Hangar Flying

As a noob trying to give the  longez community a chance to opine I am going to rant.....

I want a Long Ez for it's mission, and it's economics.  A 140kt aircraft burning 7 gal/hr is very appealing to me.

well, i've been reading and checking stuff out for about 2 years now.  I'm a avid pilot (as can be being a single dad), and i'd love to just get rolling on building a long ez.  Sadly, the community seems to be either very small (dwindling), reclusive, or non existent.  I think i will have to resort to the Cozy community, i love the long ez...to me it's the original, less expensive...doesn't need a 0-360, etc.  But I will most likely do a cozy, i don't want to since i haven't even really read up on them, but will for several reasons: 

Support - existing plans, materials, active builders.....nuff said

Community - As i said, finding a long ez builder/owner/expert.....is a needle in a haystack for the noob.  As a first time builder, or purchaser of a experimental nobody is building, that is a big sign of caution.  I can spit in the wind and find 10 RV drivers in my back yard, and they are willing and the community is down right amazing.  I mean, i'm willing to learn and drink the kool aid, but it's a tough pill to swallow.  Look at the task of getting complete sets of plans and templates to build???  Not even mentioning the KNOWLEDGE!

Practicality - if i can't build one because i can't get plans, or support...well, i'm not really keen on buying a 20 year old plansbuilt plane i know nothing about, my local A&P won't know anything about, and trusting my life to it.  And I'll feel like it will take me a long time to be comfy with it since i didn't build it.  And will never know if the wing spar or some other critical part has a crap layup inside it. 

So, thoughts canard community? 

In my honest opinion - here is what i think needs to happen or in 10-15 years, the LongEz will be gone:

1. A group of LongEz gurus needs build a long ez -  document, photo, digitize and rewrite all the long ez materials with the help of a aeronautical engineer who will cross reference and QA/QC burts stuff.  Then charge $300 for the plans and COMPLETE knowledge base.  So that anyone who got them, like a noob like me can have all knowledge at your fingertips, go to a EAA composite workshop, and be on your way.  Make the purchaser sign a hold harmless/waiver of liability, etc
2. By doing that you can grow the "enthusiast" base, and have a website that takes donations, like the RV community does.  Whoever runs the website, takes those funds and MARKETS the long ez community for group buys, awareness, PR, etc. the CSA and Yahoo group of canard/long ez folks should merge, and make one site, like this   www.vansairforce.com
3. OR......someone redesigns the long ez, make it better (if possible) make it wider, support todays new engines, etc, whatever, and sell a legit copy and set of plans.  Heck, wicks and aircraft spruce would probably be silent partners in the biz?

Well, that's enough.  Sorry for the rant, just frustrated, or uneducated or not self educated enough.  Please advise.

Greg
Madison, WI