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787Guy

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Everything posted by 787Guy

  1. Funny how the Internet pretty much killed the "Information Brochure" business. I wonder how much revenue those $10.00 checks created ? I know I sent out my fair share of them back in the day.
  2. I'm kind of picturing a Berkut/widebody EZ but who knows ? Hopefully we'll see something of it at SNF.
  3. Al Aldrich just emailed me in reference to my recent plans order and mentioned that they have a new design in the works. All he would say is that it's sort of a cross between a LEZ and an Aerocanard. I'm not sure what that means but it definitely has me wondering.
  4. I look forward to going thru the plans and may very well get a set of Cozy plans too. I wish they were available in PDF to facilitate easier travel viewing.
  5. Well it's worth it to me just for general information. I am thinking I might quickly outgrow the Long Ez I was planning on making. Although I am imagining the Long Ez would have been faster. Al has told that the plans are in the process of being updated so maybe all the OCR errors that I've read about will finally be addressed. If I do end up making the Four - place I am thinking on using the 200hp UL Power engine.
  6. IIRC the front seat weight limit for the Aerocanard was said to be 475lbs per Al Aldrich.
  7. Interesting article that kind of reaffirms some comments made by Burt Rutan. http://www.compositesworld.com/blog/post/despite-787-boeing-not-sold-on-composites
  8. Marc, Wow, we're really far apart on this issue - I'm not even quite sure where to start. For one thing the weight limit for LSA aircraft was pretty much copied from the existing European Microlight category. This category of aircraft was initially where most of the S-LSA aircraft ended up coming from and proved to provide scores of completely safe aircraft for many years over in Europe. As a matter of fact the Pipistrel Virus which comes in well under this weight (circa 630lbs) is considered by NASA to be a very noteworthy aircraft and has won numerous awards and Challenges. The short wing version of this aircraft is so fast it's not even allowed to be considered an LSA - 160+knots from a Rotax 912 ULS ! And I'll guarantee you that Pipistrel did not spend anywhere close to 60+ million dollars to bring it to market. Furthermore Pipistrel has actually delivered into customers hands over 650 of these aircraft. How many has Icon delivered ? And that is just one aircraft of many flying around at this supposed dangerously unsafe weight. Have you ever been to the Aero Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany ? Every time I go I find myself wondering what ever happened to the innovation we used to have in this country when it comes to small aircraft ? If I had been on the FAA Light Sport Aviation Branch I would have happily allowed Icon to increase the aircraft weight by the actual weight of the stall/spin avoidance device and not a pound more. The rules are the rules and if the engineers and designers can't make it fit they shouldn't get a pass based on some device that doesn't weigh anywhere close to what they were given weight wise. But the rules are different for companies that have millions and millions of dollars. Look at the SportCub - allowed to have an O-360 engine in an LSA as long as they promise to only use it in take off and climb mode - Really ? Do you think Searey, Seamax and Mermaid might want to get a bump-up in weight too ? Well unfortunately none of them have anything close to the financial horsepower of Icon and or SportCub. The whole capture a different market thing is interesting. I remember seeing Icon at a Car Show and also a Boat Show. It's a great idea if you're trying to sell a single engine FIXED GEAR aircraft. It's a very different thing when you're selling a "re-positionable" gear amphibian and actively telling people that they will ONLY need 20 hours to fly it ! Flying an amphib is VERY different than just a regular retractable gear aircraft. There really isn't any muscle memory that sets in like it does in a regular retract because sometimes the gear must be down and sometimes it must be up. Even though it sounds very simple it is extremely easy to mess up. I don't know how many thousands of hours I had when I started flying the Grumman Widgeon but the whole time even at my hour level I was never quite at ease with it - not like in regular retracts anyway. So to tell people that it's very easy to learn and that they only need 20 hours of instruction seems more than disingenuous. I foresee a great deal of what I call "The Cirrus Effect" once Icons finally do go into service. By that I mean much like the Cirrus Aircraft owners - people with more money than aviation common sense. People that don't have the time for additional flight instruction - they're too important to be bothered with that. "Afterall this thing has got a ton of safety features built in to it, heck it's just a flying jetski -right?". Time will surely tell. In summary I'm unable to be favorably impressed by any company that has spent that much money trying to bring a Light Sport Aircraft to market and still not delivered. History is rife with truly innovative, unique and complex aircraft that came to market costing too much and selling for too little to make up the costs.
  9. I just wonder who they paid off at the FAA to get that bump-up in empty weight to remain an S-LSA ? They were seriously dead in the water until that. I saw them at OSH 2008. They were really outsiders to the LSA market at that time and didn't really seem to have a clue back then. I know that Burt Rutan has not exactly said kind things about their design.
  10. Marc, Just curious - how much would you estimate Icon has spent trying to get their design to market ? I have a friend in Tehachapi that says they are throwing money around worse then a band of drunken sailors.
  11. How did you extend the chordline onto the hangar wall ? Did you just use a string or a laser ?
  12. Well I've known about this one since about 2007, I'm sure there are others if I really looked hard. If it could be faired into the gear leg I think it would be worth trying. http://www.aveoengineering.com/index.php/product-info-helios
  13. Wondering if I could instead put a small powerful one right on the portion of the nose gear that doesn't touch/rest on the ground while the aircraft is kneeling ? That way I don't need a second mechanism/ opening/control-lever in the aircraft. There are several small lights now available that put out a great deal of lumens at reasonably low voltage.
  14. In the decades since the original L.E. plans came out there have been all kinds of advances in terms of building material. Is there something lighter/stronger/better than good old BID and UNI ? How much more would it cost ? How much weight could I expect to save ?
  15. Where is the preferred location for a landing light on the L.E. ? I've seen some mention of "Landing Light Plans/Drawings" - how can I get a hold of these. Seems now with LEDs and HIDs you could put something pretty cosmic in there.
  16. There was a Rotax 914 put on either a V.E. Or L.E. Sometime ago down here in Florida. Unfortunately the aircraft caught fire and the plane and pilot perished. I believe he was an A&P mechanic as well. The Rotax uses a bed mount so it would not be hard to do. Plus it's at least 50lbs lighter than a continental or Lycoming so weight and balance would be an issue but I think it would be an awesome engine to use on a V.E. Performance and fuel burn would both be improved.
  17. Say it Al , say it ! You've brought back the Berkut !!!!
  18. Yes, it was Ary's Youtube videos that got me hooked in the first place. I guess I will try and ask him where he sourced his parts. Because as was mentioned earlier it goes better if you have the stuff you need instead of waiting around for it. On a separate note my CFII is still current - if anyone needs a BFR or instrument currency in a Canard type aircraft we could sure work a deal !
  19. Kind of funny you should mention that part about the bandsaw Jon. That was the whole purpose of my initial post. In looking at several of the drawings a couple days ago I pictured myself just tracing the scale patterns right onto the metal and cutting them out. Since finding out they are not to scale I'm not really sure how I would do it since curves and complex shapes are involved. The part I was referring to that Cozy Girls doesn't have are the various metal pieces that attach to the nose gear strut. I intend to use electric trim for pitch not sure about roll.
  20. Ok thanks for all that but unfortunately cozy girls does not supply those parts - some good other things but I'll have to keep asking around to find those other bits and pieces.
  21. Jon, Oh boy - I'm not even talking about the manual gear parts I'm talking about little things like NG15A, NG3 and the nose wheel fork ( which I believe is a cast part) cozy girls don't seem to have those bits and I don't see anyone that does. I'm just trying to make sure where to get things before I start the project. That's why I enquired about the suppliers list several posts ago. I'm not sure but I don't think a machinist can fabricate something very well without knowing the angle and radius measurements but I could be wrong - and in this case I hope I am. Many of the individuals on the suppliers list are gone as well hence my frustration - I am ALL for as much prefabricated stuff as possible too. Randy
  22. Well yeah, look at all the parts for the various trim control pieces and the parts for the nose gear. Those are complex shapes. If they were square I might be able to loft them up but the curves kind of throw my pea-brain for a loop. If they were to scale I could trace them onto the flat metal plates. I'm not a fabricator I'm not sure how to get them accurately depicted onto the parts for cutting. I guess I'm missing some simple trick that all you guys know ?
  23. Thanks, I already have the plans I'm just trying to figure out what size paper to put them on for template use. I agree, Ary's site is very good. It's actually what motivated me to try this.
  24. Jon, Just got the TERF CD - what size paper should I use to print out the 174 pages of the build manual as there are some scale drawings in there for other little parts ? Randy
  25. Cutie, I flew with a HUD on an AH-1S Cobra Attack Helicopter and I have a HUD now on the B787. Sorry to burst your bubble but for the most part they're kind of just gee-whiz gimmicks. On the Cobra it was and is a necessary piece of kit because the mission was low level eyeballs outside the cockpit. On the 787 the only time it's of any real use is in a super low visibility takeoff. In a Berk-Ez I'm sure a HUD would be an interesting conversation piece but not of any true value. Maybe if you were doing a lot of non-precision approaches that had complicated step-downs but soon most everything will be curved path RNAV approaches that you'll fly just like an ILS. Pretty much the same with HOTAS as well. The Tosten grip or Infinity grip can be configured to transmit, squawk ident, change frequencies, adjust trim, lower the gear and extend the landing brake all while keeping your eyeballs outside the cockpit. But you know what - so can a regular Long Ez. You just have to know your aircraft and know where your individual switches are. Learn the blindfolded cockpit procedure and you'll have this. It sounds as if you want to create a mini-tactical fighter - and that's ok. We all sort of want that. I will say that I like your ambition and the scope of your dreams. I wish you well with this project and hope you show us your progress. Best of Luck, Randy
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