Hi everyone.

Thanks to Rick for hosting this!

Ideas shown on this website are not suggestions that you should build your airplane this way. They're shown here for EXACTLY and ONLY 2 purposes. One, to collect feedback from those who have been there and done that or see any reason why I shouldn't proceed a given way. Two, to share ideas in the continuing evolution of these fine airplane designs.

I'm building a Cozy MkIV in Rochester, MN... home to about 75,000 people and 5 canard-pushers... another Cozy MkIV under construction, a Velocity FG project, a flying a Cozy III, a Velocity RG....not bad for a small town like Rochester.

  • Status
  • PalmOS + EIS Flight and Engine Data Monitor/Recorder
  • Manual Nose Gear Extension modification
  • Oil heat/pre-oil system
  • Panel
  • Canopy latch
  • Retractable step
  • Cozy-embroidered shirts, etc

    Status

    Fill. Sand. Patch. Sand. Epoxy wipe. Sand. Prime. Sand. Paint. Sand. Buff. Fly..

    I'm working on that....

    Here's a micro finishing tip that's working well for me:

  • Take a stiff scraper (NOT a flexible blade) and grind out a 3/16" slot.
  • Spread the micro onto the surface, holding the trowel at a constant angle (say, 45 degrees).
  • Allow to cure for between 1 and 6 hours, depending on your temperature.
  • Once pretty firm, but not fully cured, fill in the gap with another pass of micro. A stiff rubber squeegee works will for this pass.
  • You won't notice any epoxy ridge becuase the micro bubbles aren't broken.
  • If you have leave it as pictured until fully cured, rough sand only the glass surface, not the adjacent micro!

    Sorry, these camera phone pictures are pretty 1990-quality.


    Oil heat/pre-oil system:

    Manual Nose Gear Extension

  • 1/2" double-universal joint, bored to 3/8"
  • 3/8" .035 4130 extension tube (tried 6061-T6, too weak/springy)
  • 10-32 EZ-points
  • 5/8" AL spacers
  • 1/4" High-strength UHMW bearing block, drilled with 4 degrees declination to top of IP center column

    Panel
    Here's my panel plan. Though, I really like what I see on the     Flight Cheetah. I agree with Bob Nuckolls' recommendations of fuses, essential bus, no single switch for all your avionics, and not bringing the the alternator wire up front. Be a pilot in the air and a mechanic on the ground. Isolate failures of individual components. This image was generated from CorelDRAW, which I'm using for the panel layout.

    Canopy Latch
    Inspired by Deb Iwatate's latch, I drew up the canopy lock system shown below. It easily upgrades the Cozy or EZ plans-built airplane. I'm not using the SH-1 or SH-2 parts, since I already had the Brock parts. This could easily be improved with addition of a rear-seat cable-pull to open the latch. Note that the design has changed for several improvements.

    Here is a CAD file latch7x.dxf for the latch.
    Here is a CorelDRAW file latch7x.cdr for the latch.
    If you send me a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope, I'll mail you the full-size drawings.

    Bob Bittner
    2107 5th Ave SW
    Rochester MN 55902

    Retractable step
    I used two close-fitting tubes to make a retractable step. The 1" hole is just above the longeron. It is easily extended and retracted. It locks in place into a slotted bracket.

    Brake Actuator
    Inspired by Wayne Lanza's actuator kit, I also fabricated a bracket for the landing brake actuator. You can get the approved Electrak SL12-17A8-04 12VDC actuator from www.Kamandirect.com (9307-448-002) or www.McMaster.com (6509K999) for about $170. I got mine from Kaman for $167. McMaster quoted $178. The spec is 75# force, 4" stroke. I turned the actuator around (vs. Wayne's bracket) so the motor is toward the seatback.
    The bracket and actuator intrude less on the backseat area, and provide a better angle for leverage on the belly board. The bracket is held on with 2 10-32 EZ-points. You can get these from Aircraft Spruce. Using these EZ-points, they stick 1/8" into the map pocket.
    NOTE: the installed picture does not include the REQUIRED 2-BID overlap of the EZ-points, subsequently installed. The dimensions of the bracket aren't critical, except the width of the fork (21/32") and its offset above the surface (1/2" to inside of fork). I made the bracket in 3 separate layups of 10 BID bottom, 10-BID top, 8-BID inside.
    The first layup, the jog, was over a piece of 1/4" plywood, cut at an angle. 10xBID, peel ply When cured, layup another 10x BID over a 7/8" foam spacer with release where the fork is. When cured, remove spacer and layup 8xBID inside the fork. I modified a tile rod saw to fit in my scroll saw to cut the thick stuff. You could also use a garbide grit blade in the jigsaw.. I like that, too.

    To install, retract the actuator, hold the assembly tight up in place, mark the holes. I found I didn't need much adjustment.

    Shirts, etc.
    I've had some Cozy shirts made. If you'd like one, please email Lois at lobit@tponet.com.

    CLICK HERE

    Bob Bittner

    Feel free to email me at bbtapb@yahoo.com