Flighttech Models 1984 Long EZ kit

[JFandL]

Very much dated kit of the Long EZ Canard 1984

I built one back in 1987 I think it was. Anyways I found this kit online and one of our club members now 92 years of age really like Canards. at the start of this years flying season I rebuilt one of his canards and it only lasted a few flights. So round two here we go.
Pictures soon, this is Art guys before the crash.

[JFandL]

Plans have seen better days, so has the wood.





some wood and small parts not in the kit and this is a dye cut kit, LOL

[JFandL]

So today I've moved a little more forward. Now all you guys that have been in the hobby for awhile recall mid 80's and 90's there was a crazy idea to save on the price of wood they(Kit makers) started using foam cores which we would sheet with 1/16 planks. This kit is one of them. At one time everyone was making a form wing cutter kit with wing jigs. The Kit makers were saying to us" Look how fast this kit builds due to the form core wings". I was never a fan of this kind of build but this kit takes that to a hole new level. It is a Delta wing with its rudders on the tips. So I have 6 Wing Cores to sheet and then I can start to glue them together, also two rudders. For an engine I'm going to use a Saito 14cc gas four stroke , 3 blade for power. Going to be fun for sure!!

John

Now the wing parts as I must build the wing saddle next and I need the center wing section finished for that.

[JFandL]

I had to wet down the wing skins and placed into the wing blocks to dry. As soon as this dry's Ill do the outwings next.

[JFandL]

Comming together, on hold , ordered servos, kill switch, ect.

[JFandL]

While I wait, setup engine mount, 2Deg up.

[Alpha]

JFandL I'm following your build intently!

I am curious, how did you arrive at the thrust line of 2 degrees up? How did you set up the canards on your original build back in '87?

[JFandL]

The Plus 2 is a guess at what I will need to help get from ground to air on take off, this should also help some on the offset rudders which are almost a Clark Y. With the linement of the rudders so far aft and very near the C.G.. they cause alot of drag. The makers of this kit over came this with rudders only moving in a outward direction with spring returns. I'm changes this and a few other things on the old kit. As far as the build in 87 I had Zero Thrust for the 1st few days. The airframe wanted to hug the ground and not fly, long roll outs and still had to force it off. I played around with a few wedges and the one that worked best was 2 deg. up. This gave me a very clean roll out and lift off. However this gave me some interesting side effects once in the air. Which after a few weeks I found that +2 deg on the elevator stab were needed. So this one should fly right the 1st flight. I'll be adding +2 deg on the elevator stab. Canards a hoot!

[Alpha]

Ha, yes, canards are a hoot! 'Worth revisiting from time to time. I'll be following the rest of your build with interest!

What's your ground clearance with the intended prop?

[JFandL]

With a 11-7 3 Blade I got 1 1/2 inch of blade tip ground clearance. Due to the 4 stroke gas having less RPM's than the nitro(150-200 RPM). I have 3 blades which to play with. I think the 7 pitch will give me the flight envelope I hope for but this part is unknown to me at this time.

[JFandL]

Servos and parts are in and I've started the wing work.

[JFandL]

After what seemed to be a long day, I have one servo box done.

[JFandL]

Sorry to say real life seems to always get in the way. Was in the hospital for Aortic aneurysm which had to be fixed via operation. They cut both sides of your groin and move up to the area of repair. This picture is the right side and I have one on the left just like this one. Good news is they got it fixed.