Building a Cozy Mark IV #1397

How to spend excess time in your shed

Who, What, Why, When, Where and How ...

These are temporary pages while I get a full site together. But lets answer the six questions above for the curious.

Who? - I am married with two children, Laura aged 9 and Cameron who is was born in May 2005. Thinking about building a plane just as another child comes along is not necessarily the best timings but hey kids are part of your life they will adapt. My daughter thinks I am mad, my wife has known this for a while, so no problems there.

The day job involves working for the Joint Information Systems Committee, this is an research and development organization that tries to further the use of technology and computers in education in the UK.

Oh we also have two cats and two dogs….. The hamster died and we gave the rabbit to an unsuspecting neighbour who thought it was cute.

What? - a Mark IV of course, or the usual response when I tell people what I am up to.

Why? - Well why not! I am the sort of person that needs a challenge and also can be a little bit obsessive. These are good traits for a homebuilder. Also include an optimist, you have to believe you can do it and finish it or there is no point starting.

I gained my JAR PPL (A) in May 2005, two days after Cameron was born, that was one hell of a week I can tell you. I never really wanted to fly, I had no experience of flying other than on holiday jets. Jane bought me a 30 minute trial flight for Christmas 2004 and I got round to taking the flight in February 2004. Well I was hooked, came down grinning and that was that I had a new hobby/vocation/obsession.

Started proper lessons in the March and finished in May the following year.

Took a while to go for the Cozy, nearly didn’t, I almost went for an RV 9, got the plans and nearly started collecting together the tools. Then spotted that the Cozy MK IV was around, I did not think it was approved in the UK, it is but only as a 2 seat version!! This is not really a drawback as I means I can load up and still be under the max gross weight.

The main drawback in the UK is the limit on runway size and type, over half of our airfields are either grass or less than 600m in length. The RV is a better short stripper machine but what I am looking for is a long-range tourer. I want to fly around Europe. The Cozy is ideal for this, I may be limited to hard surfaces but if I fancy a bit of ‘Stripping’ so to speak I can always hire a club plane.

When? - I intend to start building as soon as possible, I got my plans in August 2005 and I have started collecting together the tools I need. (sooo much cheaper than the RV tool kit). Then I need to move… that’s right the house is up for sale as I have no where to build the thing. So we are moving as soon as the house is sold and we move then I will start. That’s commitment!! Currently doing  Chapter 3 in the spare bedroom, but not ideal really.

Where? - I plan to do it in a garage or erect a workshop. Land in the UK is expensive and we don't often have big gardens. The estate agents know that I need space for a 20’ by 20’ shed. They can believe why when I tell them, and also access to the rear or side of the property as I may have to get a crane to lift the thing out when I am finished (I am serious about this last bit)

How? - that’s what these pages are about, a mixture of a personal Blog and build diary as many are doing. Photos will follow but not yet.

 

So task number one—move house—in progress

 

E-mail: andrew.dyson@nottingham.ac.uk