All the recent correspondence following the tragedy at Oshkosh seems to
point to a basic instability with the Europa. Is this inherent in the design or
due to building errors?
Trimming ailerons to achieve smooth integration with the wing profile is
dodgy and may point to a basic error in construction with one wing having a
different lift characteristic to the other. The descriptions of other
incidents
such as a very sudden wing drop and incipient spin are not asociated with any
other GA or home build as far as I know.
Questions.. do people's experiences of wing drops apply generally in the
same manner or do they apply to different wings and perhaps mainly to the foam
wing?
Should there be improved ways of measuring the newly formed wing profile
before finishing?
Have any pilots flown different Europas to see if the problem is replicated?
I have never known a severe - or even comparatively slight wing drop in the
stall, power on or off, in GA aircraft so the apparent Europa problem is
worrying and needs some more in depth investigation.
Patrick
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