Epoxy may be great for finishing (very high water resistance as you would expect from a boaties epoxy) but is not recommended for structural applications on aircraft and is not as easy to work compared to the recommended items. If you use anything different from the plans YOU are the new designer - and if you have not at least used the plans specified materials you may not recognise what the differences are. EG. The surfboard makers clarke foam is more flexible and softer than the specified product - seems OK for the turtledeck but not the instrument panel would be my guess on it. Cheers, Tony

John, I bought all Brock parts for my Cozy-3, and upgraded to the Roncz canard parts as well. I must say I found every single part to be extremely well made, great welding, excellent plating and what is more their service is first class - and that is from an Australian who has to put up with all the #$%^&* of customs and freight costs and uncertainties. Example: I ordered a couple of nose gear metal fittings last Monday morning and they were on UPS the same day with an invoice for me to pay - the freight cost being twice the parts cost - but at least the parts are now on the aircraft on the other side of the world. Tony

Folks, having simply bought both sets of parts from Brock, I can answer my own question and let you all know as well - which may help some Cozy-3 owners wishing to upgrade. The Mk-4 NG-3 and -4 are both made of 0.062 material whereas the Mk-3 used 0.040 and 0.050 material. New ones are MUCH stronger and have just been installed - now I gotta go and do the cover strip replacement and get back for another flying fix. Happy Flying, Tony

Does anyone know if the nose gear fittings for the Mk 3 are the same as the Mk 4? (At least in respect to the brackets at the lower end of the shock strut). My Cozy - 3 has a bent bolt and fittings as well as the assembly having moved about 1/4 inch down the nose gear strut. I note Nat says on page 1 of Ch 13 for the MK 4 that the NG-1L nose gear strut was designed for the long eze - and I know that is true for the Mk 3 strut but is it still true for the Mk 4 strut? If so why does Ken Brock list the parts differently (and with a considerable price differential)??? If its a heavier set of brackets that will still fit then that has to be the way to go but question is, will the MK4 brackets fit the Mk 3 strut?? Gotta get flying again. Tony

I have di-chroic "down" lights installed in each lower winglet of my Cozy-3. I shopped around until I found a 7 degree beam unit. Now these are nowhere near as bright as normal aircraft landing lights but you can see their light on the runway from about 100 feet on final approach. More importantly, you can see to taxi the aircraft around a crowded ramp in the dark. I also have ceramic heat protection cloth (firewall material) in behind the globes. Cover is a bit of acrylic plastic moulded around the winglet. I also have the standard aircraft landing lamp in the belly but have never used it for take off or landing - the winglet lights are adequate for me - so long as the noise continues!!!!!!!

Melki, I guess it is strange to get an answer on icing from Australia. It is not fun! The canard is VERY heavily loaded compared to the main wing - test it - look at the location of the C of G range compared to both the lifting surfaces. The reduced pressure over the high lift canard causes a really quick ice build up and the nose is going down - right NOW. I have had this in the summer at FL 145 and in the winter at uncomfortably low levels at night in rain and cloud. I now avoid any risk of icing like the plague. But the aeroplane will certainly do 1100 nm on a tank of gas if you just slow down a bit or install a bigger tank. I've done 1050 on standard tanks with an IO-320 and still had 2.25 hours reserve at 55%. Tony

I guess I am really lucky - my job is the fox in charge of the henhouse - I do the equivalent of the FAA's Sport Aviation compliance function in Australia when I am not flying the Cozy (trouble is they expect my team to do the compliance auditing for all the airways functions (ATC etc) as well, which tends to take time out from the serious sport aviation stuff). And the cozy-3 has close to 600 hours on it now. FUNTASTIC

John, Its been a while since I did mine but I do not recall any problem with this. All I can suggest is that you check the parts descriptions to make sure they are the right ones - THAT was a problem I did encounter from time to time when I goofed and tried using the wrong stuff. Certainly did not need any heat or lubricant to get my brass sleeves in. Tony

Nick, I got a couple of photos of the E-Racer downdraft cooling and exhaust augmentation at OSH. Is there any way to post them on here for all to see?

I'm interested. Will be keen to see your results Saw the E-racer at OSH - liked the look of that, especially the exhaust augmentation system - assuming it does good things???

Dan, I have around 500 hours in the -3. The visibility is all you could ask except on final approach. You really do have to take care on an approach with hills or trees around - clearing the nose is always good practice but it becomes a must in the Cozy. I am 5'11" and I do not think any reasonable change of seating position is going to affect this problem. It is an inherent design characteristic of a canard aircraft. You don't have flap to change the fuselage attitude for a given approach speed and the canard is out there blocking the forward and down view when you get a nose high attitude. But hey, with all the great safety characteristics of the type this is not a design fault per se - it just requires you fly according to the characteristic of the aircraft - move the nose around a bit to see where you are going. (And given we have had TWO conventional high wing aircraft collide with other aircraft on final approach in this country this year - a message other pilots need to heed also.) Build it per plans and change the cushions to optimise where your eyes are would be my advise. Cheers, Tony