Considering building a Long ez

[Baronvonrort]

Hi all

Great forum with lots of information which has really helped.

I have a couple of questions and would appreciate some help.

1. What is the average weight of a Long ez completed without avionics and engine?

2.Has anyone fitted the Rotax 914 turbo to a long or vari ez?

If yes could you give performance and weight details.

Thank you and greetings from Australia

[rutanfan]

Glenn Saunders purchased an already flying Varieze and installed a Rotax 914. He reduced the weight by 50 lbs and saw climb rates at 1500 – 2000 fpm if I remember correctly. Sadly he crashed and died a couple of weeks ago. His plane may be seen on the member’s directory.

[Baronvonrort]

I have looked at the accident reports and could not find the one involving Glen Saunders,could anyone provide a link to the accident report.My sympathy to his family and frinds.

There are very few long ez in Australia and none are likely to be for sale in the near future.

I have about 15 years experience with composite construction of racing yachts,i have good experience with autoclaved pre preg carbon with nomex cores and wet layup foam sandwich,building a long ez should not be that difficult for me.My initial thoughts are the fuselage and strakes could be done in male mould (male mould allows fibres to be tensioned slightly during layup) nomex/ pre preg carbon and baked while the wings and canard should remain with the materials that rutan has specified for reasons of aeroelasticity.I am considering contacting Burt Rutan to see if he would be prepared to do the specifications for the canard and wings in pre preg carbon /nomex.

I have roughly estimated the weight of a complete long ez without engine or electrics to be around 450 lbs,would this be fairly accurate?

We have quite a few rotax 914 turbo engines in Australia and so far they have proven to be reliable and economical if unmodified.I weighed a complete engine last week,alternator,psru,starter,exhaust,engine truss and muffler minus propellor and it came to 155 lbs.The weight and fuel economy make this engine appear attractive.

Great website and informative forum and i would like to find some photos of a Rotax installation in a long or vari ez.

[Baronvonrort]

I believe Glen Saunders experienced an engine bay fire before he crashed.

There are fire extinguishers available that are activated by pulling a cable,or can be mounted within reach that has an aluminium tube connected with nozzles that can spray halon where the nozzles are directed and weigh under 10 lbs.

Any serious motorsport supplier wil stock these.Here is a link to one supplier.

www.demon-tweeks.co.uk