About The Plane

This web site documents the unique one of a kind aircraft called the Stagger EZ. It was not designed or built by me, David Williford but by a composite craftsman and pilot by the name of Steve Wright. It took Steve over 6,500 hours to build the Stagger EZ.  Unfortunately, he passed away due to a skin cancer in 2010.  Now, I’m the new care taker, pilot and restorer. The aircraft flies today because of both of us. This site chronicles the struggle and progress to make this the best flying machine I can make it. Check out the gallery blog and web links.  Thank you for stopping by.  Also thank you for the sponsors on the site as well.

 

 

The StaggerEZ is a three place pusher canard aircraft, featuring staggered seating with easy entry from ether side of the aircraft. It also has a Roncz canard wing that has dihedral built in. With a wider round fuselage and a very large bubble canopy, visibility is improved from other canard aircraft in its class. Lastly the landing gear has a much wider stance from other canards which helps in landing and taxi. It was designed and built by Steve Wright.

Steve Wright (Builder) Personal History

• Degree: BS Business
• Built “to the plans” Vari-Eze; first flight 1982
• Canard flying time; over 1000 hrs.
• Designed Wright Nose lift, late 80’s; first unit shipped 1995
• Designed and built StaggerEZ; first flight 2003
• Awards: Grand Champion Plans Built for StaggerEZ, S&F 2005; Rutan Designer’s Award for Vari-Eze, 1986

After 6500 man hours of work and 14 years the first flight occurred in the spring of 2003

StaggerEZ Design Goals

• Comfortable and Roomy Cabin
• Outstanding Visibility
• 160 kt. Cruise w/ good fuel economy
• EZ open cowl and inspection hatch
• User-friendly systems
• No nose ballast for solo
• No in flight fuel management
• Simple fuel system; one fuel tank, one fuel cap
• EZ entry/exit
• EZ open canopy – no forward obstructions for taxi

Weight Distribution

Staggered Seating – any combo of pilot > 160 lb. and passenger < 240 lb.
• No ballast if within those limits
• Cozy needs ballast shift for same weight distributions

Single Fuel Tank / Single Point Fueling

• Single 40 gallon tank, one fuel cap
• Filler on left
• Tanks in each strake connected with central sump
• Trap doors in sump prevent sloshing
• Sight gauges marked with “time to empty”

Controls

• Pilot side – copy of Long- EZ

• Sticks on left for front seat passenger staggered 13.5” to rear of pilot’s stick

• No rudder pedals on passenger side

EZ Entry / Exit

• Nose-Lift lifts fully loaded aircraft
• Rear Hinged electrically actuated canopy allows access from both sides
• Canopy 20% higher and wider than COZY canopy

Sod Runways / Offset Nose Gear

• Main Gear outboard of prop arc – no debris into prop
• Aircraft sits at +1.5 deg incidence attitude on ground
• Nose Gear 5” right of centerline – out of pilot’s way
• Passenger’s feet behind nose wheel
• Same nose wheel as on COZY MKIV

Speed?

• Can cruise 175 kts TAS @ 2700 RPM /  75% power using 10.5 gal/hr.
• Usually fly 150 kts TAS @ 2300 RPM / 60% power using 6.8 gal/hr.