---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 04/22/22: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 12:46 PM - Non Europa question for UK members (JonathanMilbank) 2. 01:42 PM - Re: Bowed doors (n7188u) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:46:44 PM PST US Subject: Europa-List: Non Europa question for UK members From: "JonathanMilbank" A friend who used to be one of three with whom I share my beloved Europa, left the group to join with others in the purchase of an RV12, which I would describe as a "tin" Europa. He was lured away by toys such as a full glass cockpit and an autopilot. What a tart! He also bought a Rans S6 which had been somewhat damaged in a landing accident, folding the nose wheel and shattering the prop. So after many months he's fitted a rebuilt Jabiru engine, new propeller and brought it back hopefully to flying condition. Yesterday, after he'd been unexpectedly called away to work at a remote location, I was left "holding the baby" to meet two LAA inspectors who came from afar to assess whether the aircraft could be recommended for test flying in order to regain a permit. Inevitably they ended their thorough inspection with a W & B procedure, which resulted in the aircraft empty weight being 10 kg above the microlight maximum of 268 kg! Before anyone asks or suggests "Did you consider this?" or "Could such and such be removed?" or "Were the fuel tanks drained?" and other helpful ideas, I'm not asking for ways to get the empty weight down. Please accept that the inspectors know their stuff and thoroughly checked everything twice in my presence, using calibrated electronic scales and triple checking their figures. Chunks of airframe would need to be sawn off to lose so much mass! This particular version of the S6 has a heavy engine and heavy battery towards the rear to counter-balance it. Removing things like the baggage container and one or two 'mods' like an instrument panel cover won't even achieve a quarter of what's needed. How it ever got through the initial W & B is a mystery to me, but I'll leave it to your imagination. Even the subsequently fitted lightweight Trig radio and transponder can't explain it. So one of the inspectors suggested that my friend might speak to the LAA about getting the S6 reclassified from microlight to SEP. Which brings me to my question "Does anyone know whether this has been successfully done previously?". Many thanks, Jonathan Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=506593#506593 ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 01:42:41 PM PST US Subject: Europa-List: Re: Bowed doors From: "n7188u" Hi Will, Not sure I can (or should) recommend much but I would touch bases with Bud. He has a nice write up on building the doors and make them fit properly. Heat is mentioned a lot but on a door that is already built not sure how that would go. I would think that removing the doors, Fixturing carefully to impart stress in the direction you want to correct the bow and judicious application of heat would be the way to go. Depending on where the bow is (you don't mention) there has been a lot of discussion on installing a latch half way at the bottom of the door. But don't take my word for it since I really never had a need to do something like that. My doors where already built and are actually the doors used on the Europa USA mockup they used at the shows (or so I was told) and I think that the years heat and abuse has cured them enough to make them hold their shape!. Best Regards, Chris Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=506594#506594 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message europa-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Europa-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/europa-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/europa-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.