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I’ll be more careful with my posts. When landing and flying in the USA all ops will be 100% by the book. As noted this was a home airport courtesy thing. With respect, l’m not too worried about our FAA friends this side of the Pacific Ocean.

Hi James, I've sent an message via your webpage. It would be great to meet up.

Mine doesn't. Some have an exhaust heat muff like GA planes, some have an oil heat set up, some an electric heater. My new one has heated seats and I'll see what I need after that. Possibly electric socks and gloves. If properly sealed they are pretty good until it gets really cold.

My plane has a little external step on the left side. The nose is first raised manually with a crank, then you get to mount it like a horse. From standing on the seat you get yourself arranged and supported on the longerons and lower yourself in place. If l have a passenger, with the nose down l get them to step onto the front seat and then step over to the back. Once they are happy l raise the nose and climb in myself. The center of gravity is on the spar so with the nose up and no pilot in place the plane can tip backwards, hence some care is needed. Some Long-EZ have an electric nose lift, then getting in requires almost no athleticism.

Every Long-EZ will be a little different. I noted that you asked about mine, well it depends on how much fuel l have on board. The pilot handbook says gross weight up to 1425lbs. I can take 190 litres of fuel , so that’s about 297 lbs. My plane is 910lbs BEW. So if the pilot was 218lbs fully clothed and with any luggage etc, it would work out. Some Long-EZ are built 100lbs lighter so the numbers are different. There is a ‘safe range’ for the c of g and every flying Long-EZ should be within that and of course generate that planes numbers in the POH. I rarely have full fuel so this leaves a lot more margin. Does this answer help?

@@daveberenholtz335 Thanks, its the pilot of 250 lbs & 6'4" that might be the problem :)

@@daveberenholtz335 Thanks, sort of. I suppose my direct question is, could my 6'4" 115kg ass fit and fly a Long-EZ? gross weights Im sure will be OK, but there have been several comments about maximum front seat weight a manitaining CG. I know every build is a bit difference, and interested in how yours compairs

Yes it could is the short answer. Burt Rutan, the designer I think is around 6'4"... he looks that tall from my 5'8" when he looms over you! 115kg should be OK. You can adjust where the rudder pedals go. Best to get a Long-EZ with an 0-320 or 0-360. The stock 0-235L2C 118hp will be sluggish on takeoff at the higher weights. You might be limited in how much fuel you carry or how heavy your PAX is if you have one. The CG simply has to be right, no cheating. Better to add weigh fore or aft if you have to rather than be out of 'balance'. Loading works normally with a pilot in the front and just keep adding weight until you get to MAUW. If the W&B is correct in the POH you will be 100% OK. Some people go to higher weights, thats another discussion. I do find it a wonderful airplane when as light as possible, you really notice when you get heavier. An idea would be to sit in one and see how it feels. My plane is at YMMB if you are around, I'd be pleased to have you sit in it and see how you go.

What's the obvious reason?

@@WalkDK you can take off on the displaced threshold. You can’t land in it.

The engine is a Lycoming 0-235L2C and the prop a Hertzler Silver Bullet 63 X 69. Thanks for the comments!

That new turn co-ordinator replaces the one on the left side with the slip bubble. It failed, I had it repaired for over $400 and it failed again. Ouch. The new LED one was about $200 and has been great.

Thanks John. I love the right hand stick and don't even notice when I use my left hand as you see in the videos. If I moved the iPad back to a knee board I wouldn't have to for the GPS. As to clearances, my fuel log, or approach briefing notes its not an issue. I do get a bit of reflection on the DG that makes it hard to read sometimes (but not in IMC), that might be worth a change to a G5 .. or a sunshade one day. ;)

Thanks John. Probably someone has. All I need to do is move the GPS to the left and things that don't need digits to the right! That's a lot of time out of the air. This panel evolved bit by bit after I bought the plane many years ago. My new built, which will fly at the end of the year, is better organized!

@@daveberenholtz335Please post some videos when you get your new ride at the end of the year. There isn't enough Long EZ content out there. Happy Flying!!

Yes the EZ is a lot of fun to fly and safe with the stall spin possibility completely removed. You must be a great pilot to note the way it really picks up speed and not get into trouble. Most people are way too fast on final until they get 'the picture'. 50 types is amazing!

What's the tail number? Been looking around wondering if anyone has done a rotax installation on one.

Good point Andy! Thanks for the comment. It would take quite a bit of work to move the sick on my Long-EZ! The real problem is the iPad is in the way as using my left hand is no problem. Of course writing down clearances being right handed and no autopilot is an issue too. ;) All is solved with my new Long-EZ that will be flown at the end of this year.

@@daveberenholtz335 I am jealous! Hope to see a video of your new bird.

@@andyhughes1776 I just uploaded a sneak peak of the panel for you featuring my pilot watch.

YMMB, Moorabbin Airport in Victoria, Australia. By the number of aircraft movements, its the second busiest airport in the country. It does a lot of training.

@@daveberenholtz335 I meant, did you touch down in the displaced threshold? Rules might be different however!

@@Cess08van 'Guilty as charged your honour.' :) I know the airport very well so it wasn't a safety issue, yes I should not touch down on the displaced threshold. Even worse I shouldn't publish the fact! There were a couple of guys waiting for me to land and I know that costs me $10/minute when doing checks with an instructor. As a courtesy to them I made the first turn off given I had minimal crosswind and all the other conditions were good. So technically I'm wrong and well spotted to you. Practically, I appreciated when other pilots 'expediate' where possible. Its also great practice for engine outs. Pilots tend to hit the end fence rather than the near one because they like to make sure they are 'clear', this is very typical in gliding which I have quite some hours in. Its good to keep the 'look' of a short field landing in my muscle memory.

@@Cess08van Yeah he touched down on the displaced threshold well BEFORE the touch down zone. In the US that is a VIOLATION of the FAR. Not good. If Australia follows ICAO rules, that’s also a violation in Australia as well. That’d be checkride failure if you did that on ANY of your checkride.

Thanks for the tip!

Wow. The LE was supposedly designed for pilots up to 6’8”…maybe the seat cushions were too thick? Ok it is a tight cockpit, even for me at 5’8”! ;) A pity it didn’t work for you. They are a lot of fun to fly.

@@daveberenholtz335 Yeah, I even had the cushions out, but no good. I think the rudder setup was to blame - it wasn’t adjustable. Funny enough, I fit just fine in my Glasair 1. All the best.

It seems so. I don't know how it works outside the us, but here you cannot use the runway before the threshold for landing, only takeoff and taxiing

@@charliembta2400 nor can you use the runway behind you.

@@renegadeflyer2 they displace thresholds for a reason.

@@charliembta2400 Hi Charlie, we have the same rule here in Australia. The development of a golf course and its associated landscaping and plantations over the road has impinged on the approach path and hence the displaced threshold.

Correct John, my bad. I have explained in another reply to a comment.