Hangar Flying

I'll be adding gear leg fairings soon. Should I just add Big-A stainless steel brake lines while I add the fairings? Seems logical. What size lines are best? can they be too big?

I recently purchased a Varieze in Wyoming and flew it home to Florida. It has a drop down oil door that is held closed by pressure in flight ... neat idea, and it forces you to "check the oil" before each flight, because you want to make sure the wires, etc. are not interfering with the closing of the door ... hard to forget it, because a gaping hole is staring you in the face as you approach to board ... I like it and it definitely ventilates the cowling after shut down (probably right after roll-out!)

What's the consensus on running the 18mm auto plugs (widely available, cheap, and low profile). They are nothing but tractor, lawn-mower, and motorcycle plugs for low compression air-cooled engines. And then what about wiring for running them off a slick magneto? Put boots on the slick wires, or make up solid core race wire?

Well, I just bought a varieze in Cody Wyoming and flew it home to Florida. The builder (his second varieze) still flys his 2800+ hour varieze, and finished this one last year. I can't say enough great things about Bob Evans and his wife Linda. They took a lot of time with me, and treated me like family. A wonderfull experience. The airplane is great, performance was great (averaged 180mph on 3.5 to 4.5 hour legs), and trip was a lot of fun. For all you out there: I am a big pilot (6-3 and 220 at least!). Bob made the cockpit roomy in the front, and I was completely comfortable. Now I have a 2005 Varieze @ 615# empty weight, O-200 with a Bob Evans prop, 15 gallon wing strakes and three gallon reserve. It will outlast my 3.5 hour airplane ride comfort zone (in ANY airplane). I can carry a reduced fuel load and a FAA normal passenger, and still easily make the two hour trips that are the norm in Florida.

I guess the best advice is to follow the helicopter pilot's pattern rules: Avoid all traffic!!

I just read my new insurance policy for my "other" airplane (a Grumman).
I live in Florida, and I now have a "hurricane exclusion". If I decide to relocate my plane, they'll pay me up to $500 if I provide receipts! ...Thanks, what a great deal! How very kind of you! ... Have they heard that hamburger flights are now $200 with gas prices where they are?
If I don't relocate the plane, and keep it in my new hangar (condo purchase built to a 135 mph wind code), the "not in motion" coverage is 5% of insured value ! WOW, they'll give me a big $3750 for a total loss (they keep the airplane, avionics and all) in exchange for my payment of $1400 for the policy ... Is anybody seeing a "deal" here? The way I read the policy, the reduced coverage is if I decide to keep the airplane at the primary airport I have listed on the policy ... now if I fly it ten miles away to another airport (to top off with cheaper gas to fly out of harm's way), find that I have a headache from the pressure drop and won't fly on antihistamines, tie the airplane down on the ramp and it is destroyed by the "named storm"; THEN I'm insured!!
BEWARE you Norhtener's, soon there will be no coverage from snow and ice causing the hangar to collapse. Of course in the Mid-West, no coverage for tornado damage. Definitely no coverage for you guys out West for earthquake damage. Rain damage in the Pacific Northwest? NO way!
I guess the easiest answer is: If a hurricane damages the airplane, climb into the wreckage, start the engine making sure there is a prop strike, and file a report that I was attempting to get to the runway for an intended flight! %^^$&^$(* this ticks me off!

I am looking at an ez where the wing attach fittings are more visible than others. It looks as if the builder may have not covered the section adjacent to the attach bolts, leaving the nine or ten thru-screws visible. I am only looking at pictures, but would like some advice.
Hint: the aircraft pictures are on this website in the classifieds. It is yellow, and looks very nice!

I know what you mean. I've found a 615 # ez ... O-200, no starter, day vfr, etc. My required mods wouldn't take it over 650 considering instrument weight trade-out. Fortunately, my weight won't require any lead in the nose ...cg would stay in the 100 to 100.5 range with and without fuel. I would have to delete a little fuel and add nose ballast to fall in Rutan's first flights envelope, but I am sure that is because of pitch sensitivity ... anyone who has time in a Aerospatiale 350 helicopter is well aware of control sensitivity (the stick seems to never move throughout maneuvers), and I have a lot of time in those among many other helo's and fixed wing. Another consideration is weight on the gear legs during "firm" landings. I think that is a major Rutan concern also. If I buy it, I plan to take off and fly about two or three hours to the first stop, find a 5000 ft runway and learn to land it!