A picture of the Cozy Mk IV in flight, frm aircraftspruce.comBuilding an airplane
My name is Ben Hallert, and I've decided to build an airplane.  After a lot of research, I've chosen the Cozy Mk IV, a four seat variant of the Long-EZ designed by Burt Rutan (designer of the first private manned spacecraft).  The FAA requires an experimental aircraft builder to keep a builders log to prove that they built the plane.  This webpage will be that log, as well as a way to show my friends how I'm progressing.

Current status
4/23/06 - Like sands through the hourglass....  finally did my first big glass layup.  The seat back bulkhead is curing, we'll see how badly I messed it up in the morning.  I've insulated my garage door and put a heater out there, it seems to be doing ok at keeping the temp up in the curing area.  We'll see what happens, I'll add more details later.
3/19/06 - With the kids asleep, managed to finish microing the seatback.  Oh yeah, this baby will be flying in no time. 
3/11/06 - Continued work on front seat, spent an hour on it.  During that hour, I cut out a corner that I messed up on 3/7 and micro'd some replacement foam into it.  Once that cures, I'll be able to contour it into good shape.  Gotta love composite construction!  After that, I started micro'ing the surface in preparation for putting down my first layers of glass.  I didn't have enough time/confidence to do that today, but I'll get to it soon.  I got the surface maybe 75% covered before I had to stop.  If I had just mixed one bi batch and done it in one or two shots, I'd be done, but I underestimated the amount of micro that the foam surface would eat, so I kept mixing one or two ounce batches.  I'm an idjut!  A note for the future, I can probably mix bigger batches of micro since I'm using the slow hardener.  Glargh!  Well, at least I'm building.  At this rate, I should be just about ready to fly for the 100th anniversary of the first Cozy test flight.
3/7/2006 -
Life is starting to get back to normal, or at least as normal as can be.  It's been a month since I got my supplies, it's time to start building!  Today, I cut out the front seat!  I cut and smoothed one edge as shown in the plans, but managed to really pooch it up by making it kinda rough.  I don't know how hard it will be to fix, probably something I can fix with dry micro.  During one cut, I broke off a corner (I epoxied it back, no harm, it's setting now).  An inauspicious start, but...  it's a start! - 1 hour.
3/2/2006 - Crikey, now my wife's grandmother has died.
2/12/2006 - My wife's parents were killed in a fire, the project is on hold.  Much more important things to worry about right now.
2/7/2006 - Got my first shipment of supplies!  Plans, epoxy, hardener, ratio pump, etc.
1/31/2006 - Finally received my serial number and word that the materials are shipping.  I am the proud owner of Cozy MK IV plans serial #1432, which is funny, as that used to be the combination to get in at Santa Monica Airport when I received my pilots certificate.
1/25/2006 - Made my order!  NOW I'm a builder, right?  Enroute via UPS is:
  - One set of plans $500
 
- One gallon MGS 285 Epoxy $86
 
- One quart slow hardener for the above $24
  - One ratio pump for the epoxy/hardender $250
 
- The materials for Chapter 4 of the plans $460.
1/22/2006 - Making the first order this week for plans and materials for Chapters 1-4, plus an epoxy pump. Added Panel Ideas page.
1/8/2006
- Received information packet.  It's official, I've spent money on it.  Am I a builder yet?

Choices and rationale
The decision process - How I came to choose the Cozy.
Which engine to use - What's going to burn off all that extra gasoline I buy?
Variations from plans - What will I do/have I done differently from the plans, and why?
Misc notes & data - Stuff that doesn't go anywhere else.
Running cost tally - How much have I spent so far, and where?

Paint schemes - It can't fly unless it looks pretty, right?
Panel ideas - This is the last stuff you buy, but it's fun to dream

External links
Cozy/EZ specific
-
Cozy Development - The official Cozy page
Cozy Builders - The unofficial Cozy page
Brian Deford's Blonde Streak - One of the many great Cozy's out there, along with a great build writeup.
The Cozy Girrrls - Home of some exciting modifications, including the Cozy Girrrl's strakes that I'll be doing.
The Canard Zone - Great forum for getting data and advice from other builders.  I'm there as 'Chairboy'.
EZ Squadron - A place to read about canard aircraft
Bulent Aliev - Another nice rotary powered Cozy

Experimental related -
Blue Mountain Avionics - I'll be watching these guys during the build for sure, some very exciting avionics.
Aircraft Spruce - The place I'll be getting my plans and building materials from.  They are now the official owners of the design.
Atkins Rotary - An engine vendor that specializes in aircraft conversions of 13Bs.
Barnstormers - Aircraft classifieds.  Might be a place to get inexpensive gauges for basic VFR until I can get the money for that IFR panel together.
Rotary Engines - The Mazda Wankel Rotary Engines for Aircraft website
Conversion Concepts - A manufacturer of engine mounts for rotary engines
Homebuilt internal dimensions - A comprehensive list of cockpit sizes
EAA 31 - The EAA chapter I'm a member of

 

Chapters Progress

  1. Pre-plans

  1. Description & Introduction
  2. Bill of Materials
  3. Education
  4. Bulkheads
  5. Fuselage Sides
  6. Fuselage Assembly
  7. Fuselage Exterior
  8. Headrest, Seat Belts, Heat duct
  9. Main Landing Gear, Speed Brake
  10. Canard Construction
  11. Elevator construction
  12. Canard Installation
  13. Nose Gear
  14. Center Section Spar
  15. Firewall
  16. Control System
  17. Trim System
  18. Canopy and Turtleback
  19. Wing, Aileron, & Wing Attach Construction
  20. Winglet & Rudder Construction
  21. Strake/Fuel/Baggage
  22. Electrical
  23. Engine-Prop Installation
  24. Covers Fairing
  25. Finishing

Cozy Page - Ben Hallert - ben@vipmail.com - Progress: 4 hours - 0% of estimated 2700 hours construction. - Last updated 4/23/06
All text and original photographs copyright Ben Hallert except where otherwise noted.  Cozy Mk IV is a registered design of Aircraft Spruce and the author makes no claim otherwise.