Limo EZ

For Modified Long EZ fuselages, Here is an exerpt from my potential web page on the Limo EZ. I based my changes on Sam Kriedel's work when he built the Limo EZ. The article appeared in the CSA news letter. Ibelieve streching a Long EZ is a lot different than stretching a Cozy. From the article: "The firewall was widened 2 1/4"...The aft compartment being stretched 4 1/2". The pilot station was moved forward this amount. The canard also went forward this "limo" amount plus an additional 2" making it 6 1/2" farther forward than a stock Long EZ. The calculated CG shift forward was about 2". The m.a.c.of lift also had to move forward so I (Sam) achieved this by two means. The canard shift forward handled half the requirement while a 7" canard span increase took care of the remainder." The standard canard is 140". The Cozy MkIV canard is 147". I built the canard using the methods used to build the Cozy canard. The center is different and the lift tabs were placed for the widened fuselage. Back to the article: "The nose gear also went forward with the canard plus and additional 1" ... In addition to moving the longerons apart 3/4" at the pilot panel, the fuselage sides were constructed out of 2" urethane foam to permit 'hollowing' thereby limiting cross section drag. It was necessary to jig each side and bottom into curved shape before skinning the inside to prevent 'suckin' during fuselage assembly" Joe Berki

What about fabric cover?

Yes you did.

I have 500 - 5 wheels 4-151. Has anyone purchased just the steel spacers that contact the outer surface of the bearings? Need a source and part number. I also have 30-133 brakes that I would like to rebuild. I do not see any listing anywhere for parts like the O ring and the bleeder. Could use a rebuild kit . Need source and part number. The ironically thing is the Cleveland Brake Co. is only about 10 mi away but you can't buy direct. Thanks for any help. Joe Berki Limo EZ

Yes, The chapter is restoring a Ford Tri motor Joe

Waiter, Are you going to the pancake breakfast at Port Clinton this Sunday 16th? Joe Berki

Waiter, I know what you mean. I had to wait and be very careful when i flew my daughter in years ago in a Tramahawk. I drive there now as it becomes apparent build or fly but not both. Joe

Waiter, If you are going to be at Norwalk on Saturday I will stop in. I would love to see your bird. Sunday there is a pancake breakfast at SKY Sandusky if you want to burn some more holes in the sky. I think I am done for the most part with painting but I will still need N numbers and such Thanks Joe Berki Limo EZ

I am just about done with painting. Just some touch ups, small parts and wheel pants Joe Berki

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/ardupilot-main-page Here is the autopilot module. It is called a shield because it slides over the pins on the Arduino PIC board. All software is shareware. Joe Berki Limo EZ

http://www.rangevideo.com/ http://diydrones.com/

I am not even thinking of using it as an autopilot. They have an OSD module that superimposes a display over video. The video is almost like looking out the canopy. If you use an infrared camera you have some additional info when conditions get tough and you need to get down. They use a thermopile technology for stabilization the sensors know where sky and ground are based on CO2. DIY drones and rangevideo have some good info. Joe

A friend is building a RV 4 and recently found that his new $2k attitude indicator had stopped operating. EFIS seems to be a solution but I was looking at some of the work the RC UAV guys are doing and it looks impresive. I was looking at the Arduino based UAV autopilot for use as an attitude indicator. It has the capability of displaying the artificial horizon with heading, speed and altitude tapes. By adding a camera this info is supperimposed over the view out of the nose. The price is reasonable. I do not think it could be used as an autopilot but more research is required. Has anyone looked at this hardware? DIT drones is the web site. Spark N Fun is the hardware provider. Code is open source. Joe Berki Limo EZ

Hi, Latest progress got the wings painted Joe Berki

Waiter, Get that thing flying and bring it over to Lorain County Joe Berki Limo EZ

I have been watching this thread and there is a lot of what we do wraped up in this discussion. Berkut tried it and to some degree was successful. Stan Montgomery tried it with mixed results. Perhaps one should look at the pros and cons of making a molded aircraft and optimize the con side. If one started the effort with the fuselage and for the moment concentrate on it learning along the way it may work. Modularize the fuselage by designing it for 4 or 2 place. Integrate the strakes into the fuse so that they cannot leak. If enough builders are polled to determine what steps required more effort than others than the design could save builders time. That is where Vans design shines, it goes together quickly. Exploit the advantages of composite techniques. If the trade study indicates that there is a tendency for customers to want to change things in the design then what you offer has to be able to still survive the design change and not cause the creation of an unsafe A/C. This is why designers want their customer to build to the plans. After your analysis you may decided to start on a different part like carbon fiber ailerons. Keep thinking. Joe Berki

The carbon fiber will not do much to restrain the "banana effect" . My entire canopy frame is covered in carbon fiber and it still warps in the cold. Understand my canopy is over sized Joe Berki Limo EZ

I dug deeper into the packing material and found the instructions. I had the right idea. Joe

I did not find instructions just the molds and cradle. I will go through the packing material again. I have a set of pants sides layed up with a two ply stripe where the cut line will go. Next step is to place them on the front / rear molds and joint the halves with 2 plies of bid stripe. I believe this is done after you cut the pant into 4 pieces. A lip needs to be placed on to the edge of the rear pant. I think Joe

Does anyone remember th layup for wheel pants? I believe it is 2 plies of BID, just want to verify. Joe Berki Limo EZ

The hinging of the window was not my idea, it was Dave Lind's

Just hinge the widow and you have a vent.

Hi, I will be at the cape Monday thru Saturday if anyone in the vicinity of Coca cocoa Beach or Merit Island is up for a visitor to look at projects my cell is 216-287-7114. Joe Berki Limo EZ Mazda 13b

Greg, What you are seeing is the kick in the trailing edge to keep the Long EZ area where the cowling mates the same as the VariEZ so that the cowls were compatible. If you are going to make your own cowlings I would suggest you keep the tailing edge straight. Using the inboard template for hot wiring the wing cores from the Eracer plans should do it. You could also adjust the Long EZ template by making it longer. Joe Berki Limo EZ

I could not find a max weight for ailerons in the Long EZ plans and the ones that I cut out of the wings would be out of balance when they were painted. I built a new set out of carbon fiber, vacuum bagged. A lot lighter. Joe