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Hangar Flying / Re: Varieze as 1st owned aircraft?
« on: July 06, 2010, 01:08:43 AM »
Eric,
You should be fine, but I recommend approaching the EZ in a smart manner. I've just finished up my VFR certificate and purchased an EZ a few months prior to finishing up. I had my instructor put on my insurance and had him take me out in the plane (he was already checked out on canards) several times before I finished my license. Since the EZes only have a stick in the rear, I'd navigate the pattern and he'd take over just as we'd cross the numbers.
The seller should offer check out on the airplane. If you want, you might consider having your instructor checked out on the Varieze and take you out in the plane so you can get a good feel for it on your own schedule. It'll also help with your insurance, because they'll probably want you to have 10 hours with an instructor checked out on the plane. The insurance company may also consider the EZ as complex aircraft because of the the retractable front gear. (My insruance agency does consider the plane complex.)
EZes are *fast* planes for us new guys. I trained in a plane that cruised at about 112kts (An old Beech Sundownder). Flying The Beech in our pattern at KFYV was pretty leisurely, making it easy to stay ahead of the aircraft. On the other hand, my EZ gets to pattern altitude almost before I turn to crosswind and there's no time to accidentally let my mind wander. You must fly the airplane.
I spent a lot of time reading up on the characteristics of canards and talking with folks who have EZes. I lucked out and got to spend some time with EZ pilots in California who have been flying for years.
I don't know about trailering the plane back and forth. The connecting structure is different on the Varieze from the Long EZ, so I can't comment on it directly. However, I do think you would get really tired of attaching and dismantling the wings from the strakes on the field. That's a lot of cumbersome parts to be careful with and no set place for your tools and such. You would need two people to get a wing on, and where would you place a wing after removal and before loading? I can guarantee that you won't fly the plane half as much as you would with some hangar space. Maybe try splitting hangar fees with another person.
Hope this helps,
--Josh
You should be fine, but I recommend approaching the EZ in a smart manner. I've just finished up my VFR certificate and purchased an EZ a few months prior to finishing up. I had my instructor put on my insurance and had him take me out in the plane (he was already checked out on canards) several times before I finished my license. Since the EZes only have a stick in the rear, I'd navigate the pattern and he'd take over just as we'd cross the numbers.
The seller should offer check out on the airplane. If you want, you might consider having your instructor checked out on the Varieze and take you out in the plane so you can get a good feel for it on your own schedule. It'll also help with your insurance, because they'll probably want you to have 10 hours with an instructor checked out on the plane. The insurance company may also consider the EZ as complex aircraft because of the the retractable front gear. (My insruance agency does consider the plane complex.)
EZes are *fast* planes for us new guys. I trained in a plane that cruised at about 112kts (An old Beech Sundownder). Flying The Beech in our pattern at KFYV was pretty leisurely, making it easy to stay ahead of the aircraft. On the other hand, my EZ gets to pattern altitude almost before I turn to crosswind and there's no time to accidentally let my mind wander. You must fly the airplane.
I spent a lot of time reading up on the characteristics of canards and talking with folks who have EZes. I lucked out and got to spend some time with EZ pilots in California who have been flying for years.
I don't know about trailering the plane back and forth. The connecting structure is different on the Varieze from the Long EZ, so I can't comment on it directly. However, I do think you would get really tired of attaching and dismantling the wings from the strakes on the field. That's a lot of cumbersome parts to be careful with and no set place for your tools and such. You would need two people to get a wing on, and where would you place a wing after removal and before loading? I can guarantee that you won't fly the plane half as much as you would with some hangar space. Maybe try splitting hangar fees with another person.
Hope this helps,
--Josh
