Jim,
Some nice ideas there.
I'm standing up if you're counting. I live near Luton with two local strips
which are Europable - Graveley, near Stevenage, and Rush Green, near
Hitchin. I have a spare bedroom, workshop in the garden and beer. If
you're compiling a list with contact details, mine are:
01438 768809
01582 429453 evenings
07971 293295 mobile
dave_simpson@londonweb.net
Good luck
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Naylor <jnaylor@avnet.co.uk>
Subject: The Europ Rescue Service
> Ever since its creation the Europa club has played a major roll in
bringing
> the Europa fraternity together. Many builders, flyers, wannabe's and
willbe'
> s have developed strong friendships through the activities of the club.
This
> network of friends will undoubtedly grow stronger as more planes fly and
the
> membership grows, but although the social side of the club is strong not
all
> Europa flyers can, or even want to get involved with the social events. I
> think we need to offer more benefits for being a club member.
> I have been on several club fly-outs and fly-ins over the past 5 years and
> also done my fair share of solo trips. One thing that is always at the
back
> of my mind when I leave my home field is how would I get the plane back if
I
> had a mechanical problem or minor accident while away. Well we all know
the
> Europa doesn't rely entirely on wings to get around, but trailering may
not
> always be the most convenient way to recover a poorly, or slightly dented
> aeroplane, and not everyone has a trailer anyway. So I thought why not
try
> to put together a rescue service for club members who have encountered
> problems while away from their home base. The thoughts so far, are for
the
> club to offer assistance, to get your plane back to base. It should be
made
> clear from the start that this would be get you home assistance, and is
not
> intended to be a spare parts service for aircraft that are tucked up in
bed
> at their home base off line due to unavailable parts, although the club is
> also considering a spares service to run along side this scheme to help
out
> in these circumstances.
> It would mean the club holding in stock an assortment of parts most likely
> to be required in an emergency i.e. propellers, tyres, tubes, petrol pumps
> etc. which could be despatched to the stricken member on an overnight
parcel
> service, or even maybe flown out to them by a volunteer. Parts sent out
> would be supplied on the basis that they are returned in original
condition,
> replaced, or paid for depending on the type of part. Also help with the
> recovery by road if necessary and even a bit of technical, moral, and
> physical help. The benefits of help from fellow Europa builders familiar
> with your plane cannot be understated. A list of inspectors available and
> willing to travel, to sign off the repair if necessary could be drawn up
and
> made available to members. This service need not be restricted to the UK,
> international parcel delivery services can be quick and efficient these
days
> and there is no reason why an international network of 'Rescue Bases'
could
> not be established with local co-ordinators, which would be a great
comfort
> to foreign tourists alike.
> Like most things, its success would rely on a little help from a lot of
> people, your committee devote a lot of time and effort for the benefit of
us
> all, but for this scheme to be successful it needs input from the members
as
> well. I have already received a very favourable reaction to the article I
> wrote for the club magazine on this subject with several members
> volunteering to help.
> I know there are many none club members on this list, who are benefiting
and
> contributing to its success and I am sure they could benefit from being a
> club member if services like these are introduced. Let me know what you
> think, would it work, would you join the club if there was benefits like
> these, what parts should we stock... any ideas. I would like to compile a
> list of people willing to help downed Europa's and their pilots. Any help,
> from just providing a bit of local knowledge to the whereabouts of an
> engineer or where an item can be purchased, right through to hitching up
> your trailer and going to the rescue. How many times do you fly off to
> another airfield just for the sake of flying, well how about offering to
> deliver parts to a downed pilot, much more rewarding than that 20 cup of
> tea! Got a spare bedroom at home? well there might be a Europa pilot stuck
> at your local airfield one day, give him some help over night, and I bet
you
> will have a friend for life. Europa's are really spreading their wings
now,
> so volunteer's in countries other than the UK are especially valuable.
> Will you stand up and be counted when someone needs help? You never know
it
> may be you one day!
> Any thoughts, ideas and volunteers, please e-mail me, if we can make a
> success of this, the club will have another valuable asset.
>
> Jim Naylor
> jnaylor@avnet.co.uk
>
>
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