Re: Long-EZ PDE

Randall Clague wrote:

> Something's off there.  Dick Rutan is the high time pilot on the 
> Long-EZ, and was the factory test pilot.  He reports that the 
> EZ-Rocket has *much* better performance than even the O-320 engine 
> Long-EZ.  We routinely bury the ROC indicator, which pegs at 2000 fpm, 
> typical climb is 4000 fpm, and we've held 6000 fpm toward the end of 
> burn.  You can't do that with a piston engine Long-EZ.  This 
> corroborates what I've seen, that Dick's EZ, Ol' Blue, needs quite a 
> bit of runway to get off.  I think Ol' Blue has the O-235.

I'm sure the rocket has substantially better climb performance than a 
O-320; My comparison is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. The 
'exhaust velocity' of a prop is much lower than a rocket. I quoted 
static thrust, which is thrust at 0kts airspeed at sea-level. When you 
get to flying airspeed the thrust from a prop is much lower, because now 
you are moving through the air at a large fraction of the speed that 
your prop moves air rearwards. At flight speed a prop does not have 
nearly as much thrust, but that high initial thrust sure helps get the 
plane to takeoff speed.

>
> OTOH if you tell me a Defiant has power to burn I'll believe you.  Had 
> on of those doing low passes at sunset the other day.  Yee-ha!

Those are nice birds, haven't had the pleasure of a flight in one yet!

> I don't know their plumbing works, but it seems to me they could put a 
> bunch of that stuff in the back seat.  That's where we put our LOX 
> tank.  All that support plumbing doesn't have to be any particular 
> shape until it gets to the det tubes.  Now, if they do put a bunch of 
> plumbing back there, they should modify the canopy so the pilot canopy 
> and the support hardware canopy aren't connected - in fact, the pilot 
> canopy should end at the new inter-seat firewall, and the back seat 
> should get a cowling.

Sounds reasonable, and the weight of their equipment is close to, but 
within the spec'd designed weight limits of the aircraft.

> If they do that, even if they make no other changes, I bet they get 
> could airborne.

I'd love to see (or should I say hear) it! I'd be the first to go find a 
totaled grand-am and start on one myself.

-- Greg