Drech

I've used the java and web based chat software before and never did consider it up to snuff with a true IRC server. The communication just feels disjointed but maybe that's because I started with regular IRC. Anyway, I have my own servers so I put up an IRC server for folks here (and anyone else interested in canard chat) at www.tribalrage.com, port 6667, room #canards. Just a heads up, that's the standard port for IRC so your client may not specifically ask for the port # (it should assume 6667 for the initial connection attempt on its own). If you run some flavor of unix, you already know what irc client you will use. If on Windows, there are several clients but I myself am not familiar (some like mIRC). On OS X, I tried and liked Colloquy and it meets my needs for chatting. Googling for any of these should return a bunch of results. Anyway, it's available, it's free, there are no ads, and it's a full chat server that can communicate with any chat protocol on just about any device, so people can connect however they like. Use it or not, it's always available (unless I cook the config but remember, just like message boards, you have to check every so often to catch people online. Some people never disconnect, and that's fine too. Dustin

Good idea, I'll put a stop in place just to be safe. Thanks!

Here's a link to what I've got for a power supply, except mine is the 5amp version. Calrad Variable Transformer To be sure, this is a variable AC device with built-in isolation transformer and should be fine to attach a hotwire cutter to, correct? I want to be very careful/safe around power. Thanks!

Exactly what I needed =] Thank you.

I'm about to reveal just how unhandy I am but I have a couple of very simple questions regarding hotwire construction and foam ident. First, hotwire. I have a variac power supply with a transformer on the front of it. It has a 3-prong outlet on it for connecting whatever it is I need to connect,. Well, I need to connect a hotwire. I searched and reviewed many of the hotwire links on the web (there are several with very nice page layouts showing a step-by-step of the hotwire) but none of them really explain how to safely connect the hotwire handle to the power supply. I assume I connect the common to one end and the hot to the other. Is this safe or do I run the risk of shock? A guy at work said I needed to place resistors (big ones) on the wire to be safe but none of the sites I've seen mention this. I need a laymen's explanation of the connection I need to fashion (3-prong to hotwire handle). Second, I have the composite practice kit and it mentions in the booklet that cutting urethane emits a hazardous gas and not to hotwire it. Question is, since the foams aren't labeled, how do I tell what's urethane and what isn't? I hesitated posting these questions since they seem so basic but then decided I wouldn't know for sure unless I asked. Be gentle =] Dustin

Fantastic =] Thanks Marc.

Forgot to type in the other question I had regarding repairs. Ideally, I'd like to buy a plane already built but am not opposed to building if need be. I'm concerned about the wing corrosion issue linked above. From the alert on the RAF site, there's no repair procedure for this. How can I be sure a bought plane is safe if the area where the corrosion is can't be inspected, or is it always viewable? ~D

I think I read the service ceiling for these planes is around 25k feet. Is that right? If so, is a high altitude cert required to fly it or will I be able to operate it with just a private pilot's cert?

Thanks, Waiter, and all =)

@ Waiter: Wow, that's quite a story and a testament to the design and construction of the plane, and you. @ Marc: Those numbers are very reassuring. What those guys have said just doesn't seem right. I get the feeling some of them like to talk just to hear their own 'expert' view on the matter Not trying to trivialize their experiences, just that they don't match the consensus here, a far greater sampling of experienced pilots and builders. @ all: First, I'm not handy. I ordered the composite practice kit to get an idea of the process and will do that when it arrives. I hope it's a decent intro to the skill. The Rutan video should help as well. I hope I can actually do this and learn the skills to complete it given my rather 'indoor' nature (I'm a computer geek by trade AND at heart). I had my first flying lesson on Saturday and I feel on fire now to get the cert and build. I'd ask about deciding between the Cozy and the AeroCanard but I see there's already a thread for that. It seems like a sensitive subject but as a consumer I need to know: what happens to Cozy licenses if the Aero agreement is upheld in the end? What about the other way around? I'm interested in either the Cozy or the Aero but since it's those two going at it, not sure what it will mean either way. I've also read the Aero hasn't been updated since it first became available but I don't understand what that really means for building. Is the Cozy safer with it's updates or does the Aero still stack up in it's present form? Anyway, thanks again for all the responses =) You guys are making me feel good about this whole thing!

I'm starting to feel more at ease. These veteran flyers were beginning to make it seem like anyone who flies a homebuilt canard is risking their lives on a construction that's sure to fail. While I realize it's only as good as the person who built it, and if you do a bad job it won't be safe, I can't imagine anyone letting something slide when in fact it is your own neck on the line. I'll grab the Rutan video mentioned and check it out. Thanks again for the responses! They are much appreciated. ~D

Great points! I have one more question that was brought up by one of the locals asked. They are under the impression that an aluminum plane is much stronger and therefore more resistant to hail damage or debris damage caused by high winds than a composite aircraft would be. I may be wrong but I thought the reason composites were such a revolution is because they are just as strong but lighter than traditional materials. Your point about some of the composite planes being left outside (albeit in nice-weather locations) seems to point to the opposite. Just how strong/resilient is a composite plane compared to an aluminum one? Thanks for the help and info given: it's nice to put some of this stuff to rest. ~D

Thank you both for your replies. I wondered why most planes were white, now I know.

Hey all, I'm interested in learning to fly and thought it would be fun to concurrently build a Cozy. As my brother is a flight instructor, I asked him to see if any of the people around his flight school had experience with these types of planes (Vari, Long, Cozy, etc.) and some of the answers were strange. One person in particular said he would never build another Long because the UVs in the sunlight caused the foam inside the wing to shrink and that, while repairs were possible, he might as well just throw the plane away. That seems rather extreme. Now, I've never read anything to that effect anywhere on the net but wanted to verify with you all as I know zip about any of this as yet. Maybe he is referring to something indirectly and I don't understand. The other question I have is regarding the Cozy cabin. One thing I never liked about the small planes I've flown in is how crowded it feels when side-by-side. How do you know what kind of modifications are reasonable without adversely affecting the way the plane flies? How do you figure out the limits of what you can do, for example widening the cabin for more room? I appreciate any responses and look forward to interacting here soon, hopefully on a more relevant level ~D