On 2017-05-04, at 23:33, patdriessen <patdriessen@clear.net.nz> wrote:
> I have a 1998 Europa tri gear variously registered C-GMKW, N-24070 and now
> ZK-VMC.
> c/n 095. All the paperwork I have say it's an XS model but the Europa factor
says it's a classic.......any ideas? It seems to have attributes of both.
Your Europa airframe is much-travelled! It was built by Ken & Mark Whittington
in Alberta, Canada and they reported it first flew 1998-10-16 although the
registration
C-GMKW was only issued on 1998-10-21 . After only 3 hours flight time
(!) it was converted from mono to tri-gear. It was offered for sale in 2000
and in about Sep 2002 it was sold to Jack Acord of California USA and
re-registered
N24070. He called it an XS when registering. At that point my trail (records
---From my time as Europa Club membership secretary) runs out.
The XS model was introduced in, I think, late 1999. The kit number 095 indicates
that the first part(s) of the kit were ordered well before the XS was
introduced,
and the first flight date indicates that it was completed before XS parts
became available. The highest UK kit number I can find for a Classic is 355.
However, many folk ordered their kits in several parts, so could have (eg) a
Classic tail kit but XS wings and/or cowl. All sorts of hybrids are possible,
including those arising from later modifications. The easy things to spot are
the wings (Classic - foam cored; XS - pre-built ribs & skins) and the cowl
(Classic
- wide oval inlets; XS - small circular inlets plus dangling radiator duct).
If the tailwheel is underneath the fuselage rather than under the rudder
then its a Classic fuselage - but you wont see many of those as most of them
have
been converted to the XS tailwheel for better handling.
> My Europa has the Pitot tube on the tail but does not appear to have any
> static
source. Where should it go?
The fin-mounted pitot was an early Classic feature. It was a good idea in
principle
as it meant the pitot line did not have to be disconnected when de-rigging
the wings, but it suffered from blanking by the fuselage at high angles of
attack
(eg when landing) and was also within the propeller blast so readings could
be misleading. I dont know where the static port was for the fin pitot; the
static port was combined with the pitot head when it was moved out of the
propwash
underneath the wing. Adding a pitot/static head to either Classic or XS
wing could be an interesting exercise, but there may be folk here who can offer
helpful thoughts on that process. To get sensible advice, youll need to find
out and tell us what type of wings you have.
Hope some of this rambling is of some use!
in friendship
Rowland
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