Life on the ramp

[allen]

Hanger space is at a premium at my airport. The wait has been averaging almost 4 years. That said, if I keep a Long-Ez on the ramp how can I best protect my investment?

   My first thought is obviously a cover. I have seen some in photos that cover the canard, canopy, a large portion of the wings and strakes, and cover the prop.  Are they worth the investment? If so, where could I find one?

   Any other ideas out there? I live in the western tip of Virginia. High humidity, occasional thunder boomers, and a little snow. I may pack it up in the winter and put it in my garage at home until the spring, but we will have to see.

Thanks.

Allen

[djrise]

Bruce's Custom covers
They are not cheep, but they are real well made and cover the whole plane.
I have had mine for the last 5 years, and no problems.

[Drew]

Due to moving around in the military, I have been in 5 hangars over the last 8 years.  Three hangars just in the last year in repositioning from Culpeper to Pax River (with an interim in Manassas).  I have been on many hangar lists----and I am probably still on most of them---with never a call back.  I have always gotten into a hangar by knowing someone.  You will make those connections just by being around the airport.  Hangars may be full----but someone who was not all that willing to share may open up his hangar space to you just because of who you are.

[rglos]

Allen

I can't afford those $300+ hangars so I have been on the ramp in Chicago for 21 years. For some years I used a cover, most years not. I found that covers trap dust underneath on dry days and that dust clings to the underside on wet ones. when the wind blows the cover then acts like a cloth with rubbing compound on it.

That is using the cover for  4 months straight..

I have kept it in fairly decent condition with good coats of wax on the surface. At least 2-3 times a year.

[Drew]

My Cozy (and my prior Longez) leaked water real bad when parked----and I mean reeeaaaal bad.  With at least a canopy cover that covers from the nose to the engine (and seals the canard cover area too), it keeps all the water out.

[Bruce Hughes]

Hi Allen

I had my Longeze on the ramp for a long time and it leaked.
Eventually water got into the radio and ruined it.

A "friend" gave me a plain canvas cover so I put it on.   Every
day the wind blew and the canvas gradully removed the paint
in selected (by the canvas) areas.

21 months ago I bought a cover from Dorothymarie Dickey.
The aircraft is in the shop in pieces so I have not yet used
Ms Dickey's cover.   It looks good.

Bruce's covers are pretty expensive.   I paid a bit less than $300
(including shipping) for the cover but I don't know what Ms Dickey
charges now, or if she makes them now.

Try canardcovers@yahoo.com or call 928-685-3148

Bruce  

[allen]

I have had my first weather “fatality”. The plane is in getting some new shoes and when I went by to see it yesterday I noticed that the remote light for the ELT (AK-450) was ever so faintly lit. At first I was worried that it was transmitting, but that was quickly ruled out. We were also unable to reset it.

The punch line is that once we got it out and opened it up it was full of water. The circuit board was severely corroded indicating that this was a chronic problem. The water that drained out of the upper section (about 10cc worth) was a very dark and rusty color, and one wire had corroded the contact to the point of failure. Bottom line is that it was toast and I have ordered a new one from Aircraft Spruce.

Right now I get a little bit of water in the nose after a heavy rain. The ELT is mounted on the aft portion of the bulkhead right between my knees. No other electronics seem to be involved, but I’m still nervous. My suspicion is that water is tracking under the elevator tube and dripping down onto the ELT, but this is only a highly uneducated guess on my part. My cover does not cover this area and the canard itself is taped with white electrical tape (which I would not recommend as it is hell on the paint each time I have to peel it off. Glider tape is in the future here.)

Obviously I need to get this thing into a hanger ASAP.  :?

[Waiter]

Hanger space is at a premium at my airport. The wait has been averaging almost 4 years

When I lived in San Jose. The waiting list at Reid Hillview was measured in generations.

That said, when my grandson was born 12 years ago, I immediatly placed him on the waiting list for a hangar.

Last I checked, he was just about to the point on the list where he may start getting called.

Waiter

[allen]

My wife and I moved here from San Jose in 2003 and I do miss the Bay Area very much. Although I cannot say the same about the traffic and cost of living! There is no way I could possibly be living the dream if we were still there.

The field I’m on now is grossly anti-general aviation. To such a degree in fact that the FAA has opened an investigation into the GM’s business practices. The GM is suffering from delusions of mediocrity in that she seems to believe that she is running LAX. An example would be the building of a new 60 x 80 hanger on the field with a rent tag of just under 6k per month.

Another example is the exclusive privilege to sell fuel on the field held by Piedmont. The result is that the cost of fuel averages about a full dollar more on the field that just 15 minutes down the way at Virginia Tech’s airport. They have decided to tear down the hanger of the only flight school on the field as part of the “Taxiway Improvement” offering them a ridiculous package to relocate on the field, effectively running them out of business. ( i.e. they cannot sell fuel, ever. They can move into a new building if A) They pay all construction costs and B) They sign over ownership to said building.)