jdubner

I would like to submit this one for your approval and amusement.

Who attended the Burt Rutan birthday celebration in Coeur d'Alene, ID this weekend? Any reports?

I don't see a lot of buzz about this event. So who all is going? As for me, I'm trying to decide if it'll be worth the 3.0 hours of flying time (each way) in not-so-wonderful weather and two or more days of sleeping on the ground.

Thanks, Mike. Sure enough, EAA 512 lists Saturday breakfast their web site now.

Mike, last year the announcement mentioned an EAA chapter breakfast at Placerville Saturday morning. Do you know of anything similar this year?

Don't know if anyone is still following in spite of the thread drift or even cares but thought I'd close the loop for future reference. Yesterday I cut off the "wings" and flew. No discernible improvement in CHT.

Thanks for your reply, Kent. I had not seen that thread you pointed me to -- thank you very much. I tried to keep my original post brief but I've already accomplished a differential pressure check (it's low) and temporarily installed vortex generators (in accordance with this KitPlanes article). VGs designed according to this article are not a good fit on my Long-EZ; they need to mount on the speed brake and they're eff'ing BIG -- nothing like those tiny ones some use on their canards. But they did increase pressure (not enough) and improved cooling somewhat. It's just that I can't live with them 😞 I "tufted" the inlet with dishwasher soap (rather than dirty oil) and it shows good airflow back to the area of the "wings". Then it spills out over them as if they're breaking up the vorticies that attach to the inlet sides. Hence my desire to try doing without them but first I'd like to hear from those with experience. I'm also looking at some sort of diffuser at the NACA inlet interface with the firewall.

Below is an image of my Long-EZ's NACA inlet. Note the two annotated areas near the firewall end. Can anyone tell me: what is their intended purpose? Are there any other Long-EZs with them? Some background: O-360 with cylinder cooling issues. Measured not enough air into the lower cowl. I'm tempted to cut off the "wings" and see if things improve. Thanks.

Interesting and informative; thanks for posting. And good luck with your new project.

Nothing is easy! 🙂 But maybe that's just me -- I'm finding it harder and harder to contort enough to work inside these airplanes as I get stiffer with age. And I know I always underestimate the scope of the project. Seriously, don't minimize the amount of effort needed to run wiring from the spar underneath the consoles to the panel, install a suitable switch on the panel, and connect to the master bus with circuit protection. At least the newer LED nav. lights put less load on your electrical system and don't require a location for the strobe power supply. But there's still a possibility of RFI or other noise getting into your intercom/radio. Have I forgotten anything? Probably 🙂 -- Joe

Short answer: not good but acceptable at lower density altitudes. For years I flew an O-235 Long-EZ that weighed 979# empty. My GF and I weigh 85# less than you and your wife. My engine (-L2C) had the 9.75:1 compression pistons (125HP at sea level theoretically) and a sweet Hertzler prop that was an excellent match for my airframe/engine. In wintertime temperatures (~35F) here at sea level, solo, with half fuel or less I would see 1500 FPM rate of climb for a brief time. Summertime , dual, and climbing through about 3000 MSL I would be pleased to see as much as 1000 FPM. But amazingly, I could nudge it up to 15,500 MSL and occasionally 17,500 at 100 - 300 FPM. At high density altitudes carrying a passenger would be eye-watering (in a scary way). I learned to leave fuel behind and also to lean for max. power before takeoff. And of course, try to avoid the hot part of the day and unfavorable winds (e.g. absolutely no tailwind). The lack of HP was my biggest dissatisfier with that airplane because I fly in the West and often dual but YMMV. But the O-320 engine really hits the sweet spot for the Long-EZ.

What"s a "VOR"? Responding to a rhetorical question ... that's the box I put in my airplane to give it a legitimate IFR capability. The VAL NAV2000 is "only" $1300 at Aircraft Spruce and gives me an ILS (using my Dynon SkyView) at the nearby towered field when I need it. Some people spend that much every couple of years on the "Garmin tax" (database updates for their GTNs, GDLs, and other TLAs* for LRUs** I don't need or want). * TLA == Three Letter Acronym ** LRU == Line Replaceable Unit

> Not sure they are worth $400 though. That's about what Van's Aircraft charges for their RV baffle kit and I've never heard of anyone foregoing the kit in favor of sheet metal. BTW, Van's RV-14 baffles cost twice that! I would gladly spend $400 for Les Laidlaw's baffles except for the part about doing all the bending to fit. And cutting out the holes for the alternator and starter. And the inter-cylinder baffles, baffle seal material, and additional misc. items that always seem to be needed. Guess I'll stick with what I have. Yeah, no matter how you slice it, baffles suck.

David, you remind me of myself 25 years ago! I too was excited about the DeltaHawk engine. It "checked all the right boxes" (e.g. no ignitions, no carburetor, runs on jet fuel, etc.). Now, 25 years later I see that DeltaHawk has a new web site, probably new investors, but the same promise. "Pricing and availability will be announced soon." says the web site. I think I first read that in 1999! Meanwhile, I've been flying ahead of (and behind) various Lycomings for those 25 years. Expensive, ancient technology, sometimes cantakerous but they work well in airplanes. I see it all too often: a builder "ages out" before he ever realizes his dream if the scope is too large. -- Joe

I posted a brief summary of my Arlington 2009 experiences and a few pictures at http://www.ez.org/smf/index.php?topic=4976.msg13586#msg13586 I also went to Jackpot a few days earlier but didn't post any pictures. My gut feeling is that I attended the last Jackpot fly-in -- the end of a 20-something year tradition. Next fly-in: Kanab! (KKNB, Kanab, UT, September 5, 6, and 7 -- Email me if you need more details).