Is there an experienced builder who fancies a few months in Europe next year, around May?
Back in 1983, having purchased LongEz plans, in the Dark Ages of No Internet, I wrote to the IVHC (the International VariEz Hospitality Club) asking for “builder assist” in exchange for a free trip to England, with accommodation, car and living expenses.
Al Coha came over and got me started on my LongEz, and in 3 months we had a fuselage on its gear and both wings made. Al had a PhD in Chemistry and had just retired from Ryan Aerospace and wanted a break. He had built a VariEz and was an EAA designee in the San Diego chapter. Many on this list will remember him.
His wife Mabel then joined him, and they did the grand tour of Europe before returning to California. It worked out well for all of us.
In the intervening years I’ve flown the LongEz all around Europe and across to the US where in now resides.
Last year I “semi-retired” – by that I mean that I no longer employ lots of staff, but still retain the core of my business which takes up chunks of time, along with family commitments.
Foolishly I thought that I’d now have time to complete my various canard projects. I have a Diesel powered Longez (see
www.LongEzDiesel.com ) a turbo-normalized EFI Lycoming project, and a Cozy MKIV glass panel update project.
I’m based at Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ) in the Cotswolds – a particularly scenic part of England, and my neighbors in the next hangar to mine are the Cirrus dealers. We get on well, and they will loan me any tools I haven’t got. I know all of their engineers, and they are very helpful.
But when it comes to the sort of construction techniques needed for (as an example) “Cut the nose off that LongEz and make a Longnose with all the fittings” the local engineers are stumped. I need a guy who has built his own Ez/Cozy – there are a few in the UK, but they all work jobs in the aerospace business and can’t take time out.
So what I’m looking for is an Ez/Cozy person out there with that (composite, airframe, engine, electrical) skill package unique to those who’ve been there and done that, and who would like to take a (roughly) three month job/vacation in England.
If so, please contact me and we can talk it through in more detail .
Seasons greetings,
Bill Allen
LongEz 160 N99BA FD51 (28yrs flying, 7 in US)
LongEz 130 G-RAFT (flying, UK)
CZ4 G0BYLZ EGBJ (flying, UK)
LE TNEIO-320 project G-PUSH (not flown, UK)
LongEz Diesel G-LEZE (UK) (flown; now apart for upgrades engine & airframe)
