Hi Fred,
thank you for your eMail. I'll have to update my website - I haven't even
added the story and pictures of last year's Oshkosh via Alaska...
My eMail was actually written with the intent to re-concentrate on the joys
of building and flying the Europa. Too many problems have been discussed at
times in a non-professional manner. Lots of cracked Rotax cores and stalls
lately. For a while I was actually thinking myself that the Europa does bite
and the Rotax might be a problem-ridden design. But it simply does not match
my own observations. I bought my Rotax 912 in 1995 and it has been in my
Europa Classic Trigear since.
I have in the entire time changed spark plugs twice and the rubber in the
carburators once. I truly belive it is a very solid, tried and honest
design. The same core is used on the 912, 912S and 914. I figure the 912
does have the most safety margin and least wear. It is imperative to keep it
cool (I have a dual cooler setup).
The Honda did impress me, too. It does have all the latest in technology
with fuel injection and electronic ignition. Yet it seems to be heavy and
the gearbox is not native to it. And 130 hp is a lot for this little
airplane. I always remind people of the Dykins design wing which is made for
120 kn and does perform poorly at 160 kn and higher.
You ask a good question with max take-off weight. I didn't give it much
attention... My son is 13 and weighs in at 85 lbs. I have 200 lbs and we had
70 liter in the main tank and 70 liter in aux tank at take-off. My plane was
weighed at 808 lbs. I guess we were over gross. Hm ..... we took off at 0400
am in the morning into cool air. It would not have worked on a hot Denver
afternoon I guess. Yet I recall take-off performance to be ok. Climb rate
was 450 ft/min which I mainly attribute to the newly installed cold-air feed
system.
I would recommend the Rotax wholeheartedly to anybody. Wouldn't have flown
the Oceans behind anyting else available to-day.
be well,
<Thomas>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Klein" <fklein@orcasonline.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: Europa-List: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back
>
>
> On Sunday, August 6, 2006, at 11:12 AM, Thomas Scherer wrote:
>
>> This trip has added 60 hours to the now 840 hours of flying in my
>> Europa. The Rotax 912 has never missed a beat nor has the Europa ever
>> shown any malign behaviour.
>
> Thomas,
>
> Thank you for the inspiring description of your recent trip; I've also
> enjoyed your website writing and pixs of your globe-girdling
> adventures...my hat is off to you.
>
> I'm particularly taken with your satisfactory experience with your Rotax,
> having become a Rotax-skeptic while reading accounts of various problems
> other Europa owners have had; readers of this forum know me for my
> enthusiasm for Alex Bowman's 130 hp VTEC Honda installation.
>
> How do you account for the excellent trouble-free performance of your
> Rotax 912? (Or is it a 912S?) Can you describe your routine operation and
> maintenance procedures and schedule? Also, can you give your max. take off
> weight when you had your son and 2 aux. fuel tanks topped off?
>
> Fred
>
>
> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List
> http://wiki.matronics.com
>
>
>
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