Europa Seats
One aspect of the Europa which is a bit lacking in detail is how seats can be
made.
Fortunately, the Europa FTP site has one idea which uses 5 mm ply sheets which
form the seat bottom (supported by a ply cross member glassed in place) and
slotted to allow the seat back to pivot forward in order to get to the pins and
pitot disconnect (and lights disconnect if fitted).
This was a pretty neat solution I thought although once cut, all the ply pieces
weighed in at 7 lb (although I had figured on some lightening holes in the seat
back).
With apologies to Graham Clarke who posted the design, I have just gotten back
---From Sun 'n Fun at Lakeland where I had a chance to see how Europa Aviation
did
it themselves - which I think is probably a better way of doing it.
They basically filled the floor area between the aileron/elevator pushrod tunnel
with blue foam (the final fill depth can be adjusted for optimum seating
position) which is then carpeted along with the rest of the floor and module
area. The seat comprises of a sculptured (for good back and lumbar support) foam
seat cushion and a seat back - again suitable sculptured) which I believe were
then Velcroed to the cockpit module.
One of the Europa's (the trike) had additional material which then buttoned down
onto the 'headrest' part of the module.
This concept weighs hardly anything at all.
As you can imagine, a good time was had by all at Sun and Fun particularly when
we all met up for the 'Builders Banquet' on the Monday night. Got to meet a lot
of you who read this Forum and got we swapped some good ideas and experiences.
Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
Glad to hear Blue Peter is still going strong - although quite how you make a
Europa out of a couple of empty washing-up bottles, the inside of a toilet roll
and sticky-backed plastic, I cannot imagine!
Regards
Martin Tuck
#152
Wichita, Kansas
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