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Messages - dkreidel

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1
Hangar Flying / Re: Rutans prototypes
« on: July 01, 2016, 06:52:22 AM »
I never saw the proto Varieze, but 79RA was straight and true with pretty good surfacing. Mike had a lot/most/all to do with 79RA construction,  so I'd expect nothing less.

2
Hangar Flying / Re: Streamlining a transponder antenna
« on: December 10, 2013, 06:37:08 PM »
I've tried a blade antenna, Archer's and the simple "ball on rod", and I've found the cheap "ball on rod" with only the ball sticking out of the skin works best. Mine is forward of the rudder pedals with an irregular shaped .020" aluminum ground plane and some copper screen to extend the ground plane forward almost to the battery. Center always sees me, even in the radar sparse West. Having just the ball protruding from the skin minimizes drag and potential damage.
Another benefit of locating the TXP antenna in the nose shortens the antenna lead. Use RG400, not RG58. Ask me how I learned this :>/

Dick Kreidel
N888EZ
2,992 hours *** 8 hours more and I will have flown it as many hours as it took to build ***

3
Hangar Flying / Re: Fitting a Skytecair 149 NL inline starter
« on: November 25, 2013, 03:54:13 PM »
2,980+ hours on my B&C starter with zero issues or maintenance.

4
Hangar Flying / Re: Three Ez questions
« on: October 29, 2013, 05:52:30 AM »
Quote from: BruceHughes on October 28, 2013, 06:38:46 PM
STOP!
People that make changes in the plans always end up with a mess.  I know that because I
made some small changes.   Not good.
Bruce Hughes   :)

Bruce

I have my strobe power supply in the hell-hole. My strobe wiring and com antennas come through the centersection. I installed full rear seat controls (rudder, brakes, throttle, mixture, frequency flip flop, etc) in the rear cockpits of both EZ's, as well as flight instrumentation and slaved CDI in the rear of #2 permitting one to fly a full ILS from the rear seat. Both EZ's had the MG axle centerline repositioned 1" from the plan FS; #1 an inch forward and #2 an inch aft.

Our LimoEZ (#2) had left side stick, had an 8" stretch in the rear cockpit, 2" wider firewall, longer canard, etc.

Saying all people who make changes in Rutan's plans have problems not only discourages innovation, but is patently incorrect. The plans call for O-235 power; I wonder how many Longs have O-320 & O-360 engines? With thousands of EZ's flying, there are a lot of planes flying safely and successfully with plans deviations. 

Dick Kreidel
2,970 hours on N888EZ


5
Hangar Flying / Re: Three Ez questions
« on: October 26, 2013, 06:00:12 AM »
Quote from: go ez on October 25, 2013, 07:41:35 AM
Ref Q1  - I vaguely recall Rutan specifically addressed this in the Canard Pusher and vetoed it - can't remember exactly where - or the reason - may well have been excess fuel transfer / CoG related and/or fuel proximity to the styrofoam wings

Good memory; it was CG. But:
 • Dick Rutan's light blue Long has the strake/tank close out rib all the way outboard for extra fuel
 • The CG concern was prior to RAF moving the aft CG limit forward 1". You can do the math and see the CG impact of the extra fuel outboard  :)

6
Hangar Flying / Re: Three Ez questions
« on: October 24, 2013, 12:07:59 PM »
I moved the rib on EZ #1 to ~BL52 and EZ #2 to ~BL55.  #1 holds 54 gallons and #2 holds almost 56 gallons.

I wouldn't use aluminum tubing on the gear leg as it flexes **a lot** and I would be fearful of work hardening the aluminum

I have the single puck brakes off Burt's Defiant, but they are piloted.  As long as you have the thick (3/8"?) discs you will be fine with either caliper. If I were doing this all again from scratch I'd use MATCO brakes.

Dick

7
Hangar Flying / Re: Fuel Seep and E-Z Poxy
« on: September 24, 2013, 04:09:01 PM »
Where are you located?

8
Hangar Flying / Re: What airfilter for an 0-320
« on: September 06, 2013, 10:36:59 AM »
K&N built me a custom airfliter that fit the space/shape  had available; it must be 25 years old and still works great.

9
Hangar Flying / Re: Flying qualities of a Long EZ and Cozy
« on: September 06, 2013, 10:35:05 AM »
The fuel indicators mentioned by easyrider were originally developed by Paul Prout and then later manufactured by Cozy guru Vance Atkinson. Jim Sardella developed a modification to Prout's electronics that replaced the red LED's with bi-color LED's that are green until the fuel level reaches 4 gallons and then turn red. This is actually quite handy as the LED's flash red/green/red... as the fuel sloshes around as the fuel level reaches 4 gallons. I've had this system on my Long for 30 years and it still works well. Prout's system also included an illumination system that makes the meniscus in the sight gage appear bright red at night allowing the pilot to see the fuel level ...providing you can turn your neck enough to see the sight gages. 30 years ago this was easy for me; less so now  :-\

I think Vance still builds these sight gages and I have a new, unused set of the original Prout gages if anyone is interested.

10
Hangar Flying / Re: Flying qualities of a Long EZ and Cozy
« on: August 25, 2013, 10:54:38 PM »
Well, mine weighs 934# including oil and headsets. It has an O-320, a starter and is day/night/VFR/IFR. It may have picked up 5-6 # over the years so let's call it 940#.  Show me another 2 place plane that is mildly aerobatic, cruises over 180KTAS, carries 7 hours of fuel, can climb to FL310...and weighs less than 940#

Check the empty weight of an IFR RV-9a - many of them are O-320 powered  ;D

11
Hangar Flying / Happy Birthday to my EZ!
« on: August 01, 2013, 01:16:49 PM »
888EZ first took to the air on July 4th 1983 after 2-1/2 years of building. Fast forward to now: 30 years later 8EZ has taken me safely to Alaska, Turks and Caicos, Prince Edward Island, Panama and hundreds of other interesting places. Best of all, I've met and made friends with a wonderful group of people that I'd never have had the pleasure of knowing without building a LongEZ.

Triple eight echo zulu now has 2,953 hours on it. The first 710 were with the Rutan blessed O-235-L2C and the rest with an O-320. It has taken a direct lightning strike while iced up over Lake Ponchatrain,  flown hundreds of hours in IMC, and trained several new pilots with the backseat rudders/brakes, throttle & mixture and com controls. It has been used in TV, movies and a Cadillac print commercial, been flown by 3 shuttle astronauts, 2 movie actors and John Denver.

Best of all, building it with my father, Sam Kreidel, allowed me to get to know him much, much better and patch up a rocky period between us.

What a great airplane, huh?

12
Hangar Flying / Re: Varieze 2.0 2013
« on: July 24, 2013, 11:11:26 PM »
Have you seen his Varieze? There isn't anything stock about his 30+ year old airplane; Gary isn't your average EZ driver/builder either.

13
Hangar Flying / Re: Brock nose gear
« on: July 20, 2013, 03:01:27 PM »
2,950 hours on mine - no cracks

14
Hangar Flying / Re: Varieze 2.0 2013
« on: July 20, 2013, 03:00:36 PM »
Oh, I my have missed that!  I've been flying Roncz tips on my GU Long for 30+ years. This was originally done as a modification by Mike Melvill after John suggested Mike do so.  I'm sure Roncz tips on a GU Varieze would be fine.

15
Hangar Flying / Re: Varieze 2.0 2013
« on: July 18, 2013, 12:10:05 PM »
There is a very good reason not to install the Roncz 1145 canard on a Varieze. Rutan explicitly said DON"T DO IT as the 1145 is a much, much more powerful (higher lift and higher AOA before stalling than the intended GU) The concern is the canard can be driven to a high AOA that is still flying when the main wing is stalled - a deep stall and generally unpleasant event.

I'm sure someone has either knowingly or unknowingly installed a Roncz canard on a Varieze  - if you are reading this please be careful!

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