Death of the Canard Builders??

[Bill James]

Finishing the well worn path out over the ranchlands (mostly ranchlands), there is just enough time to beat the sunset home. The nose lowers to the left toward the winding deep green oaks and pecan trees along the creek leading home. So lush you can’t even see Bear Creek under there.
I still can’t overheat the Eze. It just takes the high speed run in stride, as usual, and happy for more.

Just enough time before sunset. As with so many times before, with one finger the power is backed off a little to the wingover power setting. The nose is already swinging a little low and left to exactly 180, and already coming smoothly up to that perfect angle, now a little left rudder over the top, through 090 on speed and altitude, swinging swerving back downward and beginning the gentle pull with the nose coming up with the altimeter settling on altitude and airspeed and 000. Already lofting up again, in the groove, snapping mental images of the vistas that are held for a few seconds and then replaced with a better one…

That was thirty minutes ago; the first wingovers in several months. The third flight in three days, all business after the annual, now complete with the multiple checks of static RPM, nosewheel liftoff speed, the rebuilt carb, new plugs, the autopilot in but unconnected… Test checklist complete after three flights and still time for a few wingovers.

Spectacular weather. The meager flight time during the seemingly endless too-busy to finish and fly days… those vacant weeks until now,  drain away. All done. All good. All new wingover data in the noggin, greens and blues and purples and turquoise’s and shades of whites and tans,  no grays or browns for now… the gentle, just right wind on final to assist in supporting a satisfying touchdown…
Over the three days I have been chased in by a glistening Lacombe, a Thorp T-18, a Lancair, a classic yellow Cub, a Coot amphibian, a brilliant yellow Tailwind, a PITTS…
In the rumble of engines shutting down, I decide not to interrupt the grinning, and friendly insults by mentioning to them their… our… planes are dying out. Oh, and an RV. I don’t think any of us are too worried about any of the airplanes loosing or winning a popularity contest.
I have heard that airplanes can expand your horizons. Or bring them closer…

Gotta run, time to visit some about VariEzes.

Hope that helps  

Bill James

The Lord loves us the way we are, but too much to let us stay that way  

[Vandy12]

Thanks, Bill...

Any bit of visualization is added motivation for me to stick to the project!

[Bill James]

I left out the best parts.
Like on that first takeoff in a while, ripping up to a thousand feet, breathing a little easier now and settling into the seat, remembering the days and weeks and months of your hands working over the plugs and the tires and brakes and valve settings, torquing the prop bolts, all disappearing in a haze now,
…smoothly leveling off, adjusting the trim, the good feeling how well all the things work, how smooth it is, how beautiful it is, all of it- the plane, the sky, the life,
…the flashback to shaping the nose foam, fitting the consoles just right, molding the stickgrip, the altimeter coming alive for the first time,
…settling into the seat again just for fun, just right, ripping left. And rippling right. That beautiful sweeping turn and pull behind the canard; the Peter Pan things you can only do and feel  and see in an Eze,
…making friends with the steed again; the rudders, the trim, feeling that good feeling that triggers your cautious subconscious to check all round for traffic, again, and the instruments! Again. All good. All good mechanically because of your hands. All good in the lofting and banking and ...everything, all good, just like you hoped.
…wish it could be put it into words.
Bill

The Lord loves us the way we are, but too much to let us stay that way   

[EZRider]

Well said!

[Joe Person]

Boy, if only I could fly as well as Bill James writes about it... 

[Vandy12]

Bill, next time you and the Eze venture north of the border into OK, let me know - I'll buy you lunch!

Brian

[Bill James]

Let's see, what time is it?...   

[Alan Laudani]

I wish Canard Builders well. Having built a Varieze (1980--1992) and flown it (1992--2011), I have started another plans build composite: the pro-composite Vision.
I can look at three (via internet) completed Visions. My plans' number is 401 and I think at least two more bought after me. Plan building is much more of a commitment than kit building. But more satisfying. My mindset is that the education of building is part of the process. I don't look to find all my answers in one place. Confidence comes in reading, doing and making decisions. Some say it's not rocket science. Rocket science is easy. Rocket engineering is expensive.
Canards are the best buy in aviation. Especially Rutan canards. Speed, comfort, safety, fun, and the flexibility of doing your own simple modifications.

[easyrider]

Beagle's posting mentioned Canards West....just 3 weeks to go

http//:www.canardswest.org

Easyrider

[easyrider]

Having read my post on Canards West I could not connect to the web page link
Here is another

http://www.haltonbrat.com/dinner2012.htm

Easyrider