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Messages - dsharvey@kaballero.com

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Hangar Flying / Re: Ez noselift retrofit for a Long Ez
« on: September 24, 2013, 05:19:00 PM »
Yes it is. I store it in the hangar at an intermediate position - one that allows me to hop in and out easily. I push it backwards by just lifting the nosewheel off the ground if it swivels too much. It can be pulled forward easily. When I have the engine started and prior to taxi I "lower" the undercarriage to fully extended position. I found this makes taxying a lot easier. It also allows much better shock absorption.

The only thing I still forget is to lower the nose in the hangar before shutting down the engine (I can taxi directly into my hangar). It's silly I know but I worry I am using up the battery if I run the nosewheel mechanism without the alternator feeding power to the aircraft!

regards, Dave Harvey

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Hangar Flying / Re: Ez noselift retrofit for a Long Ez
« on: September 22, 2013, 04:52:53 PM »
I too fited the Wilhelmson noselift to my EZ a year ago. I found Jack responsive on the phone: (843) 884 5061.
He overnighted a micro-switch to me. One thing we had a problem with was the coloring of the wires in the harness.One of them was wrong, if I remember.

I chose the manual system. Yes it is quite hard to lower the nose undercarriage and yes it takes a lot of turns. It's not impossible if you get a good ratcheting wrench. You can only "swing" the wrench through about a 90 degree arc, so it takes about 120 of these! One advantage of the manual is that the revolving "stub" is a secondary indicator of the thing working! Also, I put a ten amp circuit breaker on the gear motor. So far everything is working fine.

Regards,

Dave Harvey

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Hangar Flying / Re: Flying qualities of a Long EZ and Cozy
« on: September 05, 2013, 07:36:34 PM »
Love to hear from easyrider about the fuel sight gauges.
dsharvey@kaballero.com

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Hangar Flying / Re: Flying qualities of a Long EZ and Cozy
« on: September 01, 2013, 01:38:15 PM »
Am an old (no so bold) pilot these days and bought a Long EZ last year after a lifetime of various other airplanes. Up to that point I had thought my Starduster would have been ubeatable. I also thoroughly enjoyed a lot of hours in a Robinson R22. Both were fun, flexible machines that awoke the spirit in me. But I have to say the Long EZ has them beaten. Yes, it takes a few hours of careful  - let's just say cautious - handling experience. Getting the approach/threshold speed is something you need to nail down. But with 40 hours in it under my belt I can honestly say this is the nicest, sweetest handling aircraft I have flow. Sometimes I think it is thinking for me, it's so well "coupled" to the pilot. It is very stable in pitch and roll, and I can understand the stories you hear about pilots dozing off. But the best fun of all is to crank it up, lean it out correctly (I run just ROP), and then see what you can get. I LOVE looking at the GS when the wind's co-operating, and saw 187 mph the other day, and when I got back after an hour I swear I hadn't used more than five gallons of gas. Mine is powered by a plain vanilla Lyc.O-235 by the way.

Yes the brakes are pretty weak, and yes, I think the fuel gauge system is pretty awful. But there are ways to deal with both which just demand a little extra care and forethought.

I realize this is not a technical report but an emotional one. If you want an aircraft that enlivens your life, this is certainly on top of the list.

regards,

Dave Harvey

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