Background

Please Note: This site is for entertainment and discussion use only and is not meant for instruction on how to build a homebuilt aircraft.

First off, the completed Long-EZs in the pics across the page banners above are not mine (the build pics are). They are merely beautiful pics of some awesome Long-EZs, and in some small measure a tribute to those builders—some of whom I have the honor and pleasure of bugging the heck out of by continuously asking newbie questions!

Why build a Long-EZ?  Well, the short version is because they’re awesome!  They can go really far on a tank of gas, they’re fun, comfortable and look pretty darn cool!  But, for those fearless souls driven by curiosity that want to know the long version of the story that tells why I picked the Long-EZ to build, click here.

I called this site “A Long EZ Push” as somewhat of a play on words, because building a Long-EZ, or any experimental airplane for that matter, while normally taking a comparitively long time to build is typically not considered “easy” . . . or “EZ” as we say in the canard world.  And it was better than my other proposed title, “How to Build a Long-EZ in a Submarine!”  If you haven’t closed down the page yet because you think it’s getting a little weird, let me explain.  I was thinking about that title as I was building in my single car garage in Germany, with no heat or AC, no power, a low ceiling, a little over 8′ wide and almost 18′ deep.  Not a lot of space, and I believe I became fairly adept at working in spaces where I literally had an inch to the front and back of me for clearance.  So, in some small measure, I’ve lived Das Boot!

I digress . . .

Building an experimental homebuilt aircraft definitely requires a “push” to keep the actual project completion within a decent, acceptable timeframe — albeit that timeframe is obviously subjective and completely up to each respective builder.  Still, I liken building an airplane to any other major enduring project we do in our lives, whether that be losing weight, training for a marathon, getting a degree or learning to fly.  In my mind it quite often requires that internal push that gets us up off our butts, out the door, and into the shop to glass and sand for countless hours on end.  So the bottom line is that the time it takes to finish our airplane project is simply a direct proportionate effort in time and energy to which we actually push ourselves to get it done.

I hope you enjoy this site.  Really, the journey is just beginning.

Build on my friends!

 

17 thoughts on “Background

  1. Keep up the great work! Its amazing that your country allows you to build and fly homebuilt aircraft. Where I live in, Singapore, we get flak for using our own university workshop machines for building things outside curriculum!

    Builders will always find paths where none exists.

    • Thank you for your kind words! And yes, we definitely feel blessed here in the U.S. to be able to build & fly homebuilt aircraft.

      And I love your line: Builders will always find paths where none exists.

      Great words! And I’ll definitely be putting them up on the wall of my workshop!

      Warm Regards,
      Wade

  2. I was very happy to uncover this web site. I wanted to thank you for
    ones time for this particularly wonderful read!! I definitely
    really liked every little bit of it and i also have you saved to fav
    to look at new information in your site.

  3. Hey, Wade! (You handsome rascal!). Good luck with the build. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I applaud your patience and persistence.

  4. I read that the Long EZ wing had been de-rated to a mere 2-g load, due to a spar failure in a test facility. At one time Wiki denoted this limitation, but no more. Has the wing here been re-designed, or am I in error?

    • Hi Brett,

      In all my build research on the Long-EZ I’ve never run across any info regarding the derating of the Long-EZ’s wing. In fact, the original stress tests on the wings and canard put their load limits way higher than GA airplanes. If you run across any info I’d be interested to see it. I could be missing something of course. I will say also I’ve never heard any discussion about this at fly-ins such as Rough River where there is an abundance of canard aircraft/fliers. Moreover, having flown GIB in my buddy Marco’s Long-EZ, we’ve done some gut-wrenching turns that I would not be surprised if they topped over 2-g’s.

      Cheers,
      Wade

  5. Your reply to my comment makes perfect sense. I had read that they took an EZ and wanted to load test the old build, and the spar buckled at ~2 g’s. Now, I find nothing anywhere to support this. I have seen the spar build of a Long-EZ, and it looks hell for stout, and you are certainly correct about relative strength versus a production aircraft. Very sorry to have unwittingly cast aspersions. Thanks for your kind reply to a disparaging and likely false report.

    • Hey Brett,

      No worries. Always good to test systems and verify that they’re up to par! As a builder, of course glad to hear there’s nothing more to this claim.

      Cheers,
      Wade

    • Very interesting….

      Yes, it is definitely worthwhile to note that the VE and LE are two completely different aircraft in regards to how the wings are attached.

      Thanks for sharing!

      Cheers,
      Wade

    • I believe it was caused to yo granular corrosion of the aluminum wing attach points. The longez has a entirely different spar/wing connection method.

  6. Well done, you inspired me, im bit stuck building a hydrofoil moth, also in my celler in germany. My first test i nearly sunk the boat as the centreboard case wasnt
    sealed well, a shit job to fix and seal, anyway thanks for sharing your story , will now just get some more sandpaper and epoxy etc and finish it well this time.
    all the best,Stuart

    • Hi Stuart,

      Thanks so much for the nice words. Glad my site inspired you… which we of course all need from time to time!

      Rock on & good luck with your hydrofoil moth!
      Wade

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