Hangar Flying

Unless you are very wealthy and prepared to always have someone fix your plane, this is the perfect opportunity to learn.  I doubt your mech will know what he is doing unless he has done composite work before (and knows what a spar is).  If my hunch is right, he will end up figuring it out---but you could have done the same.

Instead of giving the plans to someone---just go learn it yourself.  If you feel a little uneasy, then grab another composite guy to help you out.

This may be the last time you punch a hole in the canard----but something else will come up.

The great thing about these airplanes is that you can actually put some sweat equity in it.

Save your mechanic dollars for some more 100LL.

Experimental aviation is not just about flying------it is about enjoying the whole process (including modifying, repairing, etc)

Have fun----the repair part will give you lots of confidence in your abilities.  I am pretty sure you just punctured thru a skin.  If a lot of foam is gone, you will micro in a piece of like foam.  Sand the skin a little more than 2 inches all the way around the puncture.  Micro over the top exposed foam on top.  Wet out the skin around the puncture with epoxy, then lay on the appropriate number of layers of fiberglass with the correct fiber orientation that the plans call out for.

If you did damage shear web or spar, I would ask for help.  The spar would be very hard to damage with a prop blade (at least I think it would---it is pretty solid)

I don't think there are any.  I made my O320 DOWNDRAFT baffles by borrowing a lot of ideas off the berkut and other aircraft.  For intercylinder baffles for the O320, I did not make my own---just used the standard ones that came with the engine.

Try not to make a million bends on the lower baffle like the O235 plans.  Move the aft wall as aft as possible to reduce the amount of lower baffle wall and to make the aft wall as flat as possible.  Make "steps" to fill in the gaps created by the cylinder barrels.  In otherwords, it would be good to have a wall all the way across (flat).  Rivet in little shelves to fill in the gaps made by having a flat wall.

Look at a lot of different planes to see how they attach baffles.

I know you are looking for a ready made template.  As I said before, even if you were installing a O235, I would tell you not to use the templates.

It is a nice looking panel.  I too would have done the same with the ignition (2 toggles).  I would have also moved most of the switches and cbs to a side panel--one of the space savers that goes underneath the right longeron and butts up against the panel.  It takes no room away, frees up the panel for future growth---and more importantly, keeps critical switches dry.

Use at least a 4000 ft runway---longer is better.  Don't put wheel pant on the plane.

Make sure you are not only current---but better than current.  If you have not been flying for the last couple of years, don't make your first flight in your untested aircraft---you will want to be sharp.  Rutan's guidelines are pretty good for first flights.

Waiter- I use the same plug as you.

My Cozy (and my prior Longez) leaked water real bad when parked----and I mean reeeaaaal bad.  With at least a canopy cover that covers from the nose to the engine (and seals the canard cover area too), it keeps all the water out.

Bruce,
Give me an email address and I'll send you the CP you are looking for.

What is the new company?