Jim,
My compliments on a nicely crafted response to TBa9161042@aol.com.
TBa9161042's email is a very misguided effort at slinging mud at a
product which may not be absolutely perfect, what is ?, but which is
excellent value for money and provides a sophisticated small sportplane
to enthusiasts. It is also clear that the monowheel Europa cannot be
handled like a C152 which is not surprising because all tailwheel planes
are fundamentally unstable in direction when moving on the ground. This
is nothing new and pilots have been struggling with the required
techniques for most of this century. If builders have a concern on
handling, there is always the choice of the tri-gear model. The small
performance penalty is the compromise one always has when choosing
between the 2 options.
Cheers, John Wigney, A099
TBa9161042@aol.com wrote:
> Monowheel Europa Bites Red Arrows Leader!
>
> There is a very strange rumour doing the rounds that Wing Commander Martin
> Stoner (ret'd) had an incident in Europa G-BWON whilst taxying at Kemble,
> causing serious damage to the a/c.
>
> If this rumour is true, what hope is there for us 'standard grade' pilots if
a
> very highly skilled 'pilote superiore' such as Martin Stoner - the No.1 Europa
> instructor - cannot handle the Europa on the ground, even though fitted with
> the factory-issued new tailwheel assembly.
>
> It begs the question 'Why have so many Europas had ground-handling incidents?'
> - resulting in over 40 separate repair claims, some of them very serious. It
> is very obvious that the insurance premiums are increasing, instead of
> decreasing, bearing in mind that the risk is greater for an insurance company
> when a new aircraft first hits the market, and lessens as more numbers are
> flown and 'proven'.
>
> Is the PFA fully aware of this apalling situation?
>
> Are they concerned that they rushed in 'starry-eyed' to rubber stamp the new
> British wonder-child, and are now regretting being so compliant?
>
> Why is the second-hand Europa sales market so poor?
>
> Remember: 500 hr build, 150mph cruise on 80hp, 680lbs empty weight, "You're
> not buying the MkI, you're buying a fully sorted final version Europa!" - and
> finally - the classic Ivan Shaw quote: "Hop in, I'll do the take-off and
> landing, and you can take it for some upper air handling". I wonder, is there
> anyone that ever did a take-off or landing in Europa's demonstrator? In any
> other business a company that made these many false claims would have been
> sued out of existence. Has that time arrived?
>
> If Europa (Mr Shaw) had told us all the truth, would he have sold 500
> aircraft? The answer is he would have probably struggled to sell 50!
>
> We need honest information, not constant Shaw bullshit.
>
> Four very disappointed Europa owners
> (and we know of many more)
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