Waiter

Jack, Very sorry to hear this. But very happy your here to write it. Waiter

My longest flight to date is 12 hours. I typically fly San Jose to Toledo in about 9 hours (non-stop). For comfort, I'll take the LongEZ over any other plane, including a B-737. Waiter

Wayne - OR, you could qualify as a Boom Operator on a KC135 Air-Refueling Tanker. Their motto - "lay on your stomach and pass gas" :D

None of these are problems, just different techniques required. Waiter

I'm not aware of any plans change that relocated the mains. According the the Pilots Operating Handbook. the main gear needs to be at 110.5 +/- one inch. So, your measurements are in tolorance. Moving the mains forward will allow the nose to be rotated ealier during the takeoff. It will also allow you to tip the plane over backwards a lot eaasier. Waiter

Correct, The Aft CG limit was moved from the original limit, 104. To the new limit, 103. I'm at the aft limit, 103, not 103.5 Waiter

As your aware, one of the many issues you'll need to address when you install your fuselage "plug", the published LongEZ numbers, CG, weights, MAC, etc, will no longer be valid for the new aircraft. I believe this is what Marc was getting at, This is not the type of modification that can be made by someone like myself, or the majority of builders. I lack the knowledge of how these items need to be computed and how they interact with each other. For people like myself, its a safer bet to follow the plans and stick with the proven design. Waiter

I like this option! I built a LongEZ with an O-320 and a MT constant speed prop (45 lbs). I was very careful on my weights and went to extreem to move as much weight as far foward as possible. Extend the nose about 9 inches. brake cylinders in the nose. Battery moved forward. electrical system components, master relay, strobe power supply. When I finished, I didn't need any ballast, and my CG was at the aft limit (103.5) (Correction - the Aft limit is 103, not 103.5. edit by Waiter) Look at how I did the nose here: http://www.iflyez.com/LongEZ_Construction_Photos_Nose.shtml Waiter

I think the unit in the diagram runs at about 80 hz. It wouldn't hurt to shield the unit in a box Waiter

Heres a nice little circuit and description: http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/power/026/ Waiter

Flight Testing is the limiting factor. (220 mph = 190 kts.) Regardless of what the design speed is, the aircraft must be flight tested and placarded accordingly. As a general rule of thumb, take the highest flutter speed achieved during testing, and multiply it by 0.85. This is the placarded Vne. If the maximum speed during flutter testing was 160 kts, then the aircraft needs to be placarded with a Vne of 136 kts (160 x .85 = 136) When I tested my LongEZ, The highest flutter test speed I reached was 260 kts, I red lined my aircraft at 221 kts. (260 x .85 = 221) Take a look at my web site and you can download a publication put out by the FAA: AC 90-89A Amateur Built aircraft and ultralite flight testing handbook. goto: http://www.iflyez.com/Placards.shtml Scroll down to the bottom. Waiter

CLASS A CLASS A CLASS A CLASS A Repeat after me, Class A, NOT Class G ( I don't have a clue where I got that from, Its sad when an Ausie knows the airspace better than a Local :-) Note to Moderator - We need one of those Smilies thats shows me pulling my head out of my behind :-( Waiter

(Edited by waiter - References to Class G should be Class A) In the United States, Class G airspace begins at 18,000 ft, and extends up to 60,000 ft. Normally, flight into Class G requires the aircraft be operated under IFR rules. HOWEVER, There are exceptions; There are several areas around the US that operate with a "Letter of Agreement" with the FAA that allow VFR traffic into Class G. Most notably, near Minden Nevada, Gliders are able to operate well into the Flight Levels in an area known as "The Wave". A mountain wave builds up on the leeward side of the Sierra Nevada's VFR flight must be pre-coordinated with the FAA (Oakland center) as they reroute IFR traffic to stay clear. This is also the site used for High Altitude "records". Most notably, in 1996, Jim Price set an altitude record of 35,027 ft in his normally aspirated LongEZ. Personally, I'd love to see the FAA do something like a "High Altitude Endorsement" that would allow VMC flight above 18,000ft. The current 18,000ft rules have been in place since the beginning of time, and don't take into account the high altitude capabilities of many GA aircraft that are now entering the fleet. Waiter

Find a project that someone has started and has run out of steam. You'll get the parts for the price they paid, and generally, get hundreds/thousands of hours of labor for free. Waiter'

In my case, the heat shield was also used to mount the wheel pants, OR The wheel pant mount plate also acted a s heat shield for the disk brake. Waiter

I set the camber to vertical (match the flats of the bow when its spread) double check that both wheels match. The bow needs to be on the fuselage to do this. Waiter

I used .125. Make it about 1/2 inch larger in diameter than the brake disk. Then cut out for about 1/4 clearance for the brake caliper assembly. Waiter

When you initially install the axels, you want to get the toe-in (the front of the wheels pointing at each other ) and camber (The top to bottom tilt of the wheel) as close as you can to the specs. If you do a good job here, you won't need to shim or adjust later, and the mount holes will be perfect. You can't do anything about caster, this is set by the forward angle of the gear bow. The Plans tell you how to measure and install the axels to give you the toe-in and camber, but leave out one very important step; The gear bow must spread apart and angled forward as if you were Taxiing or taking off. I spread mine so that the flats of the bow (the portion where the axel mount) was almost vertical. In this position, the flats on both side of the bow will be almost vertical, and the camber will be strainght up and down ( If you set the Toe-in and camber with the bow unsprung, these numbers will be WAY OFF when you jump in your plane and start to taxi.) The fuselage needs to be level, AND the gear bow needs to be spread apart. I used a come-a-long to spread the bow, then cut a 4x4 and wedged it between the two legs to hold the bow spread apart. Reverify the fuselage is level front-to-back and side-to-side. ( Put blocks under the 4x4 to hold it in place, probably wouldn't hurt to put a couple blobs of Bondo on the blocks and 4x4 to keep them from getting bumped.) Build up the axel mount areas with FLOX and small squares of BID, use small "C" clamps. If you use three clamps per axel, you can make adjustments to the toe in amd camber by systematically adjusting the clamps. With the wet FLOX you'll have a couple hours to play with these and get them as close as you can. Two additional comments regarding these measurements: 1) Don't forget that the axels need to be level in relation to the fuselage, otherwise your plane will taxi lopsided. Cut two wooden block and allow the axels to rest on these. This will hold the heights of the axels constant as your adjusting the clamps for toe-in and camber. 2) When measuring Toe-In, there are two measurements you need to be aware of; The each wheel in relation to the other wheel, AND, each wheel in relation to the centerline of the aircraft. If your not careful with the centerline measurement, your toe-in could be correct in relation to the other wheel, BUT, your plane will dog-leg (taxi sideways) when you taxi. When the FLOX cures, Reverify the fuselage level and the Toe-in and camber measurements. If you carefully remove the clamps, the axels will stay on the bow. If you need to make another adjustment, you can lay up a couple squares of BID and reclamp the axels to the corrected position. OR, you can use a block sander and sand off a little of the FLOXed pad to make the adjustment. The axel holes can then be marked and drilled. I mounted a heat shield plate between the axel and the bow. The heat shield plate doubles as my wheel pant mount. http://www.iflyez.com/Wheel_Pants.shtml Waiter

I thought about doing this, but decided against it; It would be possible to use a single pump (the Infinity pump) to drive both the mains and the nose. In order to retract/extend the nose separately from the mains, you would need at minimum two additional solenoid valves. These valves would isolate (shut off flow) to the main UP and DOWN circuits that go to the main gear actuators. I decided not to do this because of the risks associated if either of these valves failed. 1) If the UP valve failed, you would pressurize the mains UP cylinder, but they won't go up because the fluid on the down side is locked by the DOWN valve. 2) If the DOWN valve failed, the mains DOWN pressure would vent to the reservoir, but the UP valve prevents the nose up pressure from pressurizing the UP side of the main cylinders. 3) If both valves failed, (or leaked) it would be conceivable that the mains could retract while the nose is retracting. My biggest concern would be a small leak in the DOWN valve. If there were any trapped air in the MAIN's side of the valve , the fluid could leak through the DOWN valve and pressurize the DOWN lines going to the nose. This could result in the nose gear extending slowly over a period of hours, days, or weeks, and the plane ultimately falling back on it tail. I'm not sure about any weight savings. Compared to the electric actuator, the hydraulic system would include the additional weight of plumbing and fittings, actuator, valves, fluid, and maybe an external fluid reservoir (The internal resevoir on the Infinity pump may not have enough capacity to provide three actuators with fluid). The electric nose gear provide total isolation of these components and is a drop in solution. Waiter

Anyone can get the repairman's certificate, regardless of how much they actually built. There is no such thing as a 51% rule that applies to a Repairman's certificate. To qualify for the Repairman's Certificate, you must be the "Primary builder and can satisfactorily prove requisite skill in determining whether the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation". This is generally done by providing builders logs, photos, etc of you, in close proximity to the plane as its being built. The Infamous 51% rule applies to the FAAs ruling on "Kits". In order to qualify a Kit under the Amateur built catagory, the Kit cannot preassemble more than 49% of the aircraft. As for the Amateur Built catagory, the majority of the aircraft must be built by "persons who undertook the project solely for educational or recreational purposes". It doesn't have to be the same person. it could be many people, as long as they're doing it for "Education or Recreation". If you can't prove this, then you will likely end up with a more restrictive "Exhibition" or even worst "Restricted" class of the Experimental Airworthiness certificate. You can download a copy of the rules and application from my web site. Look under: http://www.iflyez.com/Placards.shtml Scroll down to: AC 20-27D Certification and Operation of Amateur Built Aircraft and 8610-2 Airman Certificate. and/or Rating Application Waiter

I understand this plane isn't in the US!!.. I have a couple thoughts on this: 1) Call the FSDO (or DAR) who issued the Operating Limitations (OL's). Ask to speak to the person who issued the OL's and tell them your thinking of changing the engine. Ask what they would like you to do. 2) They may want to re-inspect the airframe and re-issue a new set of OL's. (or not) 3) One of the factors driving the decision to update you current OL's will be the age of your original OL's. If they are real old and don't contain the new "Standard Language", The FSDO will want to reissue a new set of OL's. 4) ALSO, your OL's specify a very specific airport / operating area to conduct Phase I flights. Operation outside this assigned area is not permitted when conducting Phase I flights. (I'm going through this now with my landing gear change. I have old OL's, I've made major structural modifications, AND I'm changing my Phase I operating area, thus the need for new OL's) If your real lucky and there is no requirement to update your OL's I would expect that you will be told to conduct 25 - 40 hours of Phase I and an inspection by the FSDO will not be required. If this is the case, you'll make a logbook entry something like: "As per OL's dated mmddyy, Paragraph XYZ, ( XYZ = the part that says you need to reenter Phase I after any major airframe modifications) Airframe Time 1234 hrs, 20 May 2008, Aircraft N1234EZ removed from Phase II flight restrictions and entered into Phase I flight restrictions" Now, do all your testing (don't forget any new Aerobatic maneuvers that need to be documented) When you've flown off your 40, and are ready to go back to Phase II, make a similar log entry: "Airframe Time 1274 hrs, 20 June 2008, Aircraft N1234EZ removed from Phase I flight restrictions and entered into Phase II flight restrictions" Don't let the "Flight Restrictions" word scare you, You will ALWAYS be restricted to your OL's and be operating under either "Phase I" or "Phase II" Don't Forget, If you plan on doing any aerobatics as part of your Phase II, These must first be defined, demonstrated, and log book entries made during Phase I. Describe the maneuver plus entry speeds, altitudes, roll rates, exit speeds, etc, etc. Waiter

I would guess that a 13b "installation" (everything included, radiators, ducting, alternaturs, pumps, etc, etc, etc.) would be very close to the weight of O-320 "Installation". Maybe some of the folks who've installed 13b's can "weigh" in on this! Waiter

It might require a large shoehorn to get it in there, but, heck, why not. I've see O-320s in VariEZs. Waiter

Yes! Yes! Yes! Waiter

The number s came out of their 2001 cat. I edited my post, I can't find the cap, but they do have a gasket # still listed. Call and ask them I just had the number from the web site, looks like the new number for the gasket is 05-01393. OH, and I would consider attaching the chain. I did have one of these pop off once on a high speed pass. (240 kts) The cap just sat on the strake and looked like a miniature parachute, no bouncing or banging. Waiter