Lynn Erickson

HIJACK ALERT!

Marc, mentioned a proven and tested system gear system not the one you are thinking about?

You said it Marc,, Wow.. I don't know if I should thank you for the candid reply or ask you to work on your tact. I really disagree that posting this on the forum for engineer feedback is inappropriate. I've been a member of the forum for a year now and the typical way you respond to entries is the reason why I have hesitated posting. I appreciate some of your responses and I will continue evaluating this topic with my Air Force engineers here in California.

 

Xavier Lawson

Flight Engineer, C-5 Galaxy

thanks Marc, you just saved me a lot of typing. it sounds like you want a wider stance on the gear then stock, if that is your reason to do all this engineering and work I have to say it is a waste of time and money as you will not find a more stable plane on its gear then the cozy 3

and Marc, you mentioned a proven and tested retract system? or was that a proven but not fully tested or a tested but not fully proven system?

Hello all,

 

My name is Xavier and I'm currently building a Cozy III at KSUU. So far I'm in Chapter 10 but I'm evaluating the possibility of rebuilding my center spar to include steel plated hard points for a set of Grove gear struts. My website is cozyiii.com and the link below will take you to the mod diagram that I created. I believe the mod will be successful and I read a couple forum entries on the subject. I'd like to get your inputs on this mod and any suggestions you may have. Thanks

 

X

 

http://www.cozyiii.com/Landing_Gear_Mod

when you say Grove gear struts you mean the bent aluminum fixed gear legs?if so why would it attach to the spar?

Fair enough. I like it. I'll consult my engineering friends as well to see if they concur. I f they do I will make them using a ball bearing. I think the NG-6 could be re-machined to be lighter as well.

 

Tony

we also have an SS spacer between the bearings that is .015" smaller then the bore in the casting between the bearing recesses, so even if the bearing was to fail the gear would still pivot but with some play. the bearings are still holding up even after breaking a nose fork and loosing the nose wheel. my fork and fork pivot are now made of billet 7075 alum. the stock long ez fork has been known to break even on some light long ez's.

Lynn (Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years )

 

 

Are you out there Lynn? Any answers? Can you give me anymore details as to how you determind the loads for the nose gear. What bearings are you using exactly?

 

 

Tony

Sorry Skiing comes before airplanes. i will have to check on the bearing numbers I used. and the engineering was done by a retired Space shuttle engineer and he calc'd the loads and spec'd the bearings for me. and I guess he was right as they seem to work just fine. he said the bearing could take the load and the 5/16" bolt would shear before the bearing would break but the ng 30 would be the first thing to go if the loading was exceeded. he said the bolt and bearing has about ten times the strength of the NG 30

Waiter, thanks for the info.

 

I've enjoyed your website, that got me fired up! Yes, I have plans.

 

Can anyone tell me the height of a LongEZ under the LG?

 

Thanks.

 

- Bill

the long ez main gear axle is at WL -22" the bottom is at WL +.9 so about 23 ". depending on the size tires used, the plans size tires are about 11.5" in diameter. so 23" + 5.75 for half the tire = 28.75"

O.K. is preloading really an issue? I think ball bearings are not as good as the tapered bearings for this application, the tapered bearings handle the side loads better, and I think, and (could be wrong) but don't ball bearings have a much smaller contact patch than the roller bearings? I don't think I would use ball bearings. Consequently all of the landing gear components that I have collected in the last ten years, not a single one has a ball bearing in it anywhere, mostly just bushings. (with the obvius exception of the Berkut which I have replaced the ball bearings with bushings.

 

Tony

the load on these bearings are not that high. taper roller will work but are big overkill I weighed the taper rollers that wilhemson uses and they are almost a pound compared to the ball bearings which weigh about the same as a quarter. the reason to change is that the bushings get worn and you get wobble on the nose gear strut and this has been known to cause wheel shimmy. The bushings do work , for awhile, the small ball bearing seem to be better as I have used them for 400 hours with out any sign of wear changing the bushings to another bearing is not worth doing if you are going to add pounds to the aircraft.

Drew I was going to get rid of it but decided that I would just finish it instead. I'll start posting soon.

 

Lynn

 

I'll be using the tapered roller bearings

they do work but the ball bearings are simpler and do not have to be adjusted for preload the ball bearing have built in preload and are a lot lighter in weight. the ones I used are 5/16" id single row sealed ball bearings.

For my next trick. Billet NG-6

If you do build these I would suggest that you do away with the bushings and use ball bearings as I did or a tapered roller bearing like the Wilhelmson units

Hi Folks: Please point me in the best direction for a (reasonable cost) vendor for seat belts and shoulder harness' for my Cozy MK IV. I am familiar with Hooker Harness and the Van's Aircraft Accessory catalog... Any others???

Thanks

 

I'm gettin' closer! :0)

 

kds

the best belts for the cozy are the ones sold by ACS. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/seatbelt5.php They are designed to work in our cockpits the lap belt adjustments are at the buckles and pull out from the center. this is best because there is little room to have a buckle and a separate adjuster. if the adjuster is on the side it gets caught in the cushion and is very hard to readjust. the shoulder straps tighten by pulling down and have a release strap that is pulled up to release. reasonable price and they work perfect for our planes, and no need to re invent the seat belt

Hi: I have inherited an aiplane hanger with a Variviggan (original model) and its contents which include:

STANDARD 0360 A1A overhauled Engine w/ Chrome Cylinders

Accessories: Prestolite Starter

MA4-5 Carberator

Rapco Vacuum pump

LW14573 Fuel Pump (Part no)

Instrument Panel

The plane has been sitting for a while, and needs some work. The Engine has been appraised at somewhere between 9-10K. We are willing to sell the whole thing as a package for "dirt Cheap"... We don't fly and we aren't interested in making any profit on this stuff.

Bill 323.839.7685

is this a complete flying plane or a project?

I'm in the process of ordering some micro balloons and I notice this product by West System called Microlight 410. The description says it's "the ideal low-density filler... mixes with greater ease... and is approximately 30% easier to sand, also more economical for large fairing jobs". Costs about $27. for 4.3 OZ.!! A pound of micro balloons is less than $9.00. Anyone know anything about this stuff? I'm not sure but it looks like they intend it to be a replacement for micro as a filler. Easier sanding is always a plus, but...

 

Mike

it is phenolic micro balloons, it is slightly lighter then glass balloons. it was used on some of the first Ezs but because of the price is not used by most builders. does sand easier but not that much easier to make the extreme price difference worth it.

Does anyone know where I can buy Zolatone from in Victoria, Australia.

 

 

Thanks.

Darren Crompton

AUSTRALIA

 

=========================

AN-BOLTS www.an-bolts.com.au

My building site: www.kr-2s.com

 

SAAA #7125 - Chapter 18

RA-Aus #25866

=========================

Multicolour Australia

191 Park Street, South Melbourne 3205, Victoria, Australia

 

613-9690-0898

multicolour@bigpond.com

Rather than sarcasm with respect to a safety issue, maybe you could point out to the rest of us that are not quite as smart about avoiding structural problems due to high temperatures in the cured epoxy how you will be ensuring safety with this paint scheme?

 

Did you use a high temperature epoxy? Will you never fly the airplane in a hot environment? Do you know something that no one else knows?

 

Having just finished a forensic analysis of a Long-EZ winglet that almost departed the airplane due to a structural failure, this issue is fresh in the canard community's mind. Personally, I'd like to avoid having a winglet depart if it's at all avoidable.

Did they change the definition of sarcasm? even I can't see any sarcasm in his statement. what word tipped you off to the sarcasm? was it the words "Good point" or was it the word " thanks"

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/orders/throttlequadfaq.html

They use that cheap, pull only, lawn mower cable. too many have mowed a lawn with their aircraft using those cables. and they are made for a front mounted engine.

If you can do #4 from the front seat, you are a better man than I:cool:

the chewing gum is easy and the disposal requires you to climb during this procedure.

I'm planning on purchasing one of Jack Wilhelmson's EZ-Noselifts for my Long-EZ project. Looking for input, opinions, advice, on whether to buy the NL1-12, which has manual emergency extension, or the NL1-12E with electrical emergency extension with backup battery. Jack says the system weight is about the same for both. I like the idea of manual backup but with no experience with either system, advice from anyone with some experience that they wouldn't mind sharing would be great.

 

Thanks,

Greg

Go with the mechanical back up almost every time I have seen a problem with the nose lift it is something electrical. water in the electrical or motor and the mechanical will still work. mechanical gives you more piece of mind. back up batteries are a pain they only seem to be dead when you need them. I use a dual battery system because then your back up battery is always used and stays in good shape and either one can power the plane by itself if need be.

7715 UNI and 7781 BID...which is 13.3333333333333333% stronger than 7725 according to this chart:

http://www.hexcel.com/Products/Downloads/Fabrics+Data+Sheets.htm?map=P1&t=Fiberglass+Data+Sheets should be here soon

 

 

 

So what do I call this thing...the Goatherder Special?

Why do you think that because it is stronger as a fabric it will be stronger when used with a matrix. that chart is giving you breaking strength of the fabric and does not relate directly to the strength of a composite structure that uses this fabric. the weave is completely different and that is only one property that will effect the strength of a composite structure. you are comparing apples and oranges and saying one is better then the other. but better, how is the question?

Maybe a Cozy III strut would work better (pic). The III is about as wide as you are planning on. The Mark IV strut is quite a bit wider in both directions and heavier. I did not build this Cozy III but I think the strut dimensions are something between a LEZ and Mk- IV. Check with Featherlite.

The Cozy III gear is a Long ez strut. no difference

The posts on my web site assume the builder is spraying the primer on. The question I've wanted to ask Lynn is whether his technique is to roll the primer on or spray the primer on? I can see where rolling on the primer will fill pin holes. Rolling allows one to work primer into pinholes when you see them.

 

I also witnessed a Lancair IV builder whose painter sprayed the primer on. But every time he saw a pin hole, he dabbed at it with a small brush like the type that an artist would use. Sometimes he'd use the corner of a squeegee. Either way, the surface (primer) was disrupted. They had to come back later and sand the disruptions away. You have to sand the primer anyway, so maybe it's a wash. This particular painter applied ALOT of primer. I didn't agree with his technique.

the first coat is rolled on and scrubbed into the surface to fill the pin holes. second coat is rolled on smooth and a little thicker to fill the sanding scratches and check for missed pin holes. the first two coats are sanded with 120 grit just to remove the tops of the high spots that the roller left. the third is sprayed on and then sanded to a smooth true surface finish ready for the paint primer. the first two coats do the same thing as the raw epoxy does, it fills the pin holes but also does add some filler on the surface and is much easier to sand then epoxy. rolling on the primer does not build up as much primer as you can when you spray the primer on.

I think thats what you call it.

 

Am I correct in assuming that the axis of the propeller needs to be exactly centered (vertically) on the back of the spar & wings?

 

Is there any vertical leeway with this, and if so...does anybody know how much.

 

Does an inch or two make much difference? Can you have your prop centered on the bottom of the spar, or maybe on the top without adverse effect, or would that tend to tip the plane up or down?

 

I'm sure one of you engineer types must have the answer to this...so educate me.

The center of the prop is higher then the wing on most of the canards. there are a lot of factors involved in engineering the correct position. the thrust centerline is also at an angle to the centerline of the aircraft

I am interested in the E-Racer and its drivetrain.

What is the current v-drive that builders are using? I went to Casales' website and saw no mention of an aircraft drive. Is there another drive or Casales part number?

I am also interested in the FIAT coupling that seperates the engine from the rest of the drivetrain. What are builders using for that and is there a part number in the listed in the plans?

Thanks! It looks like a heck of a plane.

The gear box is not a V drive it is a straight through box used on front engine/ stern drive boats. and they do not make an aircraft gear box but make them for the E Racer on special order. the cost of the gear box and a all aluminum auto engine will cost more then an aircraft engine before you are all done.

there are a few that were built and maybe a few that will fly with the mid- engine/ gearbox but it was not all that successful. even the designer Shirl Dickey was going to change his prototype to an aircraft engine. there are a few others that had mid-engines but they have been converted to engines behind the firewall. With the engine behind the seat you have a lot of noise and heat to deal with. with the engine behind the firewall the area behind the seat becomes a big baggage compartment and all the noise and heat is behind the firewall where it belongs. this configuration makes a great two person traveling aircraft.

FiberglassSupply.com has 6781 S-2 BID 50" on sale for $8.45/yd for 16+yds.

 

Any thoughts on this material as an alternative to 7725?

 

It is stronger in both directions.

be very careful substituting clothes. there are many more thing to consider then it is stronger. its not is it stronger but how is it stronger that counts. there are many factors in choosing the right cloth and unless you are a composite engineer you should stick to the plans cloth. besides the 7725 is only $6.75 from ACS

Maybe. I saw some guy downtown trying to sell one out of the back of his van. He had some used stereo speakers too, and an old Hibachi.

 

Lynn - thanks for the info on the glue. I do intend to post-cure...but if the 226 will give enough open time then I'll just use that.

 

Martin - I watched that video you gave me the other day and noticed that when Burt and Mike were demonstrating the spar cap layup that they were NOT pulling all the little cross weaves out of the spar cap UNI. They just slapped it in there, wet it out and squeegeed it in. So...I wonder if you really need to bother with that?

 

Oh yeah...thanks for the spar jig. I managed to get it home nice and dry.

135 resin can be used with the slow hardener without post cure

the only spar cap that needs the thread removed per plans is the roncz canard. its very easy to remove, after wetting out each ply, you cut the thread in the middle of the length, grab the outboard end and pull each cut strand outboard. the opposite half of wet out layup will hold the ply in place while you pull out the strand. after it is pulled you squeeze it back down from the center, outboard in both directions.

For a large layup 3 hours is not a lot of time at all. It took me 5 hours to complete my center section spar. I don't think it would be very fun to have to hurry a large layup like that.

when you do large layups you mix it in small batches so a 3 hour gel time is more then enough. the original Safetypoxy used to build the cozy IV only had a 2 hour gel time and it worked fine.