=?iso-8859-1?Q?t=3A_Re=3A_Europa_crash_in_L=C3=BCbeck/Germany?
Bud=0Aexcellent letter. I am most interested in your VG installation. Did y
ou fit to botn wing and tail?=0AI fitted them to my Long EZ and was delight
ed with the improvement in low speed handling.=0AGraham=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A_____
___________________________=0A From: Bud Yerly <budyerly@msn.com>=0ATo: eur
opa-list <europa-list@matronics.com> =0ASent: Monday, 12 May 2014, 5:28=0AS
ubject: Europa-List: RE: Europa-List: Re: Europa-List: Re: Europa crash in
L=C3=BCbeck/Germany=0A =0A=0A=0A =0AGraham and others.=0A-=0AGood comment
on the leading edge curve.- My Classic wing has that slight cup sanded a
nd filled off by my painter.- It has a bit of a sharp stall like a normal
series 6 airfoil.=0A-=0AOn the accident comments:=0AI hate to speculate,
but the accident investigator training and extensive flight envelope expan
ding time I have acquired, leads-me to use caution speculating at this ti
me and to causes and early on assumptions on-should have had equipment, e
tc.=0A-=0AThe initial test phase of the Europa (or any aircraft)-needs
to make sure it is made in baby steps.=0AAfter building 18 aircraft 15 of w
hich are Europas-(yes-I am starting our 16th Europa in the shop) and te
st flying many other owners aircraft, many things can cause a takeoff leg s
tall spin type accident.- =0A-=0AMy last call from a US accident inspec
tor was a very long time ago.- Here is what we discussed on a takeoff leg
, attempted turn-back and high angle impact deadly crash of an experience
d pilot and seasoned aircraft.=0A-=0AOff the top of my fuzzy balding head
:=0AOn takeoff the Europa has a very good rate of climb and deck angle.-
In testing of 12AY (a Classic) with 914, the full flap takeoff has a deck a
ngle of 10 degrees (and-about a 12.5 degree-angle of attack) at 55 Knot
s.- When pulling the power back abruptly during test, at 55 knots, I foun
d only 3 seconds with the nose up pushed me into the stall warning.=0A-
=0ASince the full flap approach angle power of the my old Classic is about
8 degrees glide slope or so, one can see that it requires a 13 degree push
over to try to preserve airspeed and control.=0A-=0ALesson for everybody:
- Recovery from a takeoff engine failure requires an aggressive nose down
push to preserve airspeed.=0A-=0AClean, it wasn't much better, in fact w
ith the 914 at 65 knots the deck angle is close to 15 degrees and the resul
ts were a very rapid bleed off unless a push over to nose slightly below th
e horizon- (about 5 degrees) was necessary to preserve airspeed.=0A-=0A
To the comments on the web regarding AOA and flight testing:=0AA new pilot
checking his aircraft out is not safe by adding equipment to help determine
his AOA.- These systems require calibration and testing.- I doubt thes
e folks had time to test and calibrate aircraft systems in flight test yet.
- Un-calibrated equipment often times leads to more cockpit distractions
early on.=0A-=0AI have no data on this accident and doubt I or we will ge
t much other than stall spin accident.=0A-=0AMy flight test comments are
as follows:=0AWe know that in the preflight phase, Annex E for wing angles/
tail plane angles and control throws-is not enough.- Retract-tests ar
e essential to verify gear lock, flap position/operation, and outrigger loc
k-operates full proof. -The engine and fuel system must be bullet proof
at level and max angle nose up.- The fuel system must be able to go from
empty to fully primed at max angle with only 5 gallons total (the main and
reserve side holding 2.5 each across the saddle) in-5 seconds or less.
- Complete Wt. and Balance and a review of max forward, aft and test flig
ht loads and CGs verified on the Wt and Bal form.- (I normally will fly w
ith a minimum of 10 gallons US on test flights.)- The engine must run fla
wlessly idle to full and not overheat on the ground for 20-25 minutes runni
ng at summer time temps.=0A-=0AThe electrical system must be able to hand
le the load, and if there is a cockpit smoke situation, battery off, the en
gine must run with ignition only.- (914s don't forget the Aux pump operat
ion.)=0A-=0AAll engine instruments and flight instruments/equipment (pito
t and static) must be verified for accuracy and operation prior to flight.
(Read as no red light distractions on takeoff or funky airspeed and altitud
e indications).- Trim must be checked and verified operational.=0A-=0AA
ll aux systems must be operational or placarded and left off. (Radio is a m
ust, Transponder is often required, ELT operational, (I turn AOA and Autopi
lots off). =0A-=0AThe night before, I chair fly and prepare for the fligh
t.- I go over aircraft systems, test parameters, panel layout and specifi
cs of complex electrical systems.=0A-=0AFlight one is 15 minutes to check
for runs drips and errors.- (Immediate acceleration to 75 and climb at 9
0.) (Normally I can fly one of our planes hands off, feet only,-half way
down the 4000 foot strip above 50 feet.)-Climb to 2500 feet or so and che
ck the-trim and rig from 70 to 100 Knots.--Return to the pattern,-8
0 on downwind, no slower than 75 in the turns, and no slower than 70 on fin
al.- One of two low approaches if in a mono is OK.- Land and pull the c
owl and inspect.-- Fix any and everything you found abnormal.=0A-=0AF
light two expands the envelope to check engine climb temps and performance.
- Check CS prop operation, and climb 3 mistakes high and do A/S verificat
ion, stalls, falls and pitch and roll stability.- Typically our engines a
re flawless so it is only a 45 minute flight.- If all goes well and we ha
ve good stall characteristics, go back and review the flight.-- (I have
needed stall strips on the root to get a good early burble feel prior to s
tall.=0A-=0AOnce I am convinced the pilot (who has normally flown in my a
ircraft for about 5 hours and is very current in other types) is ready, I p
rebrief with him and hand him the keys for a test hop.=0A-=0AHowever, I h
ave been guilty of flying a test flight early into the flight phase dual.
- Confidence in the aircraft has to be extremely high to do this.- A th
orough brief of what will happen if the engine quits on takeoff is a must.
- The aircraft is the last thing I will attempt to save.- Two people fl
ying an untested aircraft is too much exposure and sometimes weight.- ( M
y rule is the plane is not ready for test flight unless you are prepared to
knock on the test pilots door and explain her husband is dead, and there w
as nothing that you could-have done to make the aircraft safer.)=0A-=0A
Typically in the flight phase we go out dual and do stalls, slow flight, ad
vance handling at minimum speeds and ascertain if the pilot is comfortable,
the stalls are predictable and easily recognized.- ( I am the technical
observer who is verifying airspeeds, pitch angles, stall buffet, system ope
ration and calibration while the client flies.)--This is where the AOA,
Autopilot etc.-gets calibrated or rung out.- =0A-=0A=0AFrankly,-my
opinion is that-an AOA systems in straight wing aircraft is a waste of m
oney for me and I prefer a-well-installed-stall strip (swept wing air
craft are different).--That said, after the 3rd 300 mile leg in 90F deg
ree weather, sometimes it is nice to have-"Bitching Betty" remind me that
I am not paying attention.- Fatigue and complacency do set in-to us al
l.-=0A-=0AIf one adds my vortex generators for STOL capability, watch y
our speed as the aircraft handles so well down to 50 Knots clean, you could
be falling with style and not know it unless looking at the airspeed.- H
ere is where an AOA, Airspeed Warner like the Europa Stall indicator,-and
proper stall strip can be handy.=0A-=0ARight now all I can do is pray fo
r the families heartbreak and learn from the lessons hard learned from prev
ious-aircraft accidents and my own experiences.-- Then when appropria
te, pass on the hard learned lessons to those who may benefit.=0A-=0ARega
rds to all,=0ABud=0A-=0A-=0A--=0A--=0A-=0A-=0A-=0A=0A-
=0A=0A=0A________________________________=0ADate: Sun, 11 May 2014 23:03:53
uropa-List: Re: Europa crash in L=C3=BCbeck/Germany=0ATo: europa-list@matro
nics.com=0A=0A=0AGraeme=0AI was refering to the Classic Europa wing. The se
ction has a slight bump just=0Aunder the LE which is very easily sanded off
. The nose radius is also quite small,=0Aagain easy to sand off even with a
sheet of fine abrasive round the LE.Accurate =0Atemplates are essential an
d the plans version isn't accurate enough for these subtle=0Acurves. That's
what was wrong with G-KWIP's wing. Always dropped L wing in a flaps down
=0Astall.=0AGraham=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A________________________________=0A From:
graeme bird <graeme@gdbmk.co.uk>=0ATo: europa-list@matronics.com =0ASent: S
unday, 11 May 2014, 18:57=0ASubject: Europa-List: Re: Europa crash in L=C3
graeme@gdbmk.co.uk>=0A=0AInteresting to hear that you can fly with a flap d
own; but for me a lot is going on just after take off, watching the gauges,
the speed the VSI, changing prop pitch, unlocking to get the wheel up and
pushing the leaver with the right hand etc - maybe the spring/tension is a
bit off if its first flight, I am not sure how I would cope if there were t
o be a sudden roll at that point.=0A=0AYep I also value Grahams wisdom and
contributions; I am just thinking of the message, unintentionally, its send
ing to=0A current builders. The fact is hundreds have been made by imperfec
t amateurs and the stall characteristics are one of the first things explor
ed during the test flights.=0A=0A--------=0AGraeme Bird=0AG-UMPY=0AMono Cla
ssic/XS 912S/Woodcomp 3000/3W=0ANewby: 105 hours 26 months on the Mono =0Ag
@gdbmk.co.uk=0A=0A=0A=0A=0ARead this topic online here:=0A=0Ahttp://foru
ms.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=423188#423188=0Ap; - - - - -
- - - -Matt Dralle, Libution"=0A========0A=0A=0A=0A=0A
=0A=0A=========== target="_blank">http://www.matron
ics.com/Navigator?Europa-List=0A============0Ahttp://
forums.matronics.com=0A============0A="_blank">http
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