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).

On page 50, my Long-EZ P.O.H. (First Edition -- May 1980) says this about the AN-4 bolts: "These bolts should be snugged well (about 30 inch/lb) but not over-tightened." That's the torque I strive for. I feel no need to use the AC43-13 max. torque spec because these bolts are in sheer. And like Waiter, I use locknuts instead of nutplates. -- Joe

Here in the land where the sun don't shine (in the winter), I usually take my Long-EZ cross-country to places where it does. From Independence Airpark in northwestern Oregon, that would be California or Arizona or even Nevada. So I'm outta here next week and looking for canard aircraft flyers or builders to bum off of ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H hook up with . Here's the deal: we'll kick tires and trash-talk the RV and spam can crowd, then we'll fly formation or fly out to lunch. If you have accommodations, I'd spend the night -- otherwise I'd be on my way. And if you have space in your hangar for my Long-EZ, well ... you'll be on my Christmas card list forever :-) Of course, I'm always ready to reciprocate and I do have accommodations and I do have hangar space (http://www.mail2600.com/webcam.htm). But you'll want to wait at least until May before taking me up on my offer . You can reach me by Email (jdubner at yahoo.com) or cellphone (208-816-6359). -- Joe Aircraft Position: http://www.mail2600.com/position Aircraft Last Track: http://www.mail2600.com/track

You could play with Ed Dokus' "PropDesign" program which I ported to MS-Windows many years ago. http://mail2600.com/PropDesign/index.html It's somewhat simplistic but at least the price is right (free!). -- Joe

Hi Marc, Ken wished that he had brought that 175-gallon tank on this trip as avgas was $4.13/gallon! (I tankered home as much as I felt safe taking off with, which isn't a lot in an O235 Long-EZ at 6000 D.A. with a passenger.) -- Joe Long-EZ 821RP Lewiston, ID

That multi-colored Long-EZ in the foreground of the Beech Starship image (http://bp0.blogger.com/_nP0yUQFiTwU/SF7ePw5hLbI/AAAAAAAAAXE/DZNGILtoOr4/s1600-h/rutan-birthday-bash-2008-080621-069-8.jpg) belongs to Jim Price. It's powered by a normally aspirated O320 and holds an altitude record (35,000 feet). Jim and I flew down from Idaho for the event. And yes, it was great! -- Joe

Here's a compilation of the EZ flying events in the western US for 2008 from Char Spencer starting with Canards de Mayo and ending with a new event in Lone Pine, CA. In between are the usual Jackpot and Kanab "timed events". http://mail2600.com/hhfc08.htm These events aren't just for flyers; for builders they're great opportunities to see some unique EZs, put faces with names, and even snivel a ride. Question should go to Char at the posted Email address or phone number but I can try to help too. -- Joe

I can't remember much more from the installation and I think RTV was all I used. But that was during my "Pliobond phase" so I may have used some of that tough contact cement on the copper tape/winglet bond. Certainly no fiberglass cloth or epoxy. In the first picture you can see the shape it's in after 5 years and 670 hours flying time. In any case, it's hard to not inspect it during each preflight -- it's right in my face when I inspect the rudder.

Do I have any more pictures? DO I HAVE ANY MORE PICTURES? Like most of us I must have a zillion of them <g>. I think those are about the best of the antenna installation but I have some of the panel, airplane in flight, taxiing, etc. if that's what you mean. http://www.mail2600.com/Airplane/index.html I haven't posted the recent ones of my APRS installation but would if there's interest. Or contact me via Email (but not PM).

Dave, I faced the same dilemma when adding an antenna for APRS (position reporting/tracking via VHF ham radio) in my very pretty Long-EZ. I decided to install a center-fed half wave vertical dipole on the rear-facing surface of the winglet that did not contain the existing com antenna. Here's the result viewed from the rear of the winglet, facing forward, and with the rudder held out of the way. I came up with some copper foil and a ferrite choke from my junkbox but I understand RST Engr. sells these supplies. You can see the end of the choke "buried" in the winglet with the coax feedline passing through it and soldered to each half of the dipole. A small amount RTV secures the ends of the copper foil and connections. The hardest part of the installation was drilling a hole for the coax in the winglet from the antenna's feed point to the area of the position light where I could access it and feed it into the hell hole via the spar. I welded a 1/4" drill bit onto a piece of 1/4" steel rod to make a 4-foot drill bit. Standing on a stepladder I took careful aim and drilled through the foam core until the tip of the bit was visible in the position light's hole (position light removed). After that, snaking a leader for the coax through the spar was duck soup <g>. The end result was worth the effort. With 10 watts on 144.39 I'm always in range of a ground station even over the wilds of Idaho's Hell's Canyon: http://www.mail2600.com/cgi-bin/track.cgi?call=K7JD-7&start=2008-1-21&stop=2008-1-22&elim=0 YMMV but I feel that VHF com performance will be similar.

I did not know about the large price increase of the ECi part after I bought mine. Ouch! Too late for Steve but here's one for sale on the Van's Air Force forum: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=20954 Probably will be snapped up before I can post this :-( It appears to come with a spacer which AFAIK is not needed in our installations. -- Joe