argoldman

The plane around that guy must be made of transparent aluminum. Beam me up Scotty:)

Nothing new about the prone position. Orv and Wil used it in their first. They, in fact were the first aviation hippies (using their hips to control something or other.) We could develop a head holder or a prism system, or now with glass panel a virtual view of whats in front of us so that we wouldn't have to flex our necks. Taking a drink or eating might get a little difficult as might breathing with increasing Gs since the rib cage will be compressed. I guess we could get used to the rudder inputs, and just think of all of the luggage we could pile on top of ourselves. For two place, we could use bunk beds. Getting in and out would be a snap as long as there is a crane nearby. I also kinda like the idea that in a crash my head would be the first part of my anatomy to arrive. The view would be terrific, however. Wasn't the prone position used in the movie Flight of the Phoenix??

Now that I have taken my brain Tums and neural Immodium I can more clearly see what I was trying to get at. Adding surface forward indeed moves the aerodynamic center forward. What I was attempting to convey, before my tongue got in the way of my eyetooth and I couldn't see what I was saying, was that doing that has the same effect on the flying characteristics as would moving the CG rearward on an unmodified plane, necessitating more nose down trim. I gotta stop writing these things late at night. Thanks Marc for the correction. The great thing about these fora and lists is that when a mistake is made there are the experts waiting to trounce on the perp--- And rightly so.

Brain indigestion--- sorry.. of course it moves forward.

My original comment was based on the fact that the position of the canard was not changed. The real question is what effect on changing the C/L the lenghtening of the nose and modification of the strakes has. Assuming that you don't change the wing/canard distance (which Marc talked about in a prior post), It would seem that the elongation of the nose might push the C/L aft somewhat. Not being an aeronautical engineer (but I play one on the web), I have no idea how much if even appriciable. Now back to the CG point. Since we have a good idea of where the W&B should be for a stock Cozy, If the nose extension modification is made, even if not, it is important to do the initial test flights with the CG in the middle and test fly from that point expanding the envelope until the CG causes the instability. I think that this conversation is a great opportunity for all.

Hey, great Idea:mad: :mad: If you do the trim situation, you may find that you run out of downward trim or downward force on the canard with a rear CG, and possibly duplicate the B-2 accident. If you reduce the angle of attack of the canard, you will have that effect, however, at a certain point of reduction, and a certain point at the CG, because the canard will be at a lower angle of attack, with respect to the wing, than the original design, the wing may stall before the canard and you will float down to the ground ever so slowly, unable to get out of the deep stall that the scheduling of the stall angle of attack of the canard is supposed to prevent. However if this happens, you really won't probably have to worry about fixing it:sad: If you decide to change the angle of the canard, do it with plenty of advice from those who know and best from those who have done it and have thoroughly tested their aircraft in more configurations than just straight and level the CG envelope is there for a very important reason. See my previous post about W&B. The only purpose that the nasal augmentation serves, other than appearance is to enable you to use less weight to get your CG in the proper place (the arm is longer). You might find that the weight involved in the enhanced proboscis is equal to or greater than the weight that you would need in the standard configuration. But then you would have had the fun of the added construction. This CG change can and should be calculated before you go into surgery. Just trying to keep you safe.

Air, Any time you make any change it has the ability to affect the CG. Please don't take the next sentence as a personal attack. It is meant to inform, not only you but others on a subject that may prove less than livable. If you are not a pilot, you will learn about W&B. If you are, your basic instructor neglected to make you understand what CG and it's calculations actually are. Please, for your sake, and the sake of your aircraft and the reputation of the E-z types--- Learn all you can about W&B-- perhaps corner an instructor to help you. With the knowledge of how W&B is calculated, you should be able to tell what will happen when you make various changes. In certified aircraft, when new radios are put in or even one is changed, the CG is recalculated and recorded. Anytime you put any kind of weight anywhere other than on the CG itself, it will change the CG (Of course the weight changes too). If you know the weight added (subtracted) and know the distance from the DATUM, you can calculate your new CG. This calculation will tell you if you have to use some sort of counterweight, if your change will put you within the CG envelope, or if you decide to hang a V-12 Cylinder Mercedes engine on the back, what you have to do to the engine mount and other changes to keep the aircraft within the appropriate CG envelope. Of course after you finish the plane you will do a weighing CG--- Vital for your airworthiness certificate. It seems that they don't really care if the aircraft falls apart as long as you show them a good CG sheet. Again don't take this personally. This type of question comes up all to frequently. Understanding W&B is as important as understanding glassing technique.

Wait, Waiter---(couldn't resist) What are the possibilities of noise coming from this circuit? does the unit have to be shielded (or would that help)?

Something in my dim memory tells me that some were using reshaped and wrapped fiberglass ax handles for these. But-- don't take my word for it.

Actually, my post was in the line of a suggestion with canard in cheek. I, indeed have my VOR and GS nested on the bottom of my canard. The only problem that I ran in to was when mounting the BNC connector for one of them (can't remember which one) while measuring where the bulkhead would be, and giving clearance for the thickness of same, the BNC mounting flange interfered with the bulkhead when installing and removing the airfoil,making placement and removal of the canard difficult. For those of you thinking of putting your antennas on the canard (recommended) be aware that when the canard is removed it must move forward and be rotated upward. Keep the BNC away from that arc.

What I did was to use a bed of flox and bid for the bed, and orientate the axles approximately correctly. At this stage, it is somewhat like pushing a string. Use packing tape as a separator on the axle and give a little extra thickness on the pad. When this is hard, using a flat sanding block, reshape the pad so that when the axle is flush to the now modified pad, the caster and camber is correct, and rock is slight. ( I also suggest the use of lasers. Keep in mind that the laser beam has to be parallel to the ground when aiming to the target or all bets are off.) Now the "flat" pad that you sanded will not be completely flat unless your sanding technique is impeccable. This must be corrected. Using a new thin bed of thickish flox, Smear some on the hardened, sanded pad and clamp your axle (and laser to the thick new flox with 4 clamps, two on the bottom and 2 on the top. With proper iterations of clamp tightening, you should be able to get your laser directly on the spot. Of course, you have re taped the axle so you can get it off for future. Let this harden and you now have maximum contact between the axle flange and pad. Drilling now becomes easy (remove one clamp at a time, drill, bolt then do the next) and your gear will be SPOT (laser) On!

Hold on for a minute!!! Before you do any drilling, you must arrange the toe in and out as well as the caster/camber/. this can be done with a bed of flox under the axle flange. Then and only then drill and bolt. If you drill and bolt before this you will have little chance to adjust this-- save some shims, if you are off by just a little. The thickness of the glass on the leg is of little importance save the plans wraps since the axle is compressed to the leg via the bolts through it through the leg through a backplate and then the nuts. Ain't that the nuts.

Midwest engines (england) was bought by diamond who closed the company about 3 years ago. The engine was originally manufactured by Norton for their racing bikes and London police bikes. Midwest took that engine, made a neat PRSU and avaition mount, and got the single rotor variation certified. (They are, I believe, now re marketing this 1 rotor unit under a different name. It probably uses the same parts) They were in the process of getting the twin rotor (the one I have) certified when they closed the company. It is a dual rotor, EFI and electronic ignition unit of 110HP. It has a dry sump which uses a reservoir of oil which both lubricates the bearings, lubricates the trochoids and cools the rotors. It is a very compact engine, about 10" in diameter and about 2.5' in length. The engine is all aluminum with special coatings for the internals of the trochoids. If you are interested in more info, contact me with a pm or by e-mail

even better would be a Midwest 2 rotor 110 hp 114# dry. I got one.

Guy, that's terrific. Now all you have to do is cut the canard in half, sweep the wings, put the engine in the back and you will have a side by side veri ez. Will you be able to get the instruction book?

Greetings Wolf, Your concern is not so much length as it is W&B. When you shorten the engine mount, you move the CG forward. The important thing is that the CG remain in the confines that are appropriate for the aircraft, which is ultimately determined by the centers of lift of the wing and canard. The theoretical answer to your length question is yes. How much of a difference will depend on how much you shorten your mount and the relationship between the new and old position of the engine hub with respect to the axles of the main gear. Keep um rotating

Ah-- The P(l)ot thickens (as does the epoxy)... Thanks for the explanationhood:cool:

While what you say is most likely correct, Marc, Sometimes clinical experience differs from the basic studies that are done. I have used various epoxies at both elevated temperatures, from the heater, and also at room temperature. Using the stuff, at room temperature, as well as at elevated temperatures, I find that after a while that heat "rewets" the material. If the thickening were due only to the loss of heat, where does that heat go. If my hanger is 70 when I start, and the epoxy is 70, and the substrate is also 70 when I start, and the hanger is 70 when I finish presumably the epoxy and the substrate is 70, or perhaps a little warmer due to exotherm, how can the stuff thicken due to heat loss?? At what point does the polymerization and attendant thickening start??? In a pot that answer is easer because of the sometimes rapid exotherm. Respectfully submitted and awaiting answerhood.

greetings Never, It's not that the epoxy gets apapreciably thicker as it cools off (unless you are building at 50 degrees), it is that the material is polymerizing and getting thicker.(going-or getting off) (that's what it's supposed to do) The heat gun does soften the polymerizing material and bring some of it back to it's liquid form. Peel ply will only shrink if you over heat it too much for the purpose for which you are using it. When you are covering a ragwing, the shrinking is a positive. It will not shrink below a certain temperature and that is the max temp you want to use if you choose to use the heat gun for peel ply application. It is possible that the heat volatilized some of the uncured epoxy and thus the bubbles.

Additionally you have rudders that can both be deployed outward

If they are welded together, there will probably be cracking. Each stack is a different length and each will expand and contract (lengthwise) in an amount proportional to its individual length. If allowances are not made for the stacks to exercise this right of expansion, it's cracksville:sad:

With no disrespect to Janie, I would kinda expect that exhaust system to fail. It has no slip joints to take up the expansion upon heating. I think you gotta put slip joints (and maintain the movement (mouse milk) between areas so that the normal movement can take place without stressing the welds or they will crack and possibly leave the aircraft:mad: .

Chrissi, Randi and Kitty-- Just received my refurbished Gerdes Nose wheel. WOW:) What a gorgeous thing. It's a shame that I have to tuck it into the bird when I fly. Talk about making a silk purse out of a sows ear Thanks again

I know that he had sold/closed the airport/ operation and was planning to move. Is he still producing/selling parts/kits????? Anyone contact him by e-mail?

I believe that Al at Aerocad still provides these (Bowling green MO.)