CFernandez

Just got off the phone with Jeff R. He said to make it just like the drawing shows and not to extend it out to the lower longeron. He also said the lower longeron was orginally the engine mount on the variez and currently the reinforcement for the step bolts.

 

Onward...

 

P.S. I was referring to the plywood pieces (C and D) that go between the aft lg and firewall.

Any builders out there? How about with a website/pics?

 

Thanks in advance.

I

I am looking forward to getting started on my Cozy. [Once I figure out how to get HAZMAT shipped to Hawaii.]

 

 

What HAZMAT are you referring to? The epoxy? Find one that can be shipped as an ORM-D. That would be your best bet as the regs are a little less restrictive.

 

My $.02

Are pieces C and D on the AeroCanard FG extended to the outside edge of the firewall or do they terminate at the same place as the SB.

 

If they extend out to the FG firewall it seems to me the lower engine mount will not be supported in the same fashion. Should there be something else??

 

Help.

A better question would be, if Al wants to mfg. a/c kits why is he ignoring potential customers.

 

Give him a call, 800-558-7180 and if you don't mind let us know what he says.

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_cat.php/subid=6543/index.html

 

Another mile stone. Keep at it Al!

I hope to be making a website of my project soon.

What's the URL? Any pics till then?

 

I understand that the construction manual is being rewritten at this point, a much needed change.

Any word on when it will be done or update from Al.

I couldn't stand it anymore. Last night I built a room in the two car garage out of aluminum lined foam board so I can work during the winter months.

The room is about 10' x 10'. The walls (foam board) are hinged at the ceiling so they can be moved up and out of the way when the snow is falling outside and I want to park the car inside. I know it's not a big space but it is better than not being able to build at all during the winter months.

I have a small oil filled heater that keeps the room at 55 on the lowest setting and have yet to see what it will take to get 70 degrees.

I'm excited...

Here is a member map for Cozy and AeroCanard builders.

 

http://www.frappr.com/cozyaerocanard

 

just add your name, location and picture if you like.

 

(I suppose Jon could make one for the Canard Zone memberlist.)

Jon Matcho said:

I have to catch up to Carlos and others that are leaving me in the dust!

Don't worry Jon, my garage is now cold, it's snowing outside and the build has moved inside (don't tell my wife I laying glass in our finished basement).

I'm working on the small stuff like the seat back brace and heat duct.

Do you have any pics of your shop improvements? I would like to be able to continue building up the fuse sides but it's cold out there.

I hope you can get back to building soon!

Wayne Hicks said:

I started with a solid core door held up by two saw horses, a ginzu knife, and all my garage crap piled to one side. The garage got "organized" around Chapter 10.

Wayne, I think I have your garage now. (aerocanard.kal-soft.com picture 22).

I couldn't wait anymore the mess was getting to me. I still have the garage but it is a little neater now...not much though .

A big, warm, well lit shop is ideal for sure, but until then I'm building what I can now.

Email Brett Ferrell and ask him if he can get a hold of Ray. I believe they are in the same EAA Chapter and Brett is in this fourm.

Todd,

 

Where are you located? I have seen that Speed Canard many times at the AirZoo (I'm from Kalamazoo) and yes, it looks great, congrats!

This quote comes from another forum and is a quote from Dust (I hope he doesn't mind).

 

"Just talked to Al on behalf of Kumaros, easier for me from Michigan than for Kumaros in Athens.

 

He said that the plans are being completely redone, new illustrations and M drawings and that the purchasers of the electronic version will be able to get the new electronic version for free and will probably have the option to purchase the printed version, for the cost of the printing."

 

I also spoke with Al a couple weeks ago and he did say he's working up new plans/drawings which would be ready in "3 months".

 

I wish AeroCad the best b/c I look forward to buying molded parts down the road.

There is a gentleman retrofitting a jet engine to a Velocity, but I don't think they've flown yet, and I can't seem to find the link.

 

B

www.x-jets.com

Get your wallets out! It looks like Hurricane Katrina may have done you a favor and made a supply of relatively undamaged engines available.

 

If you watch aircraft salvage websites at all there are a lot of damaged airframes being sold as salvage.

 

I'm not ready for an engine yet but it looks tempting.

When I placed the second ply on and started to wet it out, I discovered the poured on epoxy "pooled" underneath the first and second ply causing epoxy bubbles, not air, but epoxy.

Have you tried using a roller? Rolling the glass and then the peel ply pushes the glass down into the epoxy as well as the peel ply when you roll them. By doing that you bring up (over and out, whatever the case may be) into the ply and eliminate epoxy and air bubbles.

 

My buddy Andy found Bodi rollers www.bodico.com to be the best value. 1" x 3" plastic roller and 1/4" x 2" corner roller are a must in Andy's and my book.

 

My $.02

 

So, please confirm that I will need two pieces of UNI, butted together, to get complete coverage of the seatback bulkhead?

 

Thanks.

Two pieces and butted together (Check Chp. 3, page 4, Note para.)It is not necessary to overlap uni along the major fibers because the strength direction is along the major fibers, not across them.

 

Overlapping at least 1" would occur if you were crossing the major fibers with a second ply.

 

(I'm on Chp. 5, not an expert...yet. ... )

I suppose I should have detailed this up front. I've spent a lot of hours going over the project in my mind and on paper. I've done lists, spreadsheets, esssays, and tables to try and organize my thoughts and my needs. The Long and the Cozy IV both will fufill them. The tough call is tandem or side-by-side. The rest is all taken care of ;-)

 

-dave

Good, I would say that a Cozy or AeroCanard may be easier to build from a support stand point, the Long certainly has the fast fighter look.

 

I chose the AeroCanard for side-by-side seating as well as the extra room in back and company support/molds option. www.aerocad.com

 

 

Best wishes with your project. It sounds like you're ready to mix epoxy

 

Keep us posted!

I admit to a long term love affair with the L-EZ, but the practicality of the C-IV (C4? no..that would be bad shorthand..) is making me think about this very hard.

 

-dave

Dave,

 

Take a minute and list what you want to accomplish with whatever airplane it is you want. It would be good to do this so your project meets your mission (and your passion). From there you'll know exactly what you want to build. It may be something totally different from a LongEZ or CozyIV.

 

This is nothing new as I was told to do the same thing before starting my project. It makes sense to spend the little time now than to get into a project that doesn't meet your mission when its done. My $.02.

 

Enjoy the journey,

I've been interested in aviation and kit building for a long time but have not yet pulled the trigger on either a piltos license or building a plane. Just a bunch of flying in other folks planes over the years, annual EAA membership and some fly-ins. First it was work, then buying a house then kids... Always something delaying the dream.

There's nothing wrong with those priorities.

 

I've always like the canard designs (Velocity, Cozy, Long EZ, Berkut). Recently my scheming to get started on a project as escalated. I'm pretty close to the point of pulling the funds together to start on a Cozy Mark IV. (at least get the license and plans to start reviewing).

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

Finding the support groups and builder web pages is all part of my buidling plans. Hopefully I'll be around for some time, just hope that mine isn't a 15 year odyssey to finally get one built.

2 years or 15, the day you fly it will make it all worth it. (I'm saying this to myself as well).

 

Again you need to be sure you understand just how easy it is to take an otherwise docile aircraft and turn it into an unflyable machine. Don't let that stop you, just realize modifying an aircraft plan is not trival task.

There it is....

I disagree. The rear passenger would not greatly enjoy the ride in a tandem seat cozy. There is little visibility, and the [plans] Cozy has less headroom in the rear seat than in the front seat.

Steve, I agree with you, the visibility may not be as good as a front seat, but if building a tandem Cozy or side-by-side "whatever" conventional airplane were the two options, I would build the tandem Cozy in a heart beat.

 

For what deronjthomas wants to do, a tandem Cozy would be within limits of the current Cozy compared to "something else", 60" wide. Even if he were to change the turtleback, get some engineering help and do it.

 

...AND THE GROUND...

That would not stop him from designing, building and testing (the first time). If that were the case we would all be sitting in the grass wondering what it would be like to fly...instead we get to watch people like Mike Melville corkscrew into outer space. I'll say it again design, build, test whatever it is.

 

I guess what I'm saying is don't let anything stop you. If you want to do something, educate yourself and do it. It is that easy. (Easier said than done, I know.)

Justa curious newbie, but are the seatback bulkhead cutouts called out for after the first layup. Wouldn't be easier to cut the raw foam first then do the layups? This way we would only have to knife trim all cutouts, with the dritz, and sand when cured.

 

Also, when should we remove the peel ply, after compete cure or after we knife trim?

 

Thanks.

Cutting thru the glass and foam is not a big deal. I used a small hacksaw.

 

I would take the peel ply off after cure (24 hours). Waiting longer (days? months?)you might forget it is there. Installing the part somewhere with peel ply on is not acceptable. Take it off sooner than later.

 

Sanding before installing a peel plyed part ensures you get the areas that the peel ply wasn't able to get to (usually a small area).

If we where to add 18" to make it 60"; dose any one know how that would effect the aircraft? I know it would add weight, but I don't know how much. Alternatively, I could just forget about expanding the width of the Cozy, and just make my brother sit in back.

If you want to design, build and test a 60" wide Cozy-like aircraft I would love to see you do it...why...because there is absolutely nothing to stop you... except...you.

 

My 2 cents.

 

The Cozy takes 160-200hp at 42" wide, the Velocity XL takes 260-300hp at 48" wide, the deronjthomas-canard at 60" wide takes how many ponies?

 

It seems to me that by the time you designed, built and tested this new canard you could have built a Velocity XL and been well ahead.

 

Try on the Velocity XL, check the specs, call Velocity and ask about front seat weight. I think you will like it.

 

The tandem seat Cozy idea sounds really good though (and easy to do) Again, there is absolutely nothing to stop you...