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.