Hi all,
By way of introduction: I've been gliding since 1986 and in the year to
May qualified as an SLMG PPL on Slingsby Ventures at Rufforth, York, UK.
I'm looking for pointers to help me decide how to persue my power
interests - but I'm still a sailplane enthusiast at heart.
Until I started looking at the interesting aviation info. on the Web
(see below for my 2nd favourite) I thought it would be feasible to build
a kitplane. The Europa comes out streets ahead on my list - meeting
pretty near all my personal design criteria. About the only one missing
(which I understand is being seriously considered) is a motor glider
version.
My ambitions were, however, seriously dented with the realisation that
1. total cost is likely to be double the UKL20k or so price ex-factory,
2. build time is likely to be nearer 1500 than 500 hours.
I think we've all become more or less resigned to the first law of
aviation which states that "you must double even the most exhorbitant
cost guestimate just to get close to the total cost". But the second
realisation is harder to take. How can they get away with advertising a
500 hour build time and suitable for beginners when the lowest estimate
I've seen is for 800 hours for a second time builder? Perhaps I'm being
naive.... :-(
Anyway, I've resolved to hang around the Europa news group for a while to
see what breaks. I've found the archives very interesting and useful so
far, and passed on the URL to other Europa-interested acquaintances. I've
already received one offer of a trial flight (courtesey of Mr Rowlands
..with a "w"... - see you in two or three years!).
Perhaps the most informative Web site I've visited so far (after this) is
a diary of <a href="http://www.tacoma.net/~venky/velocity/";>the trials
and tribulations of building the Velocity, a canard, composite
design. For those, like me, with no knowledge of lay-ups this was a real
eye opener and well worth checking out. I'm eagerly awaiting the next
installment. The URL for your bookmark list is:
http://www.tacoma.net/~venky/velocity/
Bye for now...
Alan Jackson
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