Matt Chapman Airshows- Lazer Z230

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	Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Chapman
	No, Leo never owned it. It simpley ened up in his old hangar. Leo had already passed. The plane came in at 930 lbs. Not too heavy, but then Leo was also obsessed with weight. He would drill holes in everything. Yes...Leo was a huge influance on me. I still love the way he flew. His focus and intensity was unmatched. Hecalled me one night and we talked for a hour or so about how to approach competition flying. It was very cool. Leo's inverted ribbon cut and his outside snap after was a ball buster. That had to have been the hardest push I had ever seen at the time. And lowwwwwwwwwww. Not sure why you have the impression that Lazers fly lower... most likely due to the fact the not too many CAPs here state side being flown by experianced show pilots. Some that have them are excellent pilots, just not 100% show guys/gals. Also, with me, I just have become....well.... older...I want to die in bed..with a hot babe next to me at the ripe old age of 85 plus. Not in some smoldering hole in the ground in front of thousands of people only to be forgotten the next week and played time and time again on CNN. I will leave that really low flying to the new guys and the guys that are out there doing it all the time making a living at it. I no longer have anything to prove. I'm happy doing a good, safe demo without pushing the limits. next question.

Yes I agree it seems to me Leo did his whole performance in a box the size guys fly 42% Imac planes in I mean his whole routine was down on the deck right in your face couldn't take your eyes off him kind of routine!!!

[Matt Chapman]

Very cool pix.

One reason the Lazer may appear more agile is its lighter and slower. It will turn a corner sharper due to weight and speed. I was also pulling 10 "G" on almost every corner in that video. My old shakey bones cant do that anymore. I do 3 9.5 to 10 pulls in my demo now, but thats it.
THe Lazer was on average 170mph at 930 pounds and the CAP 1330 pounds up to 240 to 250 mph on opening type manvrs. The corner in the CAP is much larger for that reason.
Now, when the Bucker is done, I'll be able to do a corner that looks square, but it will only be 4 "G" and going about 120mph!

[SleepyC]

Man.. I want a lazer now.
With that Z230 cowl.. looks killer.

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	Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Chapman
	Very cool pix. One reason the Lazer may appear more agile is its lighter and slower. It will turn a corner sharper due to weight and speed. I was also pulling 10 "G" on almost every corner in that video. My old shakey bones cant do that anymore. I do 3 9.5 to 10 pulls in my demo now, but thats it. THe Lazer was on average 170mph at 930 pounds and the CAP 1330 pounds up to 240 to 250 mph on opening type manvrs. The corner in the CAP is much larger for that reason. Now, when the Bucker is done, I'll be able to do a corner that looks square, but it will only be 4 "G" and going about 120mph!

Matt I used to race for Honda but now it's a Harley still stand it up on the back wheel 1st 2nd and 3rd and bang 2nd or 3rd mid corner and get it sliding sideways like a big dirt bike but that's it for me now? I just don't bounce like I used to?

[rdgood]

Matt,
I saw Leo fly several times.

How cool - the story about the birth of Leo's LAZER.
Matt have you thought about writing a book?
If you haven't already.

Thanks for sharing the cool history with us!

Ronster

[Zee]

Hello Matt,
I have never meet you, but in some way we did. I am the " Z " in the Z - 200, 230, and 250. I started building the first prototype back in late 1976. We test flew the first prototype sometime in '79. All here in Colorado. I know lot of parts vent up to Denver as Gerry Zimmerman, that use to sell Stephens Akro plans was going to do plane for that lady name Joane (sp) beside my Z-200 planes I have sold lot of extra parts for modif. Stevens Akro. One of the later airplanes that we build was Z-250 for Michael Wigens that airplane had our build wing with 15% airfoil at root and 12 % at the tip, Modified NACA0015. Originaly I had guy in Texas (same guy that build Leo's wing)
Build few wings for my Z-200, but later I have open woodworking shop and build my own wings, with symetrical airfoil. I have close my airplane shop back in 1983, few years a go I supply my plans to Devin York "York Enterprises" in Canada and he continues on with some modifications.
Also if you know someone that need nose bowl for Z-200, York Enterprises now has my mold for it.
I have build all togetter 9 Z-200 series airplanes lot of them are now under the name Lazer Z-230,
Out of nine two vent to Europe, one to Germany and one to Swis.
I was always wondering where your Laser Z-230 come from, Now I know.
Real good video, it hurts to watch it. :-)
Regards,
Zee

[gene6029]

Man, this is good stuff! I love the Lazer, not to mention i grew up not really far from where Matt lived, (Pottstown Pa.) I used to see him from time to time while flying my models at the old Quakertown field.....Gene

[flying skunks]

this plane ended up in Dennis Sawyers hanger for a little while here in Florida for an annual , great looking plane .

[nate540]

Matt

Haven't seen you up in the cap lately next time you are up on a saturday afternoon buzz the mushroom bowl Bruce and myself and the racers would love it. See ya later

Nathan

[3dav8r]

Hey Matt, Brian Norris from Sean's team said to say hello. Brian always told me to see one of your shows, I did at the shootout this year and as expected, first rate!!
Hope ICAS didn't get out of control this year...ha...ha
Have a great year!

Steve S.

[Matt Chapman]

Zee,
this is so funnny to see you on here! When I picked up my project out in Washington, I tried to locat you but never could. When I got my plane it was pretty much just a frame, tail, landing gear and wing. As you know, it was not your wing, but a barton wing of oringinal Lazer (Laser) design with square/rectangle lightening holes with no span wise stringers. Barton believed that putting in double the amount of ribs would take care of the problem. All it ready did was make twice as much wood fall out of the wing! I did ened up modifiying the leading edge before we flew it, but all of the rids aft of the spar failed in the end.
I think I must have had one of your nose bowls for the cowl. It was the single best looking oneout there. After a couple years I made a new cowl and nose bowl. I got new nose bowl from Bob Davis (TR-720 Laser) Whe it showed up I hated the bottom half of the shape. It was too square and flat. I ended up splitting the bowl and using just the top half and carving a new bottom half to match my original.
When I started sheet metal and instmt panel, I had no info to go by othe than photos of the Wiggins Z and Lee Manelski's Z frm Sport Aerobatics mag. So, I really just winged it! It turned out ok. I think it was a good looking plane. After talking to Lee out at Fond du Lac in 88, I came home and chopped off a my stab and elevator. It made a huge differance. All of what would normally be sheet metal ened up being glass. I used blocks of blue foam and formed them to give me the shape I wanted. This included the turtle deck. The cowl however, other than the nose bowl was aluminum.
An added note, after Lee's death, a buddy of mine bought his Laser Z-200 and it shared a hanger with me here in Penn.
I hope this info is of interest to those reading!

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	Quote: Originally Posted by SleepyC
	Man.. I want a lazer now. With that Z230 cowl.. looks killer.

Sleepy it may be closer than you think?