Last Friday a spectacular VariEze flew a flawless first flight. The airplane started life several years ago in our hangar. Then the new owner spent a couple of years going through the plane. The detailed prep for the first flight covered several months. He endured several deliberate delays, patiently attending to minor glitches, gently nudging the aircraft and himself to readiness. He called after the first flight with a couple of questions that he eventually pretty well answered himself. I declared it an official holiday in his name and got him to describe the indications, a great way to savor celebrating the big event. I hear from several other closet VariEze drivers pretty regularly.
Going back to your original questions;
I never requested help from RAF.
Seems that finding plans and parts and help all kinda fell into place once i started building. However, for the fifteen years I had the plans but hadn’t started building, I felt totally isolated, not being able to find or even see an Eze. When I did see a few at the Kerrville fly-in the pilots seemed too busy to notice me. I understand that now and suggest that I would and do totally welcome anyone to butt into our rampant discussions on the ramp. Just elbow your way in.
Though initially isolated, once I jumped in and started building, everything changed. The Internet was in its infancy then but they saw my name in the CSA roster as a new member and VariEze builder and started showing up. Lots of advice was offered on outdated parts, what kind of epoxy to use, some very pointed questions and answers on a few critical things – the self-policing thing - and then back to the light hearted fun and games. But you know, if they hadn’t come by, I would have figured out a way to get it done. Today, with the access to information… BTW, any builder MUST read the first few CPs, as mentioned in the instructions. It took me three months going through all that to be ready to start building. If you don’t want to do that, well, you know….
So much for my personal experience on your questions.
A few other thoughts,
So how is it owning any airplane, Eze or factory built?
One friend flies the heck out of his factory airplane. Every week he picks up and then returns his grandson two hours away. Once a month he flies way north for business. Then they fly out on a family vacation trip every few weeks or months. Actually his real airplane has been in annual for over three years with bad cylinders, now in a squabble with the engine company. So he bought another four seater in the interim.
Another friend pays to have his factory plane maintained while he barely flies it, wishing he still had his homebuilt.
Several friends have a partially built (non-eze) project in their hangar, untouched for several years.
Other friends have partially restored motorcycles and rusty antique coca-cola ice boxes sitting in honored places in their garage waiting for their special touch, untouched for several years. Several friends have partially restored cars, untouched for years.
The thought is, airplanes take time and attention, and life gets in the way of other things besides LongEZs.
Back to Ezes,
years ago I used to return from Eze fly-ins depressed because I felt I could never do what those guys had done. That “financial/time-required” gap is still there, but now it has shifted to when taxiing by a hangar secluding a sleek two-place turbine or such. But you know, in a way, I didn't do what those guys had done. Because of the personality of the plane, the gap is fairly painless especially after finishing up a pretty good year including the Burnet Texas GIG, Burall’s Colorado Springs fly-in, Oshkosh, Rough River, a very interesting flight home from RR, visits to see new grand-kids, and a few “That Was Fun” sunset runs for good measure. I tried but cant capture here what it means to spend time with some really special people... or the flights over some really special places....
For practicality, observations on the positives and negatives on design or time to build should probably include ramp time at these events. Standing on the ramp at Rough River I saw the usual new crop of beautiful Cozys, four Defiants i think, the beauty and efficiency of the LongEZ per Dave Adams and his endless builder rides, and our unsuccessful effort to get all seven VariEzes and twenty or so VEze drivers/builders in attendance in one spot for a picture. Next year.
While building the VariEze there were several times when there was no time or no money. The plane waited.
In recent years, with fifteen grandkids, we have gone to over a hundred baseball and soccer games a year. Last Saturday we watched the local soccer games here in the morning and then flew 1.5 hrs to Tulsa for two more soccer games.
When I was building and ran out of time or money, the plane sat there patiently and waited for me. It is sitting there waiting for me now. It’s a beautiful thing.
Great treasures are often buried under a thicket of challenges, designed for you… on purpose.
Bill James