Nose Lift

The Parts

Motor Head
In the event of electrical failure the system is manually lowered. Note the 1/4 inch ratchet attached to the manual override. No extension is needed to reach the motor head from the pilot seat for manual gear extension.

This photo shows the red spring shock system and the limit switches which are easily inspected and fully adjustable for the correct travel of the nose strut. This assures proper full down and full up position of the nose gear for your aircraft. The spring has a 140 pound per inch compression rate which gives a smooth ride during taxi, landings and take off.

The Foot- is the first part to touch the ground when you retract the gear. With the Nose Lift you do not need a rubber bumper if you choose to always park with the nose resting on “the foot”. This is possible as the design of the nose lift allows the system to lock when the switch is in the off position.

These detailed drawings are modified Cozy MK-4 plans which shows how the nose lift fits into the nose. You will note the system design allows for adequate clearance for radios and does not interfere with the storage area in front of F-22 and below the canard.

The Retract Control System (RCS) was developed specifically for the Nose Lift by Composit Design Company. It is essentially a plug and play system and comes with an adjustable air speed switch which allows you to engage the gear up warning system at your preferred air speed. The switch system is complete with warning and in-travel indicator lights as well as a test switch. The RCS comes with the nose lift. This was an upgrade in 2001. You can purchase these for $125.00 plus shipping if you have the old system

The NG-3 Replacement that bolts on to the nose gear strut is over 50% stronger and provides a center bolt to capture the part on the gear strut.

Burt Rutan. This photo was taken in 1976 of a young man who’s aircraft design I fell in love with, I promptly built a Varieze and flew it over 1000 hours having loads of fun every minute until I injured my back one day while lifting up the nose which prompted me to develop the system you see above. Burt’s prototype Varieze had a manual crank system that allowed the pilot to lower the nose while seated in the cockpit but developmental problems prevented it from being offered to builders.