>>They apparently need someone with 50 hours experience on type to give them
5 hours dual<<
That certainly seems a bit extreme. It would make more sense if the requirement
was 5 hrs with Martin Stoner, or "up to 5 hours" if he thinks you're up to
speed. 50 take offs and landings in varying conditions would be more use than
hours of upper air work.
A potential problem with experienced Europa pilots is that they have forgotten
what a steep learning curve it can be. Also the aeroplane is different now. The
problems are being experienced by pilots meeting a new up to date Europa, still
a bit of an unknown quantity. Even the factory are still on a learning curve and
I don't mean to suggest that's a bad thing.
It's my belief that since the advent of tri gear airplanes many of us have
forgotten how to fly taildraggers or worse, never learnt. I learnt on monowheel
taildraggers, with and without engines, then converted. 10 years of flying
canards have almost completly diluted my previous (apparent ) skills. A very
recent reaquaintance reiterated how easy it is. Set up approach speed, close
throttle at 400 feet or so and wait. After the Japanese kiss allow the speed to
bleed off and quietly lower the nose.
Can't do that with our Europa. On the other hand the last time I went into Tom
Lawton's strip with the Long EZ I got stuck for 6 weeks waiting for the wind to
change and the grass to dry.
IMHO it would be most unwise to first flight a Europa without something like 50
hours on type. Preferably not all on the same aircraft. Equally unwise to do it
on anything other than a grass billiard table 600 metres or more or tarmac.
Short grass is the most forgiving. Bumps can be a problem .
Part of the insurance problem is the high hull values that some owners are
setting. Not really surprising the insurers are getting nervous. Really the true
value of a decent Europa is nearer L35K than 50K+. There have been one or two
undercarriage mounts broken by very heavy landings, (prop too ). The one that I
saw had no other damage to the airframe although the prop flange was bent out of
limits. .002". It is even possible to go round after knocking an inch off the
tips of the prop. (G-YURO) This is a very tough little aeroplane.
Graham
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