Big Steve

Edge: There you go being a genius again and thinking outside the box. If I remember my elbows got kind of cold when I stuck them in the strakes for long periods of time. It has been a very long time since I last flew in a Longeze. STeve build on

I guess I better jump in here and express an opinion. Having built and flown a Longeze and now 75% done with a Cozy Iv airframe I have a definant opinion on seating. Especially since my two adult boys have been home for the holidays. I like the seating arrangement of my old Longeze a lot more than the cozy IV. I find the Cozy tight and I dont like the way I have to get in and out. Getting out of the longeze was eze put both elbow on longerons lift and you slid right out. Not so in the cozy with no place to put right elbow. I raised my canopy in the cozy so head room is not an issue. The tunnel where your legs go is tighter and it is a lot harder to get your feet around the rudder pedals. I have not yet cut out for the strakes this might loosen things up a bit but if I had my way as a pilot. It is pilot in front co pilot or passenger in back. Now so you dont think I am insane because I am building a cozy. I like the thought of being able to teach my sons how to fly could not do that in the Longeze. I think my wife will much prefer to fly with me upfront. Lots of room in the back for all my junk. I can hardly sit in the back seat neither of my boys could take it back there for more than an hour. They are taller than me but skinnier. I look at the Cozy IV as a fat Longeze with more room and a bigger motor. I plan on building a couple more airplanes before I kick the bucket and one of them will be a hot rod Longeze. But I have to finish this Cozy IV first. Build on STeve

I dont understand what you mean every day vs several days gap?? If you dont work on the plane every day it will only be a pile of fiberglass not a plane?? I keep my pump in a insulated box I made out of foam insulation. It has a light bulb and a thermastat. I turn it up before big layups to about 110 degrees I keep it at about 90 degrees the rest of the time. When you do a big layup like the fuselage bottom the sides a shear web or a spar cap you dont stop, you work until you are done.... Even if it takes 12 hours or more. If You want your plane strong and light that is how you do it. You dont do a couple of layers get tired peel ply and come back that is no bweno in my book. You could do what you want with a couple of gallons of epoxy. But if you ever run out you cannot go to Home depot for epoxy!!!!! You always have extra epoxy to build with it stores good in unopened containers kept in the house somewhere warm. I keep 5- 7 gallons on hand all the time in my closet. I have never run out in the middle of a crucial layup. My table is one piece 4' X 12' sometimes it is pretty big but I can work on one side like have a spar jig set up and do other work on the other side of the table for something else I generally work on 3 projects at the same time that way I can be doing something else while epoxy cures. I want a plane someday not a pile of foam and glass. Buying a project is a good Idea if you are building to plans will save a ton of money and time I wish some of these deals were around when I first started. I might build another cozy Iv someday and if I do I am buying a project. Remeber it is an addiction that is why you need the paper on the wall with your wifes signature. STeve build on

Larry welcome to the addiction: Having built 1 3/4 airframes using eze poxy and or safety poxy I highly recommend using a pump. It is worth the money and it will pretty much last forever. When you are done you can sell it to another builder. I build most of my parts by myself and it would take twice as long to measure and weigh all that epoxy on big lay-ups. Others will argue but it would be fun to have a race. Just remember building an airplane is like eating an elephant. take one bite at a time keep at it and it will eventually be done. STeve build on

Dennis: I like the color of those seatbelts. The ones aircraft spruce sells are kind of like old fords. Any color you want as long as it is black. Do they make red ones?? Steve build on

I am not an engineer but I wonder if Putting large lightening holes in the seats and lots of other areas like arm rest and covers and stuff like that could save a few pounds. I drill lightening holes in almost all the aluminum pieces I put in the plane. I have a manual nose crank and a straite mount 0360 they are lighter. Maybe if I leave the starter off and hand prop like I did on the old Longeze. My goal is to beat 1050 lbs but it is going to be tough I put Matco brakes in and they are heavy. I need to loose some weight but that is easier to loose than weight in the plane. STeve build on

I have a complete spar and canard with all attatchments hanging from the ceiling. I would love to know how much they weigh. Just for comparisons. I do not have a scale that will do that. This summer I will do the garage sale thing and maybe I can find one. Steve build on

Marc: Get your pilots license go buy or build a Longeze and go fly it. I built a Longeze without a pilots license when I got close to having it done (it took 5 years to build) I went out got my pilots licence finished the plane and then started flying it. They are not hard to fly planes just have to learn how to control your speed in the patern. Build one then you will know all about it and it will give you time to get your pilots license my .;02 STeve build on

I think this is where it all really lays just like Lynn has said above. Auto pilots, oil heat, Electric nose lifts and Massive instrument panels, bigger motors, variable pitch props, Leather, or full interiors, Electric trim, Extra layers of glass to "make it stronger" This is the kind of stuff that make a 750lb Longeze weigh 1,000 lbs. My .02 STeve build on

schmeddz says: Look at the weight difference in the planes. Burts planes are a whole lot lighter than those show planes. Those really fancy super smooth airframes generally weigh a whole lot more. STeve build on

I did 9 on the top and 11 on the bottom STeve build on

If you are building tools as Lynn says build tools. If you want to fly your plane in your life time build airplane parts. Kent said it very well This is not rocket science and the parts dont have to be perfect to fly a really nice airplane. My .02 STeve build on

I tried a test on my elevators to see if peel ply was heavier. I had one elevator peel plied and the other with no peel ply I sqeezied them and tried to put as littl epoxy on them as I could. The peel plied elevator was heavier. I now only peel ply where things will join and I sand that area also. STeve build on

I found a cheaper and easy way to build the spar jig. Instead of buying a 4X8 piece of chip board buy counter top materiel It comes in different widths and lengths. The big plus is all you have to do is rip it to the 12 1/2" the plans call out then lay out the angles and cut. You dont have to splice a piece in either. It will come out a lot straighter and it is cheaper too. Of course your cost could vary. STeve build on

Chrissi said: I gotta tell you Chrissi you shure know how to party. STeve build on

Well it has been a while since my last update. I started the project Nov.11, 2006 I have invested 1238 hours in it so far. I use a timer in my watch to track the time. I have built all the big pieces except for the wings and the strakes. I have not yet put it together so that in itself will take some time. I have been building seats and arm rest and doing all the little things to the fuselage that need to be done. I guess I am 70% done with 80% left to do here are some pictures of the seats and arm rests. STeve build on http://websites.expercraft.com/bigsteve/images/1895146712495467178bb56.jpg

I was wondering why did you buy Aerocanard plans instead of Cozy IV plans. When I think of Aerocanard I think of someone who ripped Nat off and is still making money off of his Ideas. I would never give that guy any of my money. NOt trying to cause a fight just curious. STeve build on

Chrissi said I have a table like that on the other side of my shop. It is a welding table and it is very heavy. Most airplane builders use wood, Plywood, or chip boards for a table to build a plane I never thought about using metal. I think it would be to cold all the time. STeve build on

Just remember at the end of your build your table will probably be taking up real-estate that you need so it will probably be cut up and thrown out so dont get to attached unless you have a really big shop to build in. When I cut up the table during my longeze build I knew I was getting close to being done. The table I am using now I can take the legs off of it and hang it against the wall I hope it has a couple more projects in it. Steve build on

I sure as heck would not put in the plans Cleveland brakes. My old Longeze had them and I lost braking power once when they got to hot. I would buy the lightest brakes with the best stopping power I could afford. I am putting triple puck matco's in my Cozy project they are complicated to work on and kind of heavy but they are supposed to stop me when I stomp on the brakes. I have never tried to stop anything with them yet. STeve build on

Lynn: Glad it works for you. As for me I will not have any foam that is not fuel resistant around my fuel tanks. Steve build on

I dont think that putting foam cut cores next to where your gasoline is stored is such a great idea. All the foam used in the manufacturing of the strakes is the fuel proof kind. Putting blue wing foam in the leading edge of the strakes is asking for empty glass shells. My .02 STeve build on

An alergic reaction to the epoxy we use to build these treasures is my biggest fear. When I built my Longeze 20+ years ago nitrile and latex gloves were not as easy to come by as they are now. I did all my work bare handed and slopped the stuff on everything. All my drink cups had epoxy finger prints on them. Now I am alot more careful I use the latex and the Nitrile gloves. I find the latex more comfortable and they fit better. When my current box is gone though I will only use the nitrile. I know alergic time is comming I just hope it comes after I build a couple more planes. STeve build on

Saf_zoom For what you want build a slightly wider Longeze you will be happier. I used to do some arobatics in my old Longeze scared the crap out of myself a couple of time but I dont regret it to this day it was a blast. There is no luggage room in a Long. You cant have a station wagon and a sports car in the same body it dont work. Yes I will probably do some arobatics in my Cozy Iv when I get it done. I am ready to be flamed. STeve build on

I have used the featherlight leading edge's they worked great and I really liked them. I know nothing about the other brand. STeve build on