I'm a retired USAF and Delta Airlines guy. I got a Long-Eze from Ed Kelly just before he died. He had made the main gear retractible!
He was winning races and I soon discovered the engine and prop were raced beyond normal limits. On my last flight in it, a rod had
broken and the vibration was fierce. I had plenty of altitude and headed for the airport with the engine at idle. I only got halfway there
and landed hard in a cornfield. At the last instant I had to make a turn to avoid cornfield sprinklers beside I-15 which was having its own
bumper-to-bumper and I had to avoid a power line by pulling the nose up. I cleared it, but fell (no airspeed now)about 50 feet to the
ground.
I've been working on it since I had a V-35ATC rebuild going on at the time. It is rebuilt now with nice upgrading improvements. I've
added a turbocharger and other nice things. It's ready to taxi. My replacement engine has the set-up for a constant speed prop.
I got a new 3 blade, but it is not a pusher.
I'm glad today to learn, that Rutans do not approve and I found it out today.
Fred Nielson at fandp2@mvdsl.com
