Summary:

Pros: What I like about the SQ2000....

1. Looks: The best, sleekest looking canard experimental - no need for pin stripes or special paint effects.

2. Performance: The performance per horsepower is at least as good as the Cozy and better than Velocity.

3. Easy entry: The floor level gull wing doors make it easy to get in/out and the dual yokes avoid the acrobatics required with dual sticks. The center stick option is awkward for pilot right/left hand control or co-pilot flight control.

4. Size and Comfort: The sleek fuselage profile is a little smaller than standard Velocity but more comfortable than a Cozy and probably more fuel efficient than Velocity.

5. Parts should not be difficult to get since it shares many with long EZ, Cozy or Velocity.

Con's:

1. More expensive to build than the Cozy, probably near the price of a Velocity.

2. Building documentation is not as complete as Cozy or Velocity but that has been somewhat remedied by this website.

3. In my particular case the heavier Franklin engine/mount combo, larger oil cooler, etc has added more to the total weight. And with its high compression I cannot use cheaper auto gas. But I still like the Franklin reliability reputation, high compression for higher altitude and fuel efficiency.

Was it worth it?

Guess no more or less than anybody else's dream flying machine. I sometimes have concerns: what will happen to it after me? will my wife be able to sell it? maybe one of my sons will fly it? will I be able to afford keeping it? will the airspace security rules go crazy and seriously restrict flying for small timers like me?.......

But as for now I love flying it. I enjoy showing/explaining it to school kids, and others. I look forward to it as my retirement transportation, visiting my sons and relatives....

Suggestion to Builders: If you build one don't mess it up by modifiying it too much to be something else. If you change it too much and do not finish it, it may be hard to resell later - your dream novelty ideas may be somebody elses nightmare.


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