From: cdenk@ix.netcom.com
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 19:14:36 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: COZY: Wheel pant cracks

Originally my wheel pants were prone to cracking on hard landings. The tire would bulge out and catch the aft sharp edge of 
fiberglass at the aft side where the turning wheel was entering the wheel pant. I made the pants slightly wider, hot glued a 
1/4" O.D. plasic tube to the aft side opening area and 2 plys BID to make a rounded edge. Haven't had a cracked wheel pant 
since, but have seen some wear on the paint.

Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 17:26:20 -0500
From: David Domeier <david010@earthlink.net>
Subject: COZY: Wheel pants blues....

    After spending what seemed a 1000 hours installing a set of wheel
pants, I did a flat out run at 8500' today to see what it meant in
airspeed.

    On June 24, 1998, the numbers were 155 KIAS at 2680-90 RPM. OAT 15C
(no wheel pants)

    Today, July 9, 1999, the numbers are 155 KIAS at 2620 RPM. OAT
17.8C (with wheel pants)

    A little disappointing.  The result could be 'cause the new engine
is running tight.  I can not get the RPM above 2620 with same prop as
last year.  If RPM is an indication of horse power, the engine is
producing about 2.7% less hp than before it was overhauled.

    The total RPM picture with the new engine makes no sense to me - I'm
getting more on take off (2390 vrs 2340) but less (2620 vrs 2690) on the
high end??  Go figure that!!

    The wheel pants are not optimal for sure.  I decided to slow the
outflow of cash and bought a set of MF-3's ($142) from Spruce rather
than the Cozy set ($295) also available from Spruce.  I had to modify
the MF-3's greatly to get them to fit and they are not shaped like they
were.  If I had to do it over again, I would go with MF-5's (for a 6"
wheel) or the Cozy set.  I figured the MF-3's would be just fine for our
5" wheel, but that ain't the case.  Our strut is too fat and comes in at
too great an angle for that skinny profile.  I think also, most of the
other uses of the MF-3 have the brake housing outside the faring.

dd

From: cdenk@ix.netcom.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 21:24:16 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: COZY: Wheel pants blues....

Was said <can not get the RPM above 2620 with same prop>

What happens when you carefully lean the mixture at low altitude? Moderate leaning should if the mixture is near right should 
result in about 20 RPM increase in RPM. At 8500' a little more leaning should find a peak RPM (max. power). When was the 
before pants numbers gotten? Before or after engine work. When checking performance, set the altimeter to 29.92 (standard 
barometer) and fly the same altitude. Eliminates one correction. 

If your engine has more than 5 or 10 hours since work, its, not break-in, but some other issue.

Do you have EGT and CHT for all cylinders, if so, use EGT 1450F as a limit and lean to that point. Are all EGT within 100F of 
each other? Have you checked compression? Its possible to have wiped a cam lobe, or other problem (cam not timed, gear off a 
tooth)?

Fly with the pants (no pun intented) on, take your pants off (the aircraft) and fly again. Select a time when weather 
conditions are stable. Now hopefully you have eliminated a bunch of variables. Record OAT, manifold pressure, RPM, and if you 
have fuel flow, and engine temps. 

Normally pants result in atleast 10 MPH increase. Could be you have created more drag. They MUST be parallel to air flow in 
cruise. Do you have someone that can fly tight formation with a camera, get some yarn tufts, and masking tape, and check the 
airflow around.

Trying to save $$$ CSA has several sets of wheel pant molds available to members, they come with a video instruction and 
aren't difficult to make.

Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 17:55:05 -0500
From: vance atkinson <vaatk@flash.net>
Subject: Re: COZY: Less blue....

David Domeier wrote:

> Carl,
>
>     Thanks for all the suggestions on the subject.....my handicap is
> that I've had 2 jobs in my life - milking cows and since leaving the
> farm, flying airplanes.  I tend to kick the tires, light the fire, and
> if everything checks out, blast off.  Some of you guys have an well
> tuned engineering discipline - I wish I had more of it.
>
>     Today I followed a script, somewhat, and the results are a bit more
> encouraging.  Yesterday, I spent no time leaning to peak EGT.  Today I
> took about 4 minutes to get things settled down and here are the results
> with comparisons. (all at 8500' full throttle)
>
> June 24, 1998, 155 KIAS at 2680-90 RPM. OAT 15C (no wheel pants - old
> engine)(casual leaning) This was a very quick take 'cause it was just
> the 3rd flight and I was still waiting for pieces to come off the
> airplane.
>
> July 9, 1999, 155 KIAS at 2620 RPM. OAT 17.8C (with wheel pants - new
> engine)(casual leaning)
>
> July 10, 1999, 160KIAS at 2670 RPM OAT 14C (careful leaning to max EGT
> of 1512F AND much smoother air)

JUST SO YOU HAVE A COMPARISON........ I PUT 4 NEW SUPERIOR CYLINDERS ON MY
O320 LYC TODAY
AND HERE ARE THE RESULTS FROM 2 HOURS AGO..............................

>
>
>     You like numbers, Carl, here are some more.
>     Manifold Pressure=22.7                                     UNKNOWN
> (DIDN'T LOOK)
>     RPM=2670                                                        ONE
> HOUR AT MAX 2950
>     Fuel Flow=10.2                                                   14.2
>     EGT 1-4  1512 1362 1362 1430                ABOUT THE SAME AS
> YOURS  ( WITHIN 10%)
>     CHT 1-4  362 362 380 396                        362   380  365
> 376  (THIS IS ALL THE HOTTER IT GOT )
>     Oil Temp 200                                                   218
>
>       OAT  81F


INDICATED SPEED 186 KTS AT 2000'


>
>     The #1 EGT of 1512 is out of line and all I can say is that at high
> power settings, it is.  On take off it is always spiked. At 65% or less
> it is drops down with the other 3.  I've talked to Nat about this and he
> has the same phenomena on his airplane....could be caused by the short
> stack.....but we don't know for sure.
>
>     TAS comes to be 184 (or 212mph for you marketing guys).  Nat said in
> the last newsletter he increased his speed up to 218mph with the
> Sensenich prop so I think I'm in the ball park with the guru.  The GPS
> showed 157K on 270 and 196K on 090 which comes out to average 176.5,
> but I do not know if it is more or less accurate than the airplane
> gauges in determining TAS.  In my working days there were times when a
> reversed course had a headwind as did the previous course....has
> something to do with drift angle, track, and maybe the coriolis force.
> Who knows?
>
>     What's really neat about these airplanes is coming into the traffic
> pattern with 2300 rpm, fuel flow 7.6, and indicating 150 knots....it is
> very neat!  Just takes a little planning to get slowed up to 75 on final
> which I am finding to be a comfortable approach speed.
>
> dd




Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1999 20:21:25 -0400
From: Gregg Perry <gperry@usit.net>
Subject: COZY: Wheel Pants

Greetings,

     I'm starting to work on my wheel pants have been checking out
different installations.  I've seen wheel pants with vents on the top,
vents in the rear, and no vents at all.  What are the
advantages/disadvantages of these various types?

                                                        Gregg Perry

From: cdenk@ix.netcom.com
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 19:54:46 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: COZY: Wheel Pants

I have top slots, one per pant. In plan view they are 1" wide x about 3" long, centered sideways, 
and forward edge about 3" aft of axle centerline. in crossesection U shaped, the bottom sloped 
from 1" down forward to meeting the pant at aft edge. Have numerous times felt pant, vent, strut 
for excess heat, and I'm not one to go easy on the brakes. Haven't noticed any excess heat. Where 
did you get pants? Central States has several sets of molds and good instructions available.

From: SWrightFLY@aol.com
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 21:27:50 EDT
Subject: Re: COZY: Wheel Pants

In a message dated 9/3/99 7:57:47 PM Central Daylight Time, 
cdenk@ix.netcom.com writes:

<< I have top slots, one per pant. In plan view they are 1" wide x about 3" 
long, centered sideways,  >>
this method will "squirt" air up 90 degrees to the relative wind and cause 
excessive in flight drag along with disturbed air going into the 
prop.............Best low drag method is an oval exit at the rear of the 
pants. This will cool your breaks just fine. Carl will probably be the last 
one to arrive at Rough River due to all this drag................  :-)
Steve
 <A HREF="http://www.canard.com/noselift/">Wright Aircraft Works LLC: 
Electric Nose-Lift for EZEs</A> 

From: cdenk@ix.netcom.com
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999 07:21:40 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: COZY: Wheel Pants

was said <"squirt" air up 90 degrees to the relative wind and cause excessive in flight drag>

The way I see it the low airflow generated from other openings in the pants (wheel opening is the 
only) is introduced into the air stream parallel to the bottom sloped surface around 1 vertical/ 4 
horizontal. I concur with Nat's comments that this ventilation if/is required only on the ground, 
the only exception might be a "stop and go" landing, and I have only done one of those with the 
Cosy. Our landing/takeoff combined distances are long enough that exceptionly long runways are 
needed to do them safely. There probably is a more drag efficient way to shape a top vent, but 
this was a simple way. Cut a slot, shape a tapered scrap of styrofoam, duct tape release, hot glue 
inside of slot, 2 plys bid, a little bit of finishing, and done.

Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 23:10:23 -0400
From: Jim Sower <jimsower@mindspring.com>
Subject: COZY: Wheel pants

Hey all,
I have just emerged from the 'annual from hell'.  Made a lot
of upgrades and replaced two bad jugs and etc.  Now I'm
examining wheel pants.  I don't think I'm ready for the leap
to Lamb tires just yet.  At least I have to get my breath
from working on this beast all summer.  Sooooooo.  If
there's anyone out there who has recently upgraded to Lamb
tires and the appropriate pants, and has a decent pair of
'regular' wheel pants in fairly good shape laying around his
shop, how about making me an offer (no, I'm not ready to
make any right now - probably when I move to lambs sometime
down the road).  I am looking for something that will pretty
much bolt on, and be an improvement over what I have
(MASSIVE tear-drop type pants).
Thanks,       Jim Sower


From: "Nat Puffer" <cozy@extremezone.com>
Subject: Re: COZY: Wheel Pants
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 18:00:01 -0500

Builders,
The purpose of vents in the wheel pants is to allow the discs to cool
without causing an oven which cooks your landing gear struts. Obviously,
this problem is most likely to occur after landing, taxiing, and parking.
It is also obvious that the best way to allow convective cooling of the
brake discs is to put one or more vents in the top of the wheel pants, so
cool air can come in the bottom, take up heat from the discs, and the exit
from the top. 
Best regards,
Nat
