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What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

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Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2022 7:54 pm Post subject: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

We are back!! Thanks Matt!!



This week finished off airframe engine checks and extended ground checks... made a shop cradle to check off and scrutinise undercarriage integrity... all done and no more hidden surprises; feel much more comfortable flying the aircraft now... surprised at the lack of forethought put into service/maintenance facility points provided within the overall design of the europa; very common scenario in the world of design, lack of thinking of "how and who will we have fix this thing". Still an awesome aircraft despite...

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Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2022 12:49 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Got to the field at sparrows fart this morning for post maintenance check flight... 4C, three layers of fluffy clothing, 25psi in the maingear, zero wind on the ground, 25kt laminar at 800' AGL... 181 rolled out and rotated like a possessed trojan for a one and quarter hour cruise around the block; 112kt IAS at 1200' 5200rpm WOT... floated through final at 55kt for a text book perfect landing; greased it on short... final post maintenance visual inspection and flight check tomorrow... ironing out the crap...

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Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2022 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Another sparrow's fart start this morning and not so cold... final check flight was smooth as glass again... perfect conditions again and it quickly got busy in the air and water below; everyone got out for a great Sunday... pushed the throttle to the end for a 700' flat stick run over water, 125kt (at) 5500rpm before pulling it back to 4000rpm for an 80kt loiter... so good went for another hour flight; very satisfied with the results of the past few weeks deep dive into line maintenance.... signed off

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n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:28 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Weather finally good for a breakfast flight to Crystal River, FL. I was surprised when wife asked if she could come! Made the flight even more memorable!



(Wanted to clarify that I always invite her but she generally declines for one reason or another. Lately I haven't asked her, but I guess she was finally ready)



Ended up being a very nice flight. Crystal River is only 80 miles away so not too far. The return was a little bumpy but at 5500' was not bad at all. Used the Arctic Cooler AC on the ground (we are experiencing a bad heat wave) and wife said ("If I can only to carry a little bag with just underwear during trips because of baggage weight limitations I don't care, the AC is coming with us"). I don't believe her but that is how much she liked the cooler. 



A few pictures my wife took of the event are attached.



Chris

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Takeoff

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Happy wife

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Cruising up high

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Last edited by n7188u on Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:52 am; edited 1 time in total

peterz(at)zutrasoft.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:41 am Post subject: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Pic links brokey



On Mon., Jun. 27, 2022, 11:37 a.m. n7188u, <chmgarb(at)gmail.com (chmgarb(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> Europa-List message posted by: "n7188u" <chmgarb(at)gmail.com (chmgarb(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Weather finally good for a breakfast flight to Crystal River, FL. I was surprised when wife asked if she could come! Made the flight even more memorable!

 

 Ended up being a very nice flight. Crystal River is only 80 miles away so not too far. The return was a little bumpy but at 5500' was not bad at all. Used the Arctic Cooler AC on the ground (we are experiencing a bad heat wave) and wife said ("If I can only to carry a little bag with just underwear during trips because of baggage weight limitations I don't care, the AC is coming with us"). I don't believe her but that is how much she liked the cooler. 

 

 A few pictures

 

 Chris

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=507334#507334

 

 

 

 

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 http://forums.matronics.com//files/eb61b065_af79_42e7_83fd_11075cb5e563_912.jpg

 http://forums.matronics.com//files/img_1087_360.png

 

 

 

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n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 10:07 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Peter,



The pictures show OK at the web site. I did edit the message a few times so it's possible you got an older message (assuming it was a digest).



Chris

Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Looks like a great day! How do fund flying with the AV-30 Chris? Are the screen fonts easy to read? been thinking of installing one...

peterz(at)zutrasoft.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 2:24 am Post subject: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

I’ve heard reports that the av30 horizon and heading are sometimes mot reliable (they now offer an optional magnetometer). Also interested in Chris’s pirep.



I find the garmin G5 to be rock solid fwiw.

Cheers,

PeteZ



 	  Quote: 	
		   On Jun 27, 2022, at 10:55 PM, Area-51 <goldsteinindustrial(at)gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

 

 Looks like a great day! How do fund flying with the AV-30 Chris? Are the screen fonts easy to read? been thinking of installing one...

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:rdrr

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=507339#507339

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 3:45 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

I like the AV-30, a lot but yes, it has some limitations.



Peter is right, under certain circumstances the AI will drift a little and the internal magnetometer really doesn't do anything. But I found the magnetometer issue to be the same with other units (Dynon D6) with internal magnetometers and uAvionix now offers an external one which should provide a fix. 



I have seen the AI drift happen during certain maneuvers like a rapid deceleration and turn as when entering downwind and slowing down at the same time. It will recover quickly.



But since my airplane is strictly VFR I find it to be acceptable for my application. For true IFR I would do a little more research on this matter. I think it would be fine for emergency situations such as descending through an overcast layer but I would not do an approach as it is today. But they have a certified version so, if I was interested is IFR flying with it, I would do further research as to why it seems to have these drift issues and still be approved. I have a Dynon D6 in my LongEZ and it seems to be spot on. No experience with the G5 but would expect the same. I just don't like the square look of those units.



I really like the round gage look in my panel (call me a classic romantic) and the unit is gorgeous. The display is very bright (as you can see from the full daylight pictures) and super crisp. No issue reading everything on the screen (if you look carefully at my last panel picture posted here you can read almost everything, even the DG tape which is pointing 180 degrees off to the west (I never bother to set it, I have a compass and GPS for that, and should really turn it off)). It is incredibly small depth wise and, in the typical uAvionix  fashion, very easy to install. Mine is connected to my Garmin 496 so it will show heading to next waypoint, speed, time and distance. Wouldn't mind having a second one underneath to act as a DG (well, GPS track or fit it with an external magnetometer) but I realistically don't need it. The panel would look nice though.



The built in pseudo AoA is almost useless but it will give you a good stall approach warning. Just don't use it as an accurate AoA for landing purposes.



So despite my report being honest about it's pros and cons, I still love it and would not doubt buying another one. I am just dead set on having my round panel look and the price is right. Maybe if one day I lived somewhere were IFR is practical, I would consider a regular EFIS panel. The combination of the AV-30 with the small MGL EC-1 currently fulfills all my instrumentation needs and I love having the analog Winter ASI and altimeter. At one time I had the Winter out for service in Germany and that is why I bought the AV-30. The ASI in the AV-30 is accurate so flew with just that until I got the Winter back. And also happy to have it as an emergency AI.



I hope this helps and don't hesitate to ask questions if you have any.



Chris

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 4:03 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

One clarification: although when younger I used to be anal about making EVERYTHING work perfectly, I have changed and I am only anal about things I consider critical (engine, airframe, and many other things). 



What I mean is that I have read that the AV-30 can be made to work better through more extensive adjustment and calibration but at this point in my life I don't spend that much time doing such things. I just like to go up and enjoy flying. I pretty much slapped it in place, performed the basic calibrations and I have just flown since (I did perform detailed calibrated airspeed measurements). Also, as a former airline pilot, I have no interest in flying hard IFR on my Europa (I heard that some pilots that have flown airliners develop an aversion for flying IFR in small planes and I guess it is true in my case. But I don't live in a region were easy IFR is the norm. In Florida IFR generally means nasty embedded thunderstorms). But I believe the AV-30 would do fine in case of emergency and reasonably high ceilings.



So if you read that the AV-30 can be improved through further calibration, you should know I have done none of that.



Chris

Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

That's a great review of the AV-30 Chris; thanks... I'm not a fan of the square peg in a round hole aesthetic either. I have panel space for an extra gauge and have been thinking the AV-30 ticks all the vitals. John did a great job keeping things really simple when he built 181, so trying to retain that as much as possible.



Are you running an Airmaster? Noticed you are doing 130kt there...

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Nope, just a fixed pitch Duc Swirl 3. Notice the relatively low rpm. I can get around 135-140 if I push a little harder. 



And this is with an airplane on primer so happy about performance so far. Can’t wait for the paint which should happen before year end.



However, always compromises. Could be better on initial climb with a CS prop. Takeoff run I do get 5200 rpm for a relatively short TO run. But as soon as I speed up between 60 to about 90 the prop overloads a little, dropping the rpm to around 4900 to 5000. I still get over 1000 fpm with wife and me and about 40 lbs of baggage and almost full fuel. Once over 90 knots rpm increases and I can start bringing the throttle back to around 5000 rpm and 27 MAP for a cruise climb of close to 1000 fpm and a little more than 100 knots.



It just gets better as speed increases thanks to that laminar wing. 



This is truly a crazy little plane. Impressive. 



Chris

Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Thanks for that; yes it is pretty amazing. I've been running simulations on the 3d cad model and as is from factory there is not a lot left to improve upon to get more speed; really liking it... I've only got 80hp under the hood and 19deg pitch set on the Bolly; gives me 1000'/min at 80kt one up... is your's 100hp?

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:49 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

You welcome. Yes, I have the 100hp. I have to say I installed the speed kit and I’m happy I did. It’s not a “wow” increase in speed but at this level a little improvement feels really good. Maybe 3-4 knots (emphasis on maybe but looks good and protects the flap hinges). 



The biggest jump was with the Duc prop (from a Woodcomp that provided dismal performance except on crazy short takeoff rolls). Can’t imagine what this plane would do with CS. 



I did have a question: I do have a wheel fairing kit for the mono but don’t know if the extra weight is worth the install. I have read that the wheel is behind a turbulent area due to the cooling duct exhaust so the speed gain is nill. What do you or the group think?  I think it would be worth the try because of the sealing of the tunnel but it’s installation sure will add some weight and complicate the airplane a little (which I try not to do). But I am curious. 



Chris

Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Initial tests using the digital wind tunnel show marginal streamline improvement with a maingear wheel fairing installed; same with the speed kit; about 3-5kt.  the factory standard lower engine cowl on the classic generates around 25kg of lift from the exit chute, i haven't run tests on the xs cowl to compare but it would be around the same... the maingear when retracted sits within fairly still swirling air when retracted and so affects drag very little. From experience i would say the maingear cowl would reduce turbulence dB noise more than anything. Deleting the lower engine cowl chute improves forward performance with the loss of that 25kg lift and exit suction for engine cooling; maingear fairing works well in this scenario however the current shape is not optimum... Apart from rear wing root fairings there is not much else that can be done to the wing; wing root fairings offer the best performance increase but only within a small 3-6deg AoA band with the flaps retracted. I have been toying with a passive STOL wing design which is proving very affective so far reducing Vs0 to 28kt while retaining very little detriment to cruise performance; a dynamic solution would be great however adds complexity and potential more points of failure... to be blunt, other than powerplant choice, there is not much more performance available to be squeezed out of the current airframe; the design team have done an awesome  job.



The attached images display free stream velocity across the airframe at 100kt cruise at zero attitude along with a streamline overlay. The fuselage alone generates a fair degree of lift during operation; hence doors being sucked off in flight.

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n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:55 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Great download Area-51 (if I may ask, what's your name if you don't mind sharing? Area-51 makes me feels I am talking to a secret extraterrestrial being )



The comment about the possible reduction in noise due to the wheel fairing install is interesting. Any experience on this out there?



Chris

wdaniell.longport(at)gmai
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:44 am Post subject: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

"rear wing root fairings"   Like Chris I think this is interesting.  Can you expand upon this?

I am always interested in free speed.  

William Daniell



LONGPORT



+1 786 878 0246

On Wed, Jun 29, 2022 at 11:15 PM Area-51 <goldsteinindustrial(at)gmail.com (goldsteinindustrial(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> Europa-List message posted by: "Area-51" <goldsteinindustrial(at)gmail.com (goldsteinindustrial(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Initial tests using the digital wind tunnel show marginal streamline improvement with a maingear wheel fairing installed; same with the speed kit.  the factory standard lower engine cowl on the classic generates around 25kg of lift from the exit chute, i haven't run tests on the xs cowl to compare but it would be around the same... the maingear when retracted sits within fairly still swirling air when retracted and so affects drag very little. From experience i would say the maingear cowl would reduce turbulence dB noise more than anything. Deleting the lower engine cowl chute improves forward performance with the loss of that 25kg lift and exit suction for engine cooling; maingear fairing works well in this scenario however the current shape is not optimum... Rear wing root fairings offer the best performance increase but only within a small AoA band with the flaps retracted. I have been toying with a STOL wing design which is proving very affective far.

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=507363#507363

 

 

 

 

 

 

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peterz(at)zutrasoft.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:27 am Post subject: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Wrt turbulence, fwiw at speeds over 140mph my classic has significant airframe buffeting I assume is coming from the tunnel. I have yet to try fairing it to see if it makes a difference.



Cheers,

PeteZ

On Thu., Jun. 30, 2022, 9:01 a.m. n7188u, <chmgarb(at)gmail.com (chmgarb(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> Europa-List message posted by: "n7188u" <chmgarb(at)gmail.com (chmgarb(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Great download Area-51 (if I may ask, what's your name if you don't mind sharing? Area-51 makes me feels I am talking to a secret extraterrestrial being )

 

 The comment about the possible reduction in noise due to the wheel fairing install is interesting. Any experience on this out there?

 

 Chris

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=507367#507367

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 ===========

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 eferrer noreferrer" target="_blank">http://forums.matronics.com

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 WIKI -

 errer noreferrer" target="_blank">http://wiki.matronics.com

 ===========

 b Site -

           -Matt Dralle, List Admin.

 ="noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank">https://matronics.com/contribution

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Area-51

Joined: 03 May 2021
Posts: 391

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

Area-51 lives in the ether and remains a privately governed top secret scientific non-existent underground hideout... Details of the "Obsidian Files", although the existence of has been denied by officials, have been leaked with insider information mooting that the files are yet to be sanctioned for public release in heavily redacted format.



Feedback from flyers using the wheel fairing feel there is a difference but no measured comparative flight test information has been gathered; at this stage purely going off the numbers being spat out by computer analysis. Slight high speed wing root turbulence may be experienced during a nose up attitude, mitigated by implementing wing root farings; a larger radius between fuselage and wing provides greater affect than a tight radius, 1/4 to mid chord back. It begins at about 4deg AoA and runs back over the mid section fuselage to the horizontal stabilizer root and increases in amplitude as alpha AoA increases to stall angle.

n7188u

Joined: 15 Nov 2015
Posts: 404

Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:23 am Post subject: Re: What did you do with your Europa this week - 05/24

👍

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