>From: William Harrison <willie.harrison@tinyonline.co.uk>
>Reply-To: europa-list@matronics.com
>To: europa-list@matronics.com
>Subject: Re: Europa-List: Perspective Europa XS purchase - Questions for
>the group
>Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:13:59 +0000
>
><willie.harrison@tinyonline.co.uk>
>
>Hi Jos
>
>Can I answer your second question first? The Europa is for me a return to
>a PFA type after 15 years of flying a certified type. Previously I had a
>share in a plans-built Jodel which was massive fun to fly but a death
>trap. I was dismayed then by the low standard of workmanship which had
>obviously been passed when the aircraft was built and also by the lax
>standard of the yearly inspection. After two engine failures within a year
>I went off to find something more dependable. When I bought the Europa
>(Total time 12 hours when purchased) it was with the blind faith that
>things must have moved on - better designs, better build standards
>required and better annual inspections. The good news is that there are
>obviously some superb inspectors out there with huge knowledge of Europas
>- my inspector, Tony Kay, is utterly strict when he needs to be, sensibly
>pragmatic when he can be and always very helpful - in all respects a top
>man. Having built his own monowheel and having inspected many other
>Europas, he knew exactly where to look for problems with my aircraft and
>boy did he find them (see later). The bad news is that there are clearly
>also inspectors out there (I can't name individuals in writing, the laws
>of defamation being what they are) who have signed off appalling
>workmanship, either because they didn't spot it or perhaps because they
>didn't think it mattered.
>
>Anyway, here's a list of the things I can recall:
>
>- The fuel tank was resting on the screws which secure the inspection
>panels under the fuselage - it was only a matter of time before the screws
>would have chiselled their way through the tank)
>
>- Elevator total travel was below the required spec (by 1 degree)
>
>- The exhaust stub was put on at the wrong angle causing later heat damage
>to the port side fuselage
>
>- The rudder cables were fouling in about 8 places in total (including
>against the brake pipes which were being sawn through, and the edge of the
>tank likewise).
>
>- Rudder linkage was fouling badly on firewall
>
>- Lots of minor but mandatory items were missing: switch and circuit
>breaker i/ds, on/off placards, limits for T's and P's and airspeeds
>
>- Coolant hose routed too close to exhaust (and scorched as a result)
>
>- Starter-engaged warning light not connected
>
>- Alternator warning light missing
>
>- Fuel filler pipe wrongly assembled and leaking as a result (the tank was
>routinely dumping top 15 litres into the baggage area when filled).
>
>- Instrument panel fixing screws were all insecure and virtually every
>instrument was either inoperative or had a significant problem.
>
>- The cable crimps at the regulator looked as if they had been done with
>pliers - one simply fell out. Elsewhere the wiring and vacuum piping was
>untidy at best.
>
>- The left and right tailplanes had an inch of slop measured at the
>trailing edge (max allowable I recall is 3/16) - this was not due to wear
>but apparently to the torque tube holes having been filed out to make
>assembly easier...
>
>- Aileron pushrod assembly incorrectly rivetted allowing freeplay
>
>- Missing lock nut in elevator mass balance assembly
>
>- Fireproofing sleeves missing on under cowl fuel pipes
>
>- Wrong material used for coolant overflow pipe
>
>- Missing sealant at holes in engine bulkhead
>
>- Several areas of snagging/fouling in aileron linkage
>
>- Numerous areas where fuel pipes were at risk of abrasion eg rubbing on
>aileron torque tube, rudder cables, hole through baggage bay rib etc
>
>- Speed kit incorrectly installed (flap hinge covers abrading flap hinges
>and U/C fairing fell off in flight)
>
>Quite a list as you see. I make no criticism of the builder - the PFA
>ethos is that you can take as many attempts as you need to meet the
>required build standard and the inspector will - should - keep failing the
>job until you get it right. It was the inspector who failed, not the
>builder. I am grateful to Tony Kay for helping me find and fix this little
>lot. We now have dealt with the dangerous faults (most of the above) and
>are now moving on to do a re-wire and panel rebuild to finish licking
>G-BZNY into shape. Fixing someone else's poor workmanship is a
>character-building task but the result has been worth it - as everyone
>knows, they are super aircraft if they are built right.
>
>Cheers!
>
>Willie Harrison
>
>
>On 21 Feb 2007, at 18:09, Jos Okhuijsen wrote:
>
>>
>>Hi Willie,
>>
>>Could you please detail what the build quality problems were?
>>We at least would know what to look out for from your experience.
>>Secondly, you are in the UK, so why did the inspector pass that plane?
>>Kind Regards,
>>
>>Jos Okhuijsen
>>
>>workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane
>>http://www.europaowners.org/kit600
>>mono xs, blue stuff filled, sanded and primed, fuel system in, doors
>>done, windows in, filled and sanded, waiting for the painter, engine
>>installation, panel.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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