Velocity versus Cozy:

I was looking at comparing Velocity to Cozy IV when I listened to a guy wanting both Cozy IV or Long EZ what a different comparison this is.

Origins:

The Cozy is very clearly a derivative of the Long EZ; it uses similar theory and structure, the designer actually has a license to build from Long EZ wings, etc. It is a scratch built airplane, which generally means the builder can work a little harder, but not a lot harder. There are about 3 versions, the original 3 seater, the 4 seat Cozy IV and the Cosy Classic from Europe.

Both Scratch built planes

Sure both of them have prefab parts like cowls, pipes, gear legs (Cozy IV has a beefier one for the weight) and nose gear struts, nose gear electric nose gear kits, canopy, engine, prop, etc.

However, both are made the same Rutan way you start by shaping foam, then lay up fiberglass on it to add the strength. Then you join what you did to the last piece and press on. Early in both projects you end up with a little box shape that you can sit in and make airplane noises it is a con job you are probably 7% into the project when you can do that.

The nice thing about these structures is that they are not expensive, they are easy to redo or rebuild when you damage them. And unlike a kit piece, you dont have to buy a whole whatchamacallit to redo something when you damage it. You just patch, fill and paint.

The finish of a kit is easier in that it starts out a molded part and smoother. You can do things to make the scratch built a little smoother too for example, cut the wings out oversize and sand them down to the templates in the plans that gives a much smoother finish and less fill work to make them heavier. Same for the fuselage, spend an extra day on the foam and you save money and time on the fill and finish.

Flying Qualities:

The Cozy, solo is said to be like a Long EZ, but with 2 people up front is heavier on the controls. Ive flown both the Cozy III (My name for the original 3 seater) and the Cozy IV and they are heavier on the controls than the Long EZ, but that means they are still very nimble compared to a Cessna or Piper. Im talking about formation maneuver heavier, not cross-country follow a track or turn to final heavier.I think that the Cozy is also slightly more stable than the Long EZ so that landings are very simple affairs. Remember that for every rise of 20 hp engines, the airframe tends to be about 5 mph faster on final. Cozy IV needs an O-360, which is another $4,000, heavier propeller, bigger tires, etc. Id guess landing the Cozy IV requires about 10% more runway when you are experienced. You can load up the front seat so that you have to watch the drop through near the ground and in gusty winds. Having all that weight up front is a little less forgiving. Many Cozy IIIs and IVs tend to fly final at 100 mph instead of 80 mph for the Long EZ it is a significant thing with two up to land so fast lots of energy that can go wrong.Karma:

The Cozy builders are often Varieze or Long EZ builders and are connected to a very active club that started out as the International Varieze and Composite Hospitality Club based in SoCal. We have kept that tradition going with a number of other clubs. That means they help each other out more and they get together more. They are welcome with any Long EZ or Varieze get together and there are about 3 times as many Long EZs and Variezes flying so thats also a bigger crowd. But Nat Puffer was not a racer and he tends to poo poo the R.A.C.E. events, they were, after all, run by an E-Racer designer.

Props:

In fact we eat propellers in these pushers, one every 5 years or so but a solid two blade for a Cozy is about $1200 and a German variable pitch is over $10,000 so the smart choice is a fixed pitch light weight Cozy IV if possible. Turbo mods, fuel injection, all tends to make the Velocity more expensive to get the same kinds of performance as the Cozy. The Cozy is simply a lighter and smaller airplane. Small is important to get speed dont knock it. The Cozy IV can accept baggage pods that only knock off 2 knots on Long EZs or Cozy. The pods take 4 little jim bags full of clothes, an extra prop, tires, etc. Neat looking too.

If I were to invest today in a 4 seater, it would be a Cozy IV. So why one or the other?:

If I were to be planning a lot of IFR flying, Id pick the bigger panel of the Cozy IV more room for maps, more room for wife to hold approach plates or even throw them on the seat next to you.

If I wanted to teach a kid to fly later, Id get the Cozy IV unless the kid was 295 lbs like my little boy. You really cant see the runway from the back seat everything until you turn final is hands on VFR. You cant really hold level unless you get another altimeter back there. Some for heading. With experience a back seat EZ driver can go an hour the same way at the right altitude. You cant really shut the engine down or put the gear down in the back seat. Cant get out of most of them without breaking the canopy. So being a safety pilot is much less effective back there. The guy in front dies and I fly out to a big Air Base and circle until I run out of gas. The plane will stop fairly quickly with the nose on the ground, about 150 ft.

You certainly cant carry 3 people or 4 people in the Long EZ. You are stuck. You cant carry the skis without a special baggage pod, the spare folding bicycle may fit, but not with two people.

For formation, you might find more Cozy with push pull and twist throttles and that makes formation harder than the levers of the Long EZ. You can change them out. But for formation to the right side of the Cozy you are a off center and have a little blind spot back there you tend to work the other plane on your left if you can. Your passenger can help but being on centerline is more fighter like.

And the fighter feeling of the Long EZ being on center line with the canopy centered on you (not banging your left ear piece when you lean left) makes for more fun flying. You can see down on both sides. You can feel more dominant over your passenger. The passenger votes less on where you go and how you get there. Your passenger cant fill in quite as easily when you want to pull out the sandwiches. You cant play handsies with the babe 4 feet behind you. The back seat position is considerably safer in grounding accidents. The Cozy IV has more roof structure for the very rare rollovers. Long EZ has a design for a roll bar most dont have them.

The Cozy IV tends to be the heavier when you want to lift a full tank and baggage for your 1-3 passengers to get in. So most Cozy IVs have Electric Nose gear that allows entry on the ground. They say that for the handicapped the Cozy IV is actually as easy to get into on the ground as the Velocity with the full height doors. The Long EZ is nearly as bad as the Berkut you need to hoist that butt of your favorite female 4 feet in the air. Same for the Cozy IV if you dont have the electric nose gear though.

Value:

You pay nearly double for the Cozy IV over the Long EZ. You also get nearly double on resale so you have to think about a few more cost things. You can carry people twice as many passenger miles for about the same gas money. You need more insurance to cover hull and the Cozy IV tends to get grouped in with the Velocity and the insurance rates are more unstable. Hangering is about the same for each as they tuck under another canard in all but the smallest T hangars.

10/22/02

Beagle Work in progress.