Bryan Allsop
Joined: 29 Jun 2007
Posts: 78
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 Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:48 am Post subject: PFA- Europa Tailplane mods |
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Hi David,
I would echo your thanks to the PFA and Europa team for their efforts. I would also echo your frustrations in being unable to fly a perfectly good aircraft because of detail dimensional departures from the build manual.
>From your paras. 4 and 5, together with Francis's para. 2, the proposed mod is a simple one which involves embedding a new pip retention feature, and relieving the possibility of the pin driving the TP6. This "retention feature" sounds like something we could easily manufacturer ourselves. In this case, on our behalf, would you be prepared to ask the authorities to release some sort of illustration. It would be nice to be able to make a start on things without having to await the good offices of Europa to supply us with a kit. Memories of the delays with Mod 72 fill me with apprehension.
Best regards.
Bryan Allsop. G BYSA XS Mono
> Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 23:56:45 -0700
[quote] From: europa-list(at)matronics.com
To: europa-list-digest(at)matronics.com
Subject: Europa-List Digest: 5 Msgs - 07/06/07
*
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Europa-List Digest Archive
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Total Messages Posted Fri 07/06/07: 5
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Today's Message Index:
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1. 01:07 AM - Legend'Air (=?UTF-8?Q?R=C3=A9mi_Guerner?=)
2. 10:00 AM - Re: XS Tailwheel and rudder stop (danbish)
3. 10:28 AM - Re: N81EU incident - the culprit (danbish)
4. 02:20 PM - UK PFA news - Europa safety mods (David.Corbett)
5. 09:46 PM - Re: Anyone going to Arlington (WA)? (Craig Ellison)
________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________
Time: 01:07:30 AM PST US
From: =?UTF-8?Q?R=C3=A9mi_Guerner?= <air.guerner(at)wanadoo.fr>
Subject: Legend'Air
Legend=99Air, the annual french homebuilt and vintage aircraft fly-in
will be held in Vichy, LFLV, located in the center of France, on 13, 14, 1
5 July. I hope many Europas from all over Europe will attend. All aircraft
welcomed. Information on rsafrance.com. Check Notams as it seems that the
re is a last minute change in the radio frequencies to be used for the even
t. Do not hesitate to post questions on this forum if needed.
Remi Guerner
F-PGKL, XS S/N395 monowheel, 912S, Airmaster, 482 hours
________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________
Time: 10:00:17 AM PST US
Subject: Re: XS Tailwheel and rudder stop
From: "danbish" <danbish(at)norwalktucson.com>
Ron,
See
http://www.europaowners.org/modules.php?set_albumName=album169&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php&page=2
for photos of the GS mod work I've done so far.
Dan
Visit - www.EuropaOwners.org
________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________
Time: 10:28:15 AM PST US
Subject: Re: N81EU incident - the culprit
From: "danbish" <danbish(at)norwalktucson.com>
Richard,
I found a post on the EAA site some time ago about using Gates R9 fuel injection
hose instead of the standard stuff which is usually sold in the states as R7,
or some variance thereof. The R9 has a Teflon sheath inside the line that is
supposed to be much more long lasting and theoretically wouldn't have to be replaced
as often. I used it everywhere I had a need for 1/4" or 3/8" hose that
was too tight to use versatube aluminum or where I had a need for 1/2" hose (just
at the pumps) since I was unable to locate R9 in 1/2".
But it ain't cheap; about $8 a foot.
Dan
Visit - www.EuropaOwners.org
________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________
Time: 02:20:23 PM PST US
From: "David.Corbett" <david.corbett5(at)btinternet.com>
Subject: Europa-List: UK PFA news - Europa safety mods
Wearing my UK PFA Executive Committee and Europa Club committee hats, I
asked Francis Donaldson (PFA Chief Engineer, for those of you overseas who
do not know) earlier this week if he could release a progress report on the
proposed Europa factory/PFA modifications to be incorporated in UK Europae
following the tragic accident to G-HOFC. You will see Francis's reply below.
However, before you read it, I must ask you all to consider some other
factors which Francis passed to me in a second e-mail, and confirmed by
voicemail whilst I was at a funeral this afternoon.
1 We are all aware that UK AAIB are shortly to issue a Special
Bulletin about the G-HOFC accident. Francis tells me that this Bulletin is
not expected to give any firm conclusion about the accident - investigations
are still ongoing into the very complex factors involved - and the Bulletin
will basically only draw attention to the Flight Safety Bulletins issued by
the PFA (see next paragraph). If the AAIB Bulletin reports as normal
"Special's" do, I hope that we will at least be told publicly the scale of
the damage/destruction that occurred to G-HOFC, even if no conclusions can
yet be given.
2 Some Europae, like mine, have passed the inspections required by UK
Europa Flight Safety Bulletins 006 and 007, but are grounded because the
tailplane pip pin recesses have not been built to the dimensions in the
build manual - in many cases, the dimensions are smaller, especially around
the joint between the recess and the upper skin. Owners such as myself are
obviously frustrated that we cannot fly but, quite understandably, Francis
asks that those of us in a similar position to mine wait for the tailplane
pip pin mod to come out, and do not chase PFA Engineering for individual
special attention. As we can all appreciate, PFA Engineering have been
severely overloaded by the investigations, and the resulting mod design work
involved, that arises from this accident, and other PFA aircraft types are
suffering as a result of these pressures on PFA Engineering. This situation
has not been helped by the sad loss, to a job in Australia, of our recent
and excellent recruit to the engineering team, Kerry Ashcroft; so PFA are
short of an engineer again.
3 The proposed mods (outlined below) are currently with Europa (2004)
Ltd being formatted. There will, of course, be a lead time on the supply of
some mod kit parts - especially the longer wing rear pins required for
Classic aircraft. I will have a discussion with Roger or John early next
week to see whether they are yet prepared to go public as to the timescale
for issuing the mod kits.
4 The tailplane mod will only require normal composite materials -
BID and epoxy (the mod will specify readily available epoxies); Andy Draper
has done a trial tailplane mod - to "ready for cosmetic finish" - in one
working day.
5 For those in the UK West Midland/Wales area, Adrian Lloyd, my PFA
inspector, and I are proposing to run a joint operation here at Shobdon for
several local owners to get the tailplane pip pin access mods all done
together. If you are interested in joining this team effort, please contact
me off list. david.corbett5(at)btinternet.com (put "Europa mod" in subject
box, please)
Finally, I would like to express our Europa community's thank to Francis and
his team, and Roger and John at the factory, for the enormous amount of work
that they have had to put into our situation following the sad accident.
As one of our committee members has said to me this evening - "Fly safely" -
but of course I can't, at least in my Europa!
David
UK 265 G-BZAM
_____
From: Francis Donaldson [mailto:francis.donaldson(at)pfa.org.uk]
Sent: 06 July 2007 16:25
Cc: Brian Hope
Subject: RE: Europa update
Dear David
Following the tragic accident with G-HOFC, in conjunction with Europa
Aircraft we have carried out a safety study for the Europa rear wing
attachment and tailplane system as a whole and this has resulted in various
modifications being planned. These do not necessarily reflect the actual
course of events in the structural failure of G-HOFC, which is still under
investigation.
The modifications which are currently being compiled achieve the following:
1. On Classics only, check centrality of rear wing pins in hard-point,
fit new rear wing pins with longer threaded portion and fit washer and nut
on the inside, behind the existing hard-point. This involves making a recess
in the bottom skin locally for access, refilling with foam piece afterwards
and patching skin locally.
2. On Classics and XS, ovalise the pip pin holes in the ends of the
tailplane torque tube to prevent the pip-pin picking up actuating torque
loads. Add an extra pip-pin recess of an improved design to each tail
undersurface which will provide a reliable secondary retention system to
prevent the tailplane half moving outboard if the sleeve should become
disbonded. In the process of forming the new pip-pin recesses, key the
sleeves into the structure to help prevent them becoming disbonded. Pip-pin
will still enter tailplane from above. Recess in bottom surface can be
filled afterwards for cosmetic purposes leaving tailplane looking as
previously. Alternatively, the Europa club mod for improved sleeve retention
can be incorporated at build.
3. On Classics and XS, add placards to the tailplanes adjacent to the
pip-pin holes calling attention to the need to check presence of pip-pins
and engagement of
anti-balance tab pins before flight.
The modifications will provide full details and, where needed, modified
parts.
Due to the amount of interest expressed by owners in the use of Loctite to
prevent slop in the torque tube pinned joints, Europa Aircraft are also
experimenting with the use of Loctite to see if this seems a viable
proposition. Alternatively, we are also looking into the possibility of
adding hidden stops to the tailplanes to contact simultaneously with the
mass-balance meeting its stops. These are intended to prevent the torque
tube and its pinned joints experiencing shock loads when the mass balance
hits its stops, and so avoid enlargement of the torque tube pin holes
causing slop in the mass balance arm and slop between the two tailplane
halves.
Best regards
Francis Donaldson
________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________
Time: 09:46:08 PM PST US
From: "Craig Ellison" <craig.ellison2(at)verizon.net>
Subject: Re: Anyone going to Arlington (WA)?
Hi Fred,
I'm planning on coming up Thurs. evening and staying through Sun. morning.
Hope to see other Europa builders/flyers there also.
craig ellison
N205CN
Silverton, OR
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