Couple of things. I thought long and hard before converting to tri-gear and
prioritised
my needs: a) Make the whole landing experience less fraught. b) Keep
it as light as possible. c) Retain the smoothness and economy of the 80 hp
engine.
d) Don't spend a fortune.
We have precious few tar runways in the UK which don't charge eye-watering
landing
fees. So operating on grass in a normally damp climate makes spats less
advisable,
due to clogging with mud and grass.
Our permit system doesn't allow unfettered freedom to design and experiment with
such things as fairings and spats, or anything else, except that engineering
approval gets obtained through submitting descriptions, drawings, photographs,
analyses and the appropriate fee for modification approval. Therefore the usual
route to installing a mod is to buy something already approved from a supplier.
Because we're presently limited to 1370 lbs mauw, we need to think harder before
loading up with goodies. For me, the idea of flying a Europa with an empty
weight
in the mid 900 range is beyond consideration. It would mean a huge trade-off
between fuel and payload. "Roll on 1450 lbs mauw", I say.
You guys across the pond enjoy greater freedoms, while being expected to
shoulder
a much greater load than us for public liability. But thanks for all your
insights
and suggestions given above.
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