Took my yellow Long EZ out this afternoon to work on the engine tuning....and figured I'd take the wings along while I was at it. Didn't take long to get the low end and mid range correct on the OS 46AX so I went ahead and flew it without the rear cowling.
Gets up to speed really quick now, I'd say about 200' of paved runway for the total takeoff into a slight breeze. With the exponential, the plane is very stable and fun to fly both wide open and about 50-60% power. Landing is something I'll have to get used to with this thing---as it doesn't want to come down! Shot at least 6 approaches before landing just a bit past mid runway--somewhat due to tall trees on the final out about 500'. It just glides and glides and glides!

I've got the elevator at 1/2" total throw each way with -40% exponential and the ailerons at 3/8 each way with -26% exponential, the leading edge of the canard 15mm higher than the trailing edge of the wing, and the CG spot on at 430mm back from the leading edge of the canard/152mm back from the leading edge of the wing---with NO fuel. It basically flies off on its own when it gets to speed. When setting the elevator "neutral" point I'd suggest setting the bottom of the elevator flush with the bottom of the canard, as the elevator being a symettrical shape in cross section if set with an equal "gap" from the leading edge of the elevator to the trailing edge of the canard on both the top and bottom tends to add a bit of down elevator----mine requires just a tad of up elevator (down as you are looking at it) to maintain altitude. "Jmupilot" aka Pete is da MAN! where I picked up a LOT of info on this model in getting it set up correctly. I'm having fun confirming his tips and trying to add some of my own for other Long EZ owners.

It was also an afternoon for the maiden flight of a fellow club members new "Bobcat" ARF----he used an OS 61FX for power and it really scoots! Word of caution though with that one---apparently they intended for the builder to epoxy the wings onto the fuselage---it uses an aluminum wing tube and small rod (similar to our Long EZs but the small rod is near the leading edge of the wing) yet has NO connection for the wings to the fuselage! While running the engine up on the ground, at full throttle the left wing would seperate from the fuselage about 1/2 to 3/4 inch and stay that way until power was reduced to idle, where the left wing would then slide along the tube/rod back to the side of the fuselage.....and the right wing would then move out the 1/2 to 3/4 inch away from the side of the fuselage! They wound up putting a #64 rubber band around the fuselage pushing it back over the leading edge of the wing to fly it.

I handed the transmitter of my Long EZ to the Bobcat pilot in mid air and asked him what he thought. He flew it wide open for a few passes and then slow flight to see what the stall was like---it would stall and drop the right wing but wasn't violent or anything. He was very impressed with the slow speed flight, and like myself made several approaches that were on the high/fast side.

I asked him "compared to the Bobcat, which one do you like better? His reply was "Heck, I like BOTH of them, I'll have to get one of those (Long EZ) also!"