From Nats Cozy Newsletters
and the Unofficial Cozy Builders Web Site
Cozy Flyer's Reports 2002
Newsletter# 76 / January 2002
Fighter Pilots, 11/10/01
The St. Louis class B veil was down for about 5 weeks and I
really missed flying the Cozy. I did blast off one day with tower
concurrence just to shoot a few landings and no one asked boo, so
I got away with it, however a week later too many guys began
asking qestions of the local FSS and the tower tightened it up so I
did not try it again.
The veil is up now but flying is different. Maybe it is the
realization that this privilege can slip away and how precious it is.
We have taken many things for granted in this country for too
long. All that has changed. There is a nuke power plant about 40
miles west and it is a great land mark for navigation. Now it is a
greater land mark in that we must steer clear of it or risk getting
shot down.
Being an old ex military pilot, I get the itch to be involved in
the action but know that won’t happen. So we go out and play war
games. I and 2 other guys briefed a mission this week that involved
joining up and flying formation for a while. What a sight---a Cozy,
a RV4, and a Starlet. We were Whiskey Flight of 3. The tower
gave permission for a fly by and right break. It was about as much
fun as can be had these grim days. I’ve also patrolled the Missouri
River west checking for Taliban and al-Qaeda subs (never can tell
about those sneaky rats) but haven’t seen any yet. The Cozy is a
good patrol machine as it cruises along very well on 5 gph and will
turn on a dime to check things out.
Haven’t had any mechanical problems lately to report. My
machine now has about 315 hours and is about as reliable as an
airplane can be. I put air in the tires every six weeks or so and keep
it in fuel and oil and all is well. I sucked some water into the DG
coming out of OSH in the rain this year and it corroded up quick
like in several days. My friendly gyro OH shop said it was too far
gone and sent it back. I took it apart, freed it up with some WD40
and got it running again. It isn’t IFR certified anymore but it still
holds a good VFR heading. In the process I also took an old (20
yrs) vacuum regulator apart to see why it quit working. It too
needed some WD40 to free up the baffle spring arrangement that
seats a valve that regulates the pressure. It too works again.
Amazing how long some of this stuff lasts and what can be done in
time of war to keep things working.
More patrolling tomorrow as this great mid west weather
continues. David Domeier
St. Louis, MO
...
Builders, 11/30/01
Had my first flight experience in a Cozy two weeks ago. Chris
Esselstyn (N423CZ) was kind enough to give Laura and me a fun
flight in his III out of UES (Waukesha WI). Once airborne, I heard
some fidgeting from the back seat, then Laura saying, “That VSI
can’t be right. MY GOD, it is! 1000fpm at 90 kts?!?” On reaching
straight and level at 4000 ft, Chris demonstrated stall
characteristics, then turned to me and offered the controls. I won’t
bore you with details of the flight, but I was at a loss for words as
the Cozy and I got acquainted. What a sweet aircraft!
Let me say that again, and offer it as a personal mantra when
things are going slowly. What a sweet aircraft!!
Gene Traas Milwaukee, WI