Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I have this kit too. Got it at an estate sale. Is the CG in the plans correct?
Edwin

Red_Jeepster

It has ben so long since I built the last one, I will have to check my plans when the kit arrives. If memory serves, I was able to negate the balance issue by placing the fuel tank at the CG. I do that with just about everything I build. No worries about fuel causing in-flight changes.
Once I open the kit, I'm sure all the "Oh yeah, I did ...." will come to mind from the first 2 I built.

slevin1

My Feedback: (23)

The cg is correct it just needs alot of nose weight

Saul

AllThumbs

I just took delivery on one of these old kits myself.
A nice find.

I'm debating whether or not to build it box stock...or make mods inc. electric.......

slevin1

My Feedback: (23)

Trust me go electric.

Saul

AllThumbs

Electric.

Seems to be the deal....the full tank of fuel puts a lot of weight in the tail...

to offset that tailweight, you need more added weight in the nose, and as the fuel tank empties, it gets nose heavy...if I understand correctly...?

slevin1

My Feedback: (23)

That's exactly right. With electric you don't have that problem.

Saul

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

I picked up a second hand Long EZ and it is not in the condition I would like so I'm going to clean it up a bit.
1. the structure around the canopy is not finished very well. I'd like to improve it.
2. Some of the balsa sheeting is delaminating from the foam core. I have a feeling the builder used spray adhesive because when I push the covering down to the core it makes a sticking sound and pops back up. There is fiberglass and paint over the balsa skin. Suggestions about how to fix? I was thinking about trying to inject some polyurethane adhesive (gorilla glue) between the foam and balsa and weighing down while it cures. Think it would work?
3. Overall finish is not great, and covering on the fuse is a mess. It was a sloppy build.

Anyone still have the plans and would be willing to copy for me?

What is the CG?

It was built as an electric and I will build it back up that way. It did not come with the motor so I'll get one for it.

It has the servos in the fuse and I'm not sure if I'll try to convert to wing servos as recommended above.

There is a lot of lead in the nose. I'm hoping what with proper battery placement I can reduce or eliminate it.

This will be a slow project for me as I have other distractions also.

maekju

Can you post some pics?
I have one I bought back in 84 or 85 (second one). The first one I built gas. Electrics have come a long way since then so I may go that route when ever I build it.

Red_Jeepster

MAEKJU,
Love your signature! Some of the guys I fly with are always tring to come up with the perfect "Crash Line" - yours is great!

My previous favorite was "That's YOUR pile of balsa!"

danstrider

I worked on the Long EZ a little bit over the Thanksgiving holiday week. Once upon a time, I somehow stepped on my upper rear cowl and put a huge crease in it. This sealed the deal for me and meant I would be molding a new fiberglass cowling. A bit of packing tape, bondo, sanding, wax, PVA, glass, epoxy, and backing ... upper cowl mold. I'm still looking to fit the first part from the new mold to the lower plastic cowl and particularly work on their joint in the rear. More work up front, but less weight in filler to make the final part fit. Pics attached.

Dan

slevin1

My Feedback: (23)

That cowl is better than the original.
Saul

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

Looks great! Now we know where to get a replacement

I like how you brought the center forward over the canopy. I assume you'll keep that area fiberglass instead of using the part off the back of the canopy?

What is the black material you used to make the mold? I've seen it before but never knew what it was.

Speaking of replacements... Parkflyerplastics.com now sells a replacement canopy for the Long EZ. Here's a link:
http://parkflyerplastics.com/cart/in...roducts_id=653

The canopy on my second hand model was deformed too badly to repair. I found a replacement but it was old, yellowed and had a crack in it. I found Parkflyer Plastics through another post and contacted him to see if he could make a mold and form a canopy for me. He said he would so I sent in the cracked canopy and received nice new part about a week later. He's now offering them for sale (for $9) if anyone needs one.

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

Also, re: my question back in post 33 about delaminating of the balsa skin from the foam core. In another post someone recommended using a covering iron to reactivate the adhesive between the two. I tried it and it worked.

I was hoping to fly mine before the cold and snow but I don't think I'll make it.

I installed an electric motor, ESC, fixed the retract that wasn't locking in position and am now working on balancing with the battery. I was hoping it would fit up front over the steering, retract, and elevator servos but that makes the plane too nose heavy. It would have been so convinient to just open the canopy to change out the battery. Now, unless I move the aleron and rudder servo out of the way (put the servos out in the wings as Saul has recommended) I'll have to take the wing off to get the battery out. I've not wanted to go through the hassle and expense of buying new servos and doing the work until I know I like the plane. Right now, for the initial flight I'll put the battery on a tray in the canopy area. That way I can work on the CG through flight testing.

slevin1

My Feedback: (23)

Post some pics.
Saul

yel914

Anybody out there with a set of plans for this bird they'd be willing to part with or copy for me? I've been a fan of this thing for a long time now and just can't stand it any more! You would of course be compensated.

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

Are are a couple pics of my second hand Long EZ. Seems like the build is pretty standard. The builder did make the vertical stabilizers removable. They are not set up correctly in that the rudders move both ways, not just out.

Saul, you've been recommending moving the servos out to the wing and I've been thinking about doing that. I wondered too if I could fit some thin wing servos out in the wing tips or even the vertical stabs for the rudders. That way I could program rudders to just move in the outward direction. This would free up that rear center section for batteries.

I found a Long EZ kit recently. Its been started, most of the sheeting has been glued to the foam cores. Unfortunately some of the sheeting is delaminating at the leading and trailing edges.

Saul, have you started on yours yet?

nichda

I would love to build one of these but its clear that obtaining a kit would be very difficult given they have been off the market for many years.

Has anyone got a set of plans for this kit that they would be prepared to copy for me.
I would be more than happy to cover the costs for printing etc

thanks in advance,

Dale

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

I've got a long way to go on cleaning mine up but I was searching for Long EZ images on the 'net and I was wondering how difficult it would be to get the front landing gear to look more scale. The full size has a noticeable angle in the gear and another kink at the wheel. Do you think the gear mount can be angled a little to get that look? Or bend the gear? Of course I fly off grass so the wheel I have on front is much larger than scale.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I think you could get away with 85* gear.
Edwin

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

Is there a 85 degree retract with steering? Thanks

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Oh yeah, steering. I think if you ask a retract mfg about it, one might be able to set you up.
Edwin

Lightfoot

My Feedback: (1)

I have the plans and instructions around here somewhere.

maekju

JoeR,
How are your rudders hooked up? I didn't like the setup per the plans but that's what I used. I wonder if there's a why to use mini sevos for the rudders?

JoeR

My Feedback: (2)

The rudders on my EZ are set up kind of like the plans with a center servo. It looks like the plans call for a flexible wire exiting through the outside surface of the winglet to pull the rudder outward only, and a spring to return them to neutral when not being pulled. On my plane the builder used a rigid control rod/wire and exited the main wing on the inside of the winglet. There are control horns on the inside surface of the rudder. This means the rudder moves both in and out like a regular rudder. I'm not sure how much that affects the flight performance, positively or negatively. The builder designed the winglets to be removeable with two bolts through from the outside of the winglet into the wing. The push rod connects to the control horn with a clevis so the winglets are easily removed.

I've been looking at the thickness of the winglet below the wing and I think something like a Hitec HS-56 servo might fit (and I have quite a few not being used). I looked at specialty wing servos but it seems like they're all about the same 1/2" thick. I would like to keep the removeable winglet feature so I would use a 3 pin connector glued into the end wing and the winglet like I've seen glider guys do with their wing servos. The thing I'm not sure about is getting the wire back into the fuse to the receiver. I'm not sure if the wire would be small enough to fit through the control cable housing.

Of course another solution would be to mount the servo out near the end of the wing and connect to the rudder horn from there. This eliminates the winglet to wing servo wire connector but adds the reconnection of the clevis when installing the winglets. Not sure which it better. I need to look at both solutions more closely.

The main reason I'd like to make this change is so I can fit the flight battery behind that center former (f3) to balance without adding additional weight. The rudder and aileron servos are in that area right now and if left there I'd have to remove the wing to change the battery below. With those servos removed I could just open the canopy to change out the battery.

I think I could leave the aileron servo there or rotate it 90 degrees and a battery will fit but I may just move those out to the wing like Saul recommended. Again, the biggest issue is the routing the wire back to the fuse. The wing on mine is fiberglassed and painted, cutting through that seems like work and a hassle to refinish. Thoughts anyone?