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XS TRIGEAR OWNERS MANUAL

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1. XS TRIGEAR OWNERS MANUAL AFFIX PHOTOGRAPH OF YOUR AIRCRAFT HERE Aircraft Registration c cccccceesssseceesssssteeeeeeees Europa Construction Number XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 1 Owners Manual July 2012 EES Published by Europa Aircraft 2004 Ltd 30 Dove Way Kirby Mills Industrial Estate Kirkbymoorside North Yorkshire YO6 6QR England No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher Copyright November 2006 by Europa Aircraft 2004 Ltd All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain WARNING This manual is obsolete unless updated by newsletters 42 and onwards Mandatory flight safety improvements may be included so do not fail to do this Remember the responsibility is yours OWNER S DETAILS Built by Issue 6 XS Trigear PABBA July 2012 Owners Manual Table of Contents d Jores 1 1 2 Limitations ane Placard sci nek 2 1 3 EMERGENCY 3 1 4 SE A ET TEE 4 1 5 ee EE CN 5 1 6 6150 0216 82 2066 6 1 7 mitialsystems Check ee e ee 7 1 S 8 1 9 Flight testing procedures sic iitioctcadonuct ton cuebcarcuuce one nebuoddsadetow susbucudsucetonensebuaddnadedewsuebuadeeeceuaee 9 1 10 S fety MAP OL e e itsis vce aarti ners eal sara hand nasdicei hans nies edad man ae PENE E 10 1 11 Pilot experience regulrements 11 1 12 dn E Ce inenen
2. flight carefully retract the flaps a few degrees at a time Care must be taken not to let the aircraft sink back down onto the runway The flaps should be completely retracted as 65 kts is reached Once clean accelerate to 75 kts before climbing Important This technique should only be used when it has been practiced at safe heights of 500 ft plus Pilots who fly regularly at high density altitudes know what to expect in terms of reduced aircraft performance and are prepared for it For those who are not and end up being thrown in at the deep end the first thing that you may become aware of is that the aircraft appears slow to accelerate and once airborne appears to XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 5 9 Owners Manual July 2012 SES want neither to climb nor to accelerate You may be alarmed thinking that the engine has lost power and in a way of course it has The worst thing that the pilot can do at this stage is to try to make the aircraft climb by pulling back on the stick and reducing airspeed further Note A reduction in take off and climb performance can be quite marked even at a density altitude of 3000 feet so don t think that you have to be up in the Alps or the Rockies for it to catch you out Cross wind take off The Europa has quite a small round rear fuselage a fairly small fin and a powerful rudder The demonstrated cross wind component of the aircraft is 15 kts With the Rotax engine fitted which turns the propel
3. as a safety overload protection in case of overload of the nose gear to prevent bending of the nose gear leg It is not intended that the pre tension will be exceeded normal operation Flying controls Check the ailerons for smooth operation and that they fair into the trailing edge at neutral Aileron travel should be e trailing edge down 20 2 1 e trailing edge up 23 5 2 1 Check the entire control system against the builders manuals for the correct installation of all parts paying particular attention to the correct bolt lengths orientation washers lock nuts castle nuts and pins Check all rod end bearings for correct installation and check nut security XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 7 3 Owners Manual July 2012 PS Check all control system attachment points anti servo trim tabs ailerons rudder and flaps for correct attachment security and operation Check hinge alignment and freedom from binding Check the tailplanes for full and free movement and security Check the Anti Servo trim tabs for correct operation and freedom of movement Tailplane movement should be e trailing edge down 4 1 0 e trailing edge up 12 1 0 With the tailplanes in the neutral position set the anti servo trim tab with the trim switch so that its trailing edge lines up with the tailplane trailing edge and confirm that the pitch trim indicator needle also indicates neutral With the tailplanes and tabs set to zero
4. attempt a further touchdown Cross wind landings Cross wind landings are best flown by using the wings level crab technique ruddering the aircraft straight in the flare and maintaining a wings level attitude Be prepared to use differential braking at a higher than normal speed Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 5 12 July 2012 Owners Manual Tie down Parking Control locks The Europa is best tied down at the main and nose wheels Controls can be secured by placing the seat belt around the control column and tightening them The rudder will require a separate lock in gusty conditions Stalls Note Some form of stall warning device providing between 5 and 10 kts of pre stall warning is mandatory on the Europa Stall strips which induce the wing roots to stall first located on the leading edges of both wing roots are suitable and enable poor stalling behaviour to be tuned out refer to Flight Testing for correct fitting procedure Without stall strips the stall will be less predictable and provide less airframe buffet pre stall warning Warning Intentional spins are prohibited in the Europa We recommend that stalls are practiced with recovery by 3 000 ft A G L Be familiar with standard spin recovery techniques before practicing stalls An aircraft can stall at any airspeed and attitude but the recovery is always the same stick forward to break the stall Just prior to the stall a slight to moderate airframe buffet may be felt If
5. behind Master switch On Ignition Both on Throttle Exercise then set closed Electric fuel pump 912 on for 3 seconds then off 914 one pump on Choke Pull and hold full on Call CLEAR PROP Starter Engage Check oil pressure rises within 8 seconds Close choke gradually increasing throttle to maintain engine RPM and warm engine at 2000 rpm for 2 minutes then at 2500 rpm until the oil temperature reaches 50 C XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 5 Owners Manual July 2012 SEET Park into wind and check each ignition circuit at 4000 rpm Maximum drop with one circuit inoperative 300 rom Maximum differential 115 rpm Hot start Same as cold start but do not use choke Opening the throttle slightly may help during hot starts Note Refer to Rotax engine handbook for engine operating limitations and placard accordingly Pre take off check list vital actions Trim Throttle Choke control Fuel contents Fuel selector valve to MAIN Fuel pump electric Flaps Hatches doors Harness Temps and pressures Controls set for takeoff neutral Closed engine idling smoothly Full in off Sufficient for flight and reserves 912 on 914 both pumps on Check 18 down Closed and latched Check both front and rear shoot bolts engaged Tight Within limits engine Full and free Important Check that full rudder can be achieved before the rudder pedals contact the firewall Cables stretc
6. check that the parking brake valve is in the OFF position When the braking systemis fully purged of air you should find that each brake lever moves aft a similar amount for a given effort Any significant difference would indicate that airmay still be present The levers should also return to their fully forward position as you release them Do not attempt to taxi the aircraft until the levers behave correctly as described above Set the parking brake to ON and pull on both levers to pressurise the system Remove any chocks and try to move the aircraft by hand pulling on the lower part of the door surround You should not be able tomove the aircraft Set the parking brake to OFF and try tomove the aircraft again It should be free to move After all the above go through the entire system checking for leaks at any of the joints and top up the reservoir as required XS Trigear Issue 6 Owners Manual July 2012 EN High speed taxi testing Warning Make sure that you and the aircraft are flight ready High speed taxi testing should ideally be done in calm weather conditions maximum wind 10 kts down the runway The runway should be 800m 2 600 ft minimum length and 30 m 100 ft minimum width As power is applied be prepared to apply a little right bake and rudder pressure to keep the nose tracking straight down the runway If the stick has been held well back within the last two inches of movement as the speed is in
7. ea alate uaa Ea TEE eae 12 1 XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 3 Owners Manual July 2012 Note The information in this manual refers to aircraft built to Europa manufacturing manuals Any modifications may alter the applicability to your aircraft List of Revisions Issue Revision Pages affected Date 1 All August 1998 i 3 4 1 1 5 16 17 18 2 March 2003 6 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 3 8 2 12 3 i 3 7 9 amp 10 3 8 5 amp 6 September 2003 9 5 to 20 4 i 3 5 8 9 3 July 2004 5 5 7 September 2008 All New Format 6 July 2012 5 3 Page 4 Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual XS Trigear Owners Manual RECOMMENDED ENGINE TYPES ROTAX 912 60kW ROTAX 9128 73 5kW ROTAX 914 86kW Issue 6 July 2012 CONTROL SURFACE DEFLECTIONS TOLERANCE AILERONS 20 23 6 2 1 TAILPLANES 4 12 1 0 TRIM TABS 6 6 2 0 ANTI SERVO TABS 1 2 1 1 5 1 RELATIVE TO TAILPLANES FLAPS 25 27 DOWN RUDDER 30 EACH WAY 2 0 Page 5 INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 6 SES July 2012 Owners Manual 1 Introduction The purpose of this manual is to explain how to operate your Europa aircraft safely General description The Europa is a modern two seat high performance homebuilt aircraft which uses the latest aerodynamic design in wing sections and composite construction techniques The Europa tri gear is designed to be an efficient
8. flaps down final approach 60 kts is a good general guide for the final approach speed The first flight should not exceed 15 20 minutes After the stall tests return to the airfield and prepare for an approach to land Knowing the stall speeds and familiarizing yourself with the slow speed handling characteristics should give you the confidence to make a good approach and landing Issue 6 XS Trigear page 5 65 July 2012 Owners Manual Landing Fly your calculated approach speed down to about 20 ft of the runway Smoothly close the throttle allowing the Europa to continue down the glide slope Flare in the normal manner to a small nose up attitude allowing the aircraft to slow down and sink onto the runway on its main gear first Note Being a little fast on your first approach is no bad thing but be prepared for a significant amount of float Once on the ground keep straight with rudder and brake gently as required If a large bounce occurs open the throttle slightly to cushion the next landing or simply go around using full throttle Don t push the stick forwards otherwise the next touchdown will be harder than the first Remain within gliding distance of the field until at least 5 hours of satisfactory trouble free operation has been achieved After first flight give the entire aircraft a general inspection Attach any trim tabs that are necessary to the rudder or ailerons Complete a thorough inspection of the aircraft
9. for fuel leaks and calibrate your fuel gauge at the same time Due to the differing expansion rates of the polyethylene all the fuel tanks will be slightly different so make a note of your maximum capacity Once your tank is full inspect the entire fuel system for security and leaks XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 7 1 Owners Manual July 2012 SES Engine Before using the starter motor for the first time ensure that the oil system is properly primed according to the Rotax Operators Manual failure to do this could result in engine seizure Check that the ignitions are not live when in the off position The Rotax engines have a magneto ignition system which needs to be grounded back to the engine to be dead Check all engine controls and instruments for correct operation If in doubt cylinder head and oil temperature gauges can be checked by immersion of the sender units into hot oil and calibrated by using a high temperature candy or cooking thermometer Before first flight you will need to have run the engine for a minimum total of two hours without any problems This will test also the engine support systems After each engine run check Fuel system Throttle and choke cables Water system Radiator Oil system Exhaust system Propeller Spinner Idle check Static rpm Page 7 2 For leaks and chafing hoses For correct operation Check that application of full throttle actually activates both carbu
10. just like that one whereas a pilot who has experience and is current in more than one aircraft will more quickly adapt to the differences in another aircraft type It is recommended that before soloing a Europa a pilot should be experienced on similar nose wheel aircraft with differential braking and have flown at least five hours in the last month with two of these within the last week Before operating a Europa the pilot must be familiar with the entire contents of this manual XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 11 1 Owners Manual July 2012 SES INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 11 2 age July 2012 Owners Manual 12 Performance Many factors will affect the performance of your Europa Propeller pitch setting build standard weight pilot technique temperature density altitude etc etc The figures given below are typical of Europa aircraft fitted with the Rotax 912S and 914 engines Rotax 912 performance figures Europa fitted with a 3 blade 62 diameter Warp Drive propeller set to an incidence of 17 at the tip e Top speed sea level 130 kts RAS e Cruise speed 75 at 8 000ft 118 kts RAS e Rate of climb sea level 1300 Ib 700 fpm e Take off ground roll based on hard dry runway 590 ft e Landing ground roll 656 ft e Range 90 kts economy cruise with 30 mins reserve 650 nm Rotax 914 performance figures Europa fitted with a 3 blade 62 diameter Warp Drive propeller set to an incidence of 21 at t
11. only A punch and hammer should not be used to replace the lining as it may result in damage to the lining incorrect seating of the rivet or distortion of the rivet hole Brake lining wear limits To eliminate the use of brake linings beyond design limitations and reduce probability of piston damage and brake fluid drainage we are issuing a restatement of brake lining wear limits XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 8 5 Owners Manual July 2012 aoe All RA66 and M66 series brake linings should be replaced when the thickness of remaining wear material reaches 2 5 mm 0 100 in 0 100 IN 2 54 mm remaining minimum material Moveable Brake Shoe Stationa 0 100 IN 2 54 mm z Disk minimum material Brake Shoe remaining Heavy landing check If you suspect that the landing gear may have been over stressed due to a heavy landing the aircraft must be supported on chocks to bring the landing gear clear of the ground and the gear inspected in detail Check for security of the main landing gear mounting tubes and the condition of the main gear legs themselves Check the nose gear leg and mounting frame any deformation of the frame is unacceptable Annual check Carry out all initial systems checks and items in the 50 hour check list except a weight and balance unless painting or modifications have been carried out that would affect the weight and balance of the aircraft Also e Check pitch angle on each propeller blade e Remove an
12. operation cracking hinges in both wing and flap Security of flap drive pin Inspect pitot static for blockage kinked tubes and damaged connectors Fuselage Inspect Control system through spar hole for correct operation damage chafing cleanliness corrosion Fuel tank outlets for security and leaks Wing attachment lift pin bushes in seat back Check for damage looseness and corrosion Wing sockets on fuselage sides check for security cracking corrosion Inspect surrounding structures for cracking and damage Pip pin for correct fit and security on rear fitting Check also pin freely springs to locked position Pitch and roll control systems for correct operation security of all rod ends etc Tailplane mass balance weight and control stops for damage and security Nose wheel assembly for correct operation tyre wear inflation damage and cracking Shimmy damper for correct setting Tailplane torque tube for security cracking and corrosion both inside and outside Regrease as necessary Electric pitch trim motor and mechanism for correct operation corrosion and damage Flap drive motor for correct operation and security Tailplane drive pins for cracking Lightly re grease Doors for damage and safe operation Hinges for security and wear Shoot bolts and latching mechanism for damage and correct operation Rudder pedals for cracking and freedom of operation Confirm that full rudder movement can be achieved before
13. pilot with 5 000 hours on 737s over the last ten years but nothing else Be honest with yourself it may be much better to let someone with more experience conduct the first flight on your Europa Remember The primary reason for getting an experienced pilot to test fly an aircraft is not if everything goes ok but if something goes wrong The experienced pilot is more capable of dealing with an emergency For the experienced pilot the job of flying the Europa should be both straightforward and enjoyable XS Trigear Issue 6 P 1 Owners Manual July 2012 SE Once airborne the Europa is entirely conventional in its handling It has positive stick free stability and the controls are responsive without being twitchy In short it is a real pilots aeroplane Ground tests Prior to taxi testing run the engine without the top cowl so that oil coolant fuel leaks and vibration problems can be spotted and remedied immediately Run the engine at various power settings from idle to full power Caution Make sure that the area is clear of objects and small stones and the aircraft is not facing towards or away from anything Have a fire extinguisher close by outside the aircraft and know how to use it Monitor the temperature gauges to avoid overheating the engine Have someone who is fully briefed to keep clear of the propeller observe the engine and related systems from the outside whilst you control and monitor from inside the aircra
14. the rudder pedal contacts the firewall Brakes for wear leaks chafing and correct operation Important note The correct brake fluid must be used otherwise brake failure may result Trigear aircraft with foot brakes use aviation type mineral based fluid and those with finger brakes use DOT 5 fluid Tailplane and Anti servo trim tab XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 8 3 Owners Manual July 2012 Sch e Skins for signs of cracking or buckling e Tab hinges for binding and wear Tab drive pin and bracket for corrosion and cracking e Main tailplane bushes for security and cleanliness e Tailplane drive bushes in inboard rib for wear and security e Rudder for cracks and hinge wear e All control surfaces for backlash chafing and correct operation Note If new brake pads have been fitted run them in according to the appropriate procedure described below Brake pads supplied by Europa Aircraft Ltd have Metallic Linings 1 Perform two 2 consecutive full stop braking applications from 30 to 35 knots Do not allow the brake discs to cool substantially between the stops 2 Allow the brakes to cool for 10 to 15 minutes 3 Apply brakes and check for restraint at high static throttle If brakes hold conditioning is complete 4 If brakes cannot hold aircraft during static run up allow brakes to cool completely and repeat steps 1 to 3 Caution Due to the efficiency of these brakes extremely hard braking on aircraft with tail wheels c
15. type fire extinguisher that should be fitted to the aircraft For in flight fire determine the cause If electrical switch all electrical power off If fuel switch both fuel and electrics off If an oil fire is suspected then initially slow the aircraft sufficiently to stop the propeller from windmilling and so stop the oil pump before resuming the best glide speed Engine failure Modern aircraft engines of the type fitted to the Europa are extremely reliable Catastrophic failure without any warning is most unlikely Pilot induced failures on the other hand are quite common Running out of fuel mistaking mixture and carburettor heat control complex fuel management tasks and carburettor icing are but a few causes for engine stoppage The Rotax engine as fitted to the Europa does not require a separate carburettor heat lever nor does it have a mixture control other than the choke for cold starting The design intentions have been to cut engine management pilot workload to a minimum Pilots should regularly monitor the condition of the engine during flight A gradual or partial loss of power rough running increasing oil or cylinder head temperature electrical discharge lowering oil pressure or increased mechanical noise and vibration could be a signal that all is not well and that a precautionary landing should be made If the engine stops Don t panic The first and most important rule in any emergency in the air is FLY THE
16. AIRCRAFT Keep control XS Trigear Issue 6 P 1 Owners Manual July 2012 agea Every year lives are lost because pilots lose control of the aircraft stalled or spun in whilst experiencing what was possible a relatively minor emergency The Europa Motorglider has good speed stability so even if you become inattentive the aircraft should maintain the selected attitude and speed providing it is in trim If the engine stops TRIM FOR 75 kts FUEL PUMP ON SELECT RESERVE CHECK IGNITION ON BOTH ASSESS HEIGHT If less than 1000 feet CHOOSE AN AREA STRAIGHT AHEAD LAND WITH FLAPS DOWN If over 1000 feet CHOOSE A SUITABLE LANDING SITE PLAN A CIRCUIT LAND WITH FLAPS DOWN If time permits Try a restart using the starter if required Note If the propeller stops windmilling diving to Vve will not restart it due to the high compression and geared engine If height and time permit Fuel off Ignition off Mayday call Brief passenger to tighten harness adopt brace position and pull feet back Master switch off Issue 6 XS Trigear SSES July 2012 Owners Manual If engine will not restart Always land into wind if possible Do not try to stretch your glide better to land a little fast on a touchdown point of your choosing than to stall into a hedge or wall In other words it is better to hit the far hedge at 20 kts than to stall into the near one at 45 kts Evacuate the aircraft as soon as possible Engine failure a
17. Choke 5 Wheel Brake XS Trigear Issue 6 P 1 3 Owners Manual July 2012 Spe Important Notice This manual is not designed nor can it serve as a substitute for sufficient and competent flight instruction It is not intended to be a guide of basic flight instruction nor a training manual This manual should be read thoroughly by the owner operator pilot to become familiar with the operation of the aircraft It is intended to serve as a guide under most circumstances but cannot take the place of good sound judgement during operation Multiple emergencies adverse weather terrain etc may require deviation from the recommended procedures The owner and operator of an aircraft should be familiar with government regulations applicable to the operation and maintenance of an aircraft All airworthiness directives ADs issued against an airframe engine or propeller must be complied with Flying itself is not inherently dangerous but to an even greater extent than any other mode of travel it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness incapacity or neglect The builder pilot is entirely responsible for the manufacture maintenance inspection flight test and normal operation of the aircraft Therefore thorough careful procedures must be carried out at all times How well the aircraft is built maintained and operated will determine how safely it performs Maximum performance and safe operation can only be achieved by a skilled pilo
18. July 2012 Reape Glossary of terms Datum An imaginary vertical plane from which all horizontal distances are measured for balance purposes Station A location along the aircraft fuselage usually given in terms of distance from the reference datum Arm The horizontal distance from the reference datum to the centre of gravity cg of an item Moment The product of the weight of an item multiplied by its arm MAC Mean Aerodynamic chord Is the wing area divided by the span Aeroplane centre of gravity The point at which an aeroplane would balance if suspended Its distance from the reference datum is found by dividing the total moment by the total weight of the aeroplane 6 6 Arm The arm obtained by adding the individual moments taken at the aircraft and dividing the sum by the total weight C G Limits The extreme centre of gravity locations within which the aircraft must be operated at a given weight A P S Weight Weight of an aircraft prepared for service which includes unusable fuel engine oil and fluids and optional equipment Maximum gross weight Maximum gross weight approved for flight operations Maximum useful load Difference between maximum gross weight and A P S weight Useful load Weight of occupants baggage and fuel Zero fuel weight Weight of aircraft without useable fuel Issue 6 XS Trigear P 6 SES July 2012 Owners Manual Note You will need to carry out a new APS C of G check if the aircraft is rep
19. Manual July 2012 dge 2 INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 3 4 SES July 2012 Owners Manual 4 Rigging and de rigging The Europa was designed from the outset to be easily rigged and de rigged for storage at home A specially designed transporter is available to facilitate ease of operation The wings of the Europa can be removed leaving the fuselage standing on its undercarriage This de rigging is useful if hangar space or door width is limited Refer to figure 1 and the subsequent description to aid understanding how the wings are attached to the fuselage XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 4 1 Owners Manual July 2012 Bee Figure 1 Wing rigging 1 Port wing spar Starboard wing spar Port spar socket Starboard spar socket Spar pin port Spar pin starboard Forward lift pin port Aft lift pin port Page 4 2 9 Pip pin 10 Flap pin inspection point 11 Forward lift pin starboard 12 Aft lift pin starboard 13 Pip pin 14 Flap pin inspection point 15 Pitot static connect Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual The main wings are held in place by two diameter pins that pass through both wing spars and the fuselage seat back bulkhead These pins take the wing bending loads Two 12 mm diameter pins fitted to the wing root forward and aft ribs locate in receptacles on the fuselage sides to lift the fuselage and take torsional loads pip pin
20. Owners Manual You should have plenty of room ahead and either side of the aircraft as a single brake malfunction could result in the aircraft turning as it moves forward Having primed yourself that things may not go as expected start the engine then when ready release the brakes Check that both brakes work and that approximately the same force is required on each lever Next check that it is possible to turn the aircraft by using each brake in turn The best technique is to pull and release the appropriate lever as many times as required rather than hold it on which could cause the aircraft to slow down too much If you have difficulty turning the aircraft but the brakes are working properly check the nose wheel shimmy damper friction adjustment XS Trigear Issue 6 Owners Manual July 2012 nage INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 7 8 ape July 2012 Owners Manual 8 Service and Maintenance Composite structures The Europa should be painted white to minimise the structural temperature in hot direct sunlight conditions and also to minimise the thermal stress across a structure e g the top and bottom surfaces of the wings or tailplanes Do not expose unprotected glass fibre or foam to sunlight for extended periods Unpainted areas should be re touched and the paint system used should contain a pigment to give high U V protection The high surface durability and safety margins designed into the Europa make
21. Trigear Issue 6 Page 2 1 Owners Manual July 2012 SES Airspeed Indicator Markings White arc 44 83 kts full flap operating range Green arc 49 131 kts normal operating range Yellow arc 131 165 kts operate with caution only in smooth air Red line 165 kts maximum speed for all operation Engine limitations Refer to engine operating and maintenance manual supplied by engine manufacturer Weight limits Maximum takeoff weight 1370lb Maximum landing weight 1370lb Maximum baggage weight 80lb Refer to weight and balance section 6 Centre of gravity limits Forward limit 58 0 aft of datum Aft limit 62 5 aft of datum The fore and aft reference datum is a position 29 25 forward of the rear edge of the cowling joggle in the fuselage moulding Symbols abbreviations and terminology CAS Calibrated airspeed is the indicated airspeed of an aircraft corrected for position and instrument error Calibrated airspeed is equal to true airspeed in standard atmosphere at sea level KCAS Calibrated airspeed expressed in knots GS Ground speed is the speed of an aircraft relative to the ground IAS Indicated airspeed is the speed of an aircraft as shown on the airspeed indicator KIAS Indicated airspeed expressed in knots Issue 6 XS Trigear Pappe July 2012 Owners Manual TAS True airspeed is the airspeed of an aircraft relative to the undisturbed air which is the CAS corrected for altitude temperature and c
22. after each of the first six flights Further flight testing Make a note of pitch trim setting for take off then placard this position on the trim indicator As the pilot becomes more familiar with the aeroplane and the systems the known performance envelope may be expanded The pilot will also become more familiar with the takeoff and landing technique Note You are test flying a brand new aircraft and you should treat it as a kind of prototype Do not assume that your aircraft will have the same characteristics as the company s prototypes or someone else s Europa Minor builder modifications and slight variations can cause large differences in performance handling stall characteristics C of G range etc Airspeed indicator calibration Although your ASI may have been calibrated on a test rig before installation in the aircraft errors due to the positions of both the pitot tube and the static vents may come into effect and need to XS Trigear Issue 6 P 7 Owners Manual July 2012 agea be checked If your formation flying skills are up to standard you could formate on a certificated aircraft flying steadily at given speeds and note any differences on your ASI Carry an observer to take down the numbers and so leave you free to concentrate on the flying If you have a GPS Global Positioning System on board fly into and out of wind at steady indicated airspeeds noting the ground speed read out both ways then divide their tota
23. ainted or has equipment removed or added XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 6 7 Owners Manual July 2012 Sg INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 6 8 SES July 2012 Owners Manual 7 Initial systems check Before any taxi or flight testing can commence each newly completed aircraft requires a very thorough inspection and systems check out Your first flight is not the time to start wondering whether a particular part of the control system was tightened When carrying out any inspection work on an aircraft always work methodically to a check list making notes of any work required Discipline yourself to work methodically Make a list engine mounting exhaust wiring oil system cooling system induction system engine controls propeller and spinner etc and then methodically inspect every part of that particular system before moving onto the next Never be afraid to ask other perhaps more knowledgeable people for advice Independent final inspections by two people is strongly recommended and is a mandatory requirement in many countries Eventually you will arrive at a situation when you have simply run out of excuses not to fly But first complete a weight and balance schedule as described in Section 6 Fuel system Verify that your fuel selector valve is working in the correct sense and clearly placard OFF MAIN and RESERVE With the aircraft in the level attitude carefully fill the fuel tank checking regularly
24. cement although general grooving of the disc will reduce the lining life Discs are normally plated for rust prevention but the plating wears off where the lining rubs in just a few landings The remaining portion of the disc should be corrosion free for several years under normal use Rust in varying degrees can occur If a powdered rust appears one or two taxi braking applications should wipe the disc clear Rust build up beyond this point may require removal of the disc from the wheel to properly clean both surfaces Wire brushing followed by sanding with 220 grit sandpaper should restore the braking surfaces adequately Brake lining installation Following are instructions on how to properly remove and replace brake linings on the brake shoes Remove the old brake lining by drilling from the crimped side of the rivet Using a 3 8 mm drill 0 1495 diameter drill through the rivet taking care to avoid damaging the rivet hole After drilling crimped edge off all rivets carefully lift old lining and remaining rivet pieces off of brake shoe A punch should not be used to remove the rivet as it may result in distortion of the rivet hole Inspect the brake shoe for any bending or other damage which may have occurred in service A shoe with more than 0 25 mm 0 010 bend should be replaced Inspect to ensure rivet hole has not been damaged during removal Using a rivet squeezer or pneumatic press replace lining using 4 6 brass rivets
25. control nor are the carburettors altitude compensating so the gain in fuel economy with altitude is not as great as it could be There are many features designed into the Europa to make it comfortable in the cruise The rudder pedals are designed so that the pilot or passengers can tilt their feet inwards and relax them in a stretched out position in front of the rudder pedals This places more of your weight on the thigh support rather than the spine and greatly increases comfort on long flights The instrument module has a moulded tray area which is level in the cruise This can be used for drinks and refreshments The silencer system and draft proof door seals give a quiet cruise with low noise fatigue Regularly check engine temperatures and pressures and fuel remaining whilst in the cruise Descent The Europa has low drag so plan your descent early Arriving overhead your desired airfield at 6 000 feet is a waste of time and fuel Although the Rotax water cooled engine is less susceptible to shock cooling than its air cooled cousins it is still good practice to keep some power on in the descent As a rule of thumb use 3 miles per 1 000 feet to plan your descent Airfield approach checks F Fuel sufficient R Radio tuned volume set E Engine Temperatures and Pressures within limits D Direction Indicator synchronised with compass A Airframe surplus equipment stowed Approach and landing Circuit or pattern speeds ar
26. creased the nose is likely to start lifting and the aircraft starts to feel light on its main gear If the aircraft becomes airborne be prepared to move the stick forwards to decrease the angle of attack and increase the margin from the stall Make sure that whilst taxiing that you can comfortably track the runway centre line If you find that you are wandering off towards the runway side then you need more practice Be prepared to put in full aileron or rudder control as you transition through the high speed taxi to flight regime Try not to make jerky control inputs The aeroplane will respond better and you are far less likely to get into trouble with smooth steady firm control inputs First flight After completion of your taxi testing the aircraft will require a thorough inspection before first flight Check all the items in the initial systems checkout Do this work carefully take nothing for granted remember the next step is the big one the one you have been waiting for months or years to accomplish Important considerations 1 The pilot should be relaxed and confident don t fly if you are feeling unwell for any reason also don t fly if you are tired It may be that taking care of a final glitch has taken all day to fix and you are wound up by the time it is ready to fly In this situation it would be better to leave it until the following morning Here at Europa we do all our first flights first thing in the morni
27. ct routing e Inspect all electrical wiring for security and chafing e Clean induction air filters e Check coolant level all hoses for chafing cracking and leaks e Check radiator and oil cooler for security damage leaks and blockages of fins e Check oil lines and cooler for leaks security and damage e Change clean in line fuel filters all lines for chafing security and leaks e Engine mount and main landing gear mount for cracks damage e Propeller bolts for torque and propeller blades for correct pitch e Spinner for cracks tracking and security e Check cowlings for chafing and security e Start engine and warm up thoroughly Engine run up e Take note of Oil pressure Voltage output Left ignition RPM drop Right ignition RPM drop Suction gauge if fitted Static max RPM Idle RPM o Ignition cut off ground O O O O 0 0 e Clean engine and inside of cowls with a suitable cleaner degreasing agent Controls Remove wings and tailplanes Wings e Inspect wing connect pins for cracking and re grease e Inspect main spar and bushes for wear and security e Inspect aileron quick connect mechanism for smooth operation cracking e Remove inspection cover and inspect aileron bellcrank and rod ends for security and smooth operation e Inspect aileron and attachment for security cracking hinge wear smooth operation No chafing or binding Issue 6 XS Trigear pases July 2012 Owners Manual Inspect flaps for correct
28. d re grease the nose and main wheel bearings every 12 months Issue 6 XS Trigear poge Gm July 2012 Owners Manual e Inspect entire airframe inside and out for signs of cracking or buckling e Inspect all fuel lines for ageing and degradation In any case it is recommended that all rubber items be replaced on a 5 yearly basis e Inspect all oil and water lines for ageing cracking or degradation This will usually show as a lack of suppleness in the pipes and possible surface cracking as pipes are flexed e Inspect rubber carburettor mounting flanges for splitting splitting will start from the inside Paper work e Make sure that all work carried out is recorded in the aircraft log books with any discrepancies and other pertinent information e Check that any A D airworthiness directives issued against the aircraft engine or other equipment have been carried out and duly recorded e Check currency of certificate of airworthiness or Permit to Fly e Check that Insurance is in force e Review weight and balance schedule e Placards in place e Registration certificate available XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 8 7 Owners Manual July 2012 SE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 8 8 SES July 2012 Owners Manual 9 Flight testing procedures As you complete your Europa the day will arrive when every last job is finished and you have run out of excuses for not flying From here on things start to get more ser
29. de the wing fully home Witness marks on the fuselage adjacent to leading and trailing edges will help with correct wing incidence alignment As the wing is being pushed in make sure that the front and rear wing pins also locate in their sockets Issue 6 XS Trigear beeen July 2012 Owners Manual Once fully home insert the main pins through the seat back approximately 1 and insert the Wi pip pin vertically through the rear 12 mm pin and receptacle Ensure it springs back into the locking position In a similar manner engage the starboard wing push the pins in the seat back bulkhead fully home and latch De rigging the wings is the reverse of rigging After de rigging the wings check the security of the wing spar sockets see MOD 247 008 XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 4 Owners Manual July 2012 Tailplanes The tailplanes port and starboard engage on the tailplane torque tube that passes through the rear of the fuselage and are held in place by pip pins The tailplane is driven by two drive pins which locate into bushes built into the tailplane inboard rib The anti servo trim tab drive is also located into the drive tube passing through a slot in the fuselage sides X A Figure 2 Tailplane rigging 1 Torque tube 4 Anti servo trim tab drive 2 Inner bush built in 5 Pip pin 3 Outer bush built in Issue 6 XS Trigear pagede July 2012 Owners Manual Rigging the tailplan
30. ds or short tufts of wool 5 7cm 2 3 long These are attached to the top surface of your wings by small pieces of masking tape at approximately every 20 cm 8 In the cruise all the tufts should be aligned leading edge to trailing edge and motionless indicating smooth attached airflow Interestingly you may notice that at the wing tip the tufts may be aligned with their ends slightly inboard indicating that air is flowing around the wing tip from the higher pressure air under the wing This of course is quite normal As the angle of attack of the wing is increased approaching its stall angle you will start to see the tufts become agitated and then flail about in all directions as that part of the wing stalls Firstly attach the tufts to your wings and look at the stalls again without the stall strips fitted You will be able to see visually and quite dramatically what is happening to the airflow at the stall Hopefully the stall will start at the inboard end of your wings and slowly spread outboard This will give a gentle stall the turbulent air from the inboard section of the wing should strike the tailplane and give airframe buffet All very good What you may find is that no sooner has the inboard section started to stall than the whole wing unzips You will see the stall spread across the wing very quickly This will mean that you will have a more sudden stall and possible wing drop and less of a speed margin from the onset of buf
31. e altitudes and airspeeds preferably with a qualified instructor until all the actions become automatic e Keep your aircraft in good mechanical conditions e Stay informed and alert e Fly responsibly Don ts e Don t attempt to take off with frost or ice on the airframe e Don t fly ina reckless show off or careless manner Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 10 2 July 2012 Owners Manual e Don t fly near thunderstorms or severe weather e Don t fly close to mountainous terrain e Don t apply control force abruptly which could exceed the design loads of the aircraft e Don t fly when physically or mentally exhausted e Don t trust to luck Warning The Europa because of its composite structure is transparent to an electrical charge and does not comply with certified requirements for lightning protection For this reason the Europa is prohibited from flight in conditions that would expose the aircraft to the possibility of a lightning strike XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 10 Owners Manual July 2012 eee tre INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 10 4 age July 2012 Owners Manual 11 Pilot experience requirements Initial check out There is no such thing as a minimum number of hours a pilot should have in his log book before being checked out to fly the Europa solo The best qualification of course is variety A pilot who has only flown one type of aircraft will tend to expect the Europa to handle
32. e best flown at 90 100 kts Flap limit speed is 83 kts XS Trigear Issue 6 P 11 Owners Manual July 2012 age Flapless approach and landing In the event of flap motor failure a flapless landing will be necessary At the normal approach speed of 60 kts the nose attitude will be too high to give adequate forward vision therefore the approach should be made at 70 kts The approach should be flown flatter than normal otherwise speed control will be difficult Expect slower deceleration in the flare so aim to reduce power to idle before crossing the threshold so that the airspeed has diminished to about 60 kts As the nose is raised in the flare you will have to rely more on peripheral vision to assess height Downwind checks B Brakes off F Flaps down 10 trim for 80 kts F Fuel sufficient for overshoot and go around Second fuel pump on H Hatches and harnesses secure Final approach checks Final approach should be flown at 60 65 kts Smoothly reduce power over the threshold and fully extend the airbrakes to flare and touch down at 45 50 kts depending on weight on the main wheels Keep the nose up until the speed is reduced then lower it gently onto the runway Keep the aircraft tracking straight down the runway initially with rudder then as rudder authority is lost with differential braking If a large bounce occurs add power immediately and go around or with sufficient runway length remaining
33. els and nosewheel weigh the aircraft in this level attitude Start a record similar to the one below for your aircraft NOTE Make sure that you subtract the weight of any blocks or chocks placed on the scales to steady or support the aircraft The fuselage stations of the main and nose wheel or arm is in inches in our calculations and the weight is in pounds Ib however you may convert the arm and weights to metric if so desired Issue 6 XS Trigear pase ere July 2012 Owners Manual Now for the calculations The formula is WEIGHT x ARM MOMENT Aircraft registration G ABCD Weighed on 1 August 2003 by A N Other A P S Weight includes engine oil unusable fuel fire extinguisher first aid kit fire axe seat cushions Item Weight Ib Arm inches Moment Port main wheel 315 70 25 22128 75 Stbd main wheel 318 70 25 22339 50 Nose wheel 155 14 75 2286 25 A P S 788 59 3 47049 50 Complete your table calculating the moment for the main wheels and nose wheel Now add together the moments to give a total moment Similarly add together the weights to give your total or A P S weight Divide the total moment by the total weight and this will give you the arm or C of G position for your A P S weight TOTAL MOMENT TOTAL WEIGHT A P S CofG Once you have completed the A P S C of G calculations which will require re doing if equipment is added later or removed from the aircraft you can p
34. erofoil in small increments of 1 mm 1 20 and carry out another flight The aim is to achieve a gentle stall with a warning buffet preceding it XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 9 11 Owners Manual July 2012 SES But do not over do it and limit the angle of attack of the wing so much that it increases the stalling speed by 5 kts or more and endangers the ability of the aircraft to flare in the landing configuration Note Re check the stall characteristics at the aft C of G position when you extend the aircraft loading and flight envelope IMPORTANT NOTE The fitting of stall strips and the stall assessment flying should be carried out by a pilot experienced in stall handling Envelope expansion Once you have confidence in handling you can start to expand the loading and flight envelope of your Europa The important thing here is to do this in small increments Do not simply load it up to gross weight aft C of G and take off in a 15 kt cross wind and dive to Vne This would be a totally stupid thing to do Extend the speed envelope in 5 kt increments checking for engine propeller vibrations temperatures and pressures etc Trim to each new speed confirming that you have sufficient trim and control With hands and feet off the controls note any out of trim condition Carefully tap the control column and rudder pedals to confirm freedom from vibration or flutter Important If any vibration of the flight controls is experienced d
35. es Inspect the individual tailplane for damage Inspect the tailplane torque tube for damage scoring or corrosion It should be kept well greased A plastic tube can be slid over it for ground handling and to stop dust from sticking to the grease Warning Take care when sliding the tailplane onto the tube make sure that they are supported until the tube contacts the outer bush in the tailplane avoid using any force Hold the tailplane as shown holding the anti servo trim tab from flapping around FAQ que XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 4 7 Owners Manual July 2012 Sg Sliding the tailplane onto the torque tube vertically enables better control to ensure the torque tube engages the outboard bush Make sure that as the tailplane drive lugs engage into the tailplane inboard rib the anti servo trim tab drive lugs also engage in the appropriate sockets Engage pip pins to secure tailplanes and ensure the plunger springs back into the locking position Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual Page 4 8 De rigging the tailplanes is the reverse of rigging however it would be good practice to rotate them to their maximum trailing edge up position before removing the first tailplane and so prevent the mass balance weight from crashing down onto its stop once the drive pins disengage XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 4 Owners Manual July 2012 SE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 4 10 age July 2012 Ow
36. fet to the stall The aim is that by carefully fitting and positioning the stall strips we can achieve a progressive benign stall with good buffet warning and a 5 kt speed margin between the onset of buffet and the stall Once you have got a good feel for what is happening in the stall on your aircraft and have carefully noted exactly the results fit the stall strips Make the stall strips of the section shown and tape them onto the wing 30 cm 12 from the root using the template at the end of this section Check the stall strip s positioning at both ends Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 9 10 July 2012 Owners Manual Hou out ThS EDGE nn 3 8 Stall strip section Make two from wood 23cm 9 long Make the template shown full size at the end of this section with stiff card to fit over the leading edge of the wing and position the stall strips for the initial stall test The stall strips are very powerful fitted wrongly they can seriously extend the take off run and lead to a stall whilst flaring the aircraft to land By moving the stall strips up the aerofoil or leading edge of the wing the onset of the stall will come sooner or at a lesser angle of attack By moving them down the aerofoil they become less effective Start with the stall strips as positioned by the template then fly the aircraft and evaluate what effect if any they are having on the stall characteristics of your aircraft Move them up or down the a
37. ft After each engine run check each system carefully wiring oil and water hoses for chafing and leaks Use nylon ties to secure parts that are found to vibrate and chafe A full power engine check should be made before first flight The engine should be fully cowled and the full power run should be for a minimum of 2 minutes Park the aircraft into wind for best cooling and close the engine down if excessive oil or cylinder head temperature are reached The reason for doing this is that after two minutes on its first flight the aircraft should be in a position 1 000 feet down wind to glide back to the field should it become necessary After the static engine tests have been completed and any defects remedied you are ready to commence taxi testing Taxi testing Introduction The most important rule for taxi testing is never to do them unless you and the aircraft are ready for flight It is quite a common occurrence to suddenly find that you are actually airborne and flying when you only had the intention of conducting a taxi test Issue 6 XS Trigear Page July 2012 Owners Manual The realization that you are now on your first committed flight the end of the runway having just disappeared under the nose is not the time to note that you are not even strapped in your seat the aircraft pitch trim was set full nose up now necessitating a healthy forward push on the stick you have just half a gallon in the fuel tank the pas
38. fter takeoff EFATO If the engine fails soon after the aircraft has left the ground on takeoff lower the nose immediately to maintain flying speed and prepare to land straight ahead Slight turns can be made to avoid obstacles Only if enough altitude is available can a 180 turn be made to return to the airfield You are much more likely to survive an emergency landing following an EFATO by landing straight ahead than a stall and spin resulting from a steep slow turn back to the field Only if there is time and you have maintained control of the aircraft should you try to restart the engine NOTE If engine stoppage was due to fuel starvation and the engine restarted after selecting the reserve setting land within 15 minutes Be prepared for a greater rate of descent with a dead engine as opposed to one on idle power Glide in the clean configuration flaps up to achieve best glide range With flaps down and the use of side slipping high rates of descent can be achieved In flight canopy opening If a canopy opens in flight it will most likely depart the aircraft If it does not do not lose control of the aircraft whilst trying to close it Ditching Flaps should be down to give minimum speed and cushion impact Landing into wind on the back of a swell is best or along a trough if that is not possible Regularly practice all emergency procedures because you never know when you will need them XS Trigear Issue 6 P 3 Owners
39. gear PRERJA July 2012 Owners Manual Full rudder against direction of spin Slight pause Stick forward to neutral Centralise rudder as spin stops Recover from dive to a climbing attitude applying power as the nose passes above the horizon XS Trigear Issue 6 P 1 Owners Manual July 2012 eee INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 5 16 age July 2012 Owners Manual 6 Weight and Balance To operate the Europa aircraft safely it must be flown within the prescribed weight and centre of gravity limits Flight outside these limits is dangerous and could lead to loss of control Maximum gross weight 137010 621 kg Flight C of G limits Forward 58 0 aft of datum Aft 62 5 aft of datum These limits are equal to 17 26 mean aerodynamic chord MAC The datum is a point 29 25 forward of the rear edge of the cowling joggle in the fuselage moulding Empty weight and C of G calculations Before any flight is made an accurate weight and balance check needs to be carried out on your completed aircraft Use the aircraft prepared for service APS weight The APS weight of your aircraft will be the basic weight of the aircraft complete with engine oil and unusable fuel plus all equipment that will remain on board the aircraft e g fire extinguisher first aid kit Important The aircraft must be weighed in the level attitude Equipment required to carry out C of G measurements e Two accurate weig
40. gether The strips will need careful adjustment on the leading edge When we first fitted stall strips to G YURO we found that even at full aft stick the stalling behaviour was very benign with no wing drop We had however increased the stalling speed by approximately 7 kts Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 9 SES July 2012 Owners Manual TURBULENT We could not understand initially why we were now doing rather heavy landings until we realised that we were stalling the aircraft in the flare We had placed the stall strips too far up the aerofoil and this was triggering the stall too soon How stall strips work 12 SS er tf Moa Dikection Kk 4 I J Fe M yg eg FuGHT Ue yy Sp F E E UNSmUED FART D r of WING OF WING XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 9 9 Owners Manual July 2012 In the cruise or when the wing is at a low angle of attack the stall strips do nothing As the angle of attack is increased the stall strips start to trip up the airflow over that part of the wing This then acts as a trigger and spreads the stall across the rest of the wing Imagine lines of people running over a field If one person was tripped up and fell he would more than likely trip up the people on either side of him spreading the chaos To help you see what is happening to the airflow over your wings you can fit flow visualisation ai
41. h in service and anything less than full movement of the rudder must be remedied before flight Flight instruments Look out Page 5 6 Set altimeter etc radio GPS and transponder tuned if fitted Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual Passenger safety brief It is good practice always to brief passengers on all flight safety aspects At Europa our brief consists of e Entry and exit of aircraft from trailing edge of main wing never forward towards the propeller e Door latch operation not to be opened in flight e Seat belt adjustment and operation e Position of fire extinguisher fire axe and first aid kit e Incase of emergency keep quiet and follow instructions Taxiing The Trigear Europa is fitted with differential brakes and is an easy aircraft to taxy In all but strong winds the Europa should be taxied with the control stick held in the aft stick position In strong tail winds 20kts the control stick should be in the neutral position Take off The normal take off procedure is Open throttle smoothly and keep the aircraft tracking straight with rudder pedals be prepared to apply right rudder to counter blade effect The take off run should be commenced with the stick slightly aft of neutral to reduce the load on the nose wheel Once elevator control has been achieved which will be at about 30 35 kts the nose can be raised slightly followed by a positive rotation at 50 kts Climb initia
42. he tip e Top speed sea level 140 kts RAS e Cruise speed 100 10 000ft 165 kts T A S e Rate of climb sea level 1300 Ib 1300 fpm e Take off ground roll based on hard dry runway 490 ft e Landing ground roll 656 ft e Range 90 kts economy cruise with 30 mins reserve 650 nm All aircraft e Stall speed at gross weight Clean 49 kts e Stall speed at gross weight Flaps Down 44 kts e Recommended glide speed clean engine out 75 kts e Best rate of climb speed Vy 75 kts e Best angle of climb speed Vx 61 kts e Approach speed flaps down at gross weight 60 kts e Never exceed speed Vne 165 kts XS Trigear Issue 6 P 12 1 Owners Manual July 2012 SES e Manoeuvring speed Va 97 kts e Maximum flap extension speed Vre 83 kts Important Note the performance of your aircraft and fly it accordingly Note If you normally operate at gross weight and want to fly from a short grass strip all year round then it would be prudent to alter the propeller pitch to a finer setting to give a good take off performance and sacrifice maybe 5kts in the cruise Experiment by adjusting the propeller pitch no more than 1 at a time Remember that you do not want to exceed 5500 rpm in the full power climb Increasing the static rpm by just 200 rpm makes quite a difference to the field performance Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 12 2 July 2012 Owners Manual
43. hing scales one of which must be able to read up to approximately 750 b 350kg Note bathroom scales have insufficient accuracy e Plumb bob e Tape measure e Spirit Level e Chalk or pencil to mark floor e Pen and paper e Two people e Calculator XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 6 1 Owners Manual July 2012 see e One brain switched on 1 Level the aircraft on smooth level ground by placing the spirit level on the port side door rebate placing foam blocks or similar under the appropriate wheels 2 Hang a plumb bob from the rear edge of the cowling fuselage joggle on the port side down to the floor and mark the position repeat on the starboard side Join the two marks together and find the centre Construct a line at right angles going forward from the centre of the first line and mark off a distance of 29 25 74 3 cm This point is the datum and is Fuselage Station Zero FS 0 0 See Figure 1 o 40 50 70 e a 100 110 120 130 140 160 160 170 190 190 200 210 220 R Ti o x E Ow E 6 0 BS 6 Vi pay N HN E D SE WH E a be cd H EZE q y OO a4 zZ Hi SC 3 3 Vo iq be OD xz vO lt id Figure 1 3 Carry out a similar operation to find the positions of the main wheels and the nose wheel The main wheels should be at approximately FS 70 that is 70 aft of the FS 0 0 mark Similarly the nose wheel should be close to FS 15 Once you have accurately recorded the positions of the main whe
44. his will simply stall the main wing create increased drag and slow down or even stop the acceleration By trying to force the aircraft off the ground too early the take off distance can easily be doubled and in the worst case extended indefinitely High density altitude take off Since every aircraft is different accurate high density altitude take off distances are difficult to predict Many factors affect take off performance such as gross weight temperature type and pitch setting of propeller altitude engine horsepower pilot ability etc We recommend that each pilot determine high density altitude take off and landing performance for his own aircraft In the acceleration and take off phase of flight power available is the major consideration By having an engine producing only 80hp to start with Rotax 912 any loss in available horsepower through increased density altitude will have a greater effect than on an aircraft with say 160 hp As an example imagine two aircraft that require 60 hp to fly straight and level at 70 kts Aircraft A has an 80 hp engine and aircraft B has 160 hp engine Aircraft A has a surplus power of 20 hp available for climb whilst aircraft B has 90 hp The higher the density altitude the lower the power available for climb If in our example the higher density altitude reduces the power available by Issue 6 XS Trigear pene July 2012 Owners Manual 25 Aircraft A now has only 60 hp availab
45. ious The inanimate pieces of foam epoxy glass cloth nuts bolts and hardware that you have been working with over the months now want to take on a life of their own Whereas a mistake in your workshop could have cost you an elastoplast on your finger and a little money to rectify the problem mistakes from here forward could be far more costly You have too much time money and life invested in this project so make each step a sure and calculated one There are several things that you need to be aware of One is a tendency to rush the last stages to get the aircraft flying maybe you have set yourself a deadline or the promised attendance of a major air show could be colouring your judgment Two is simply ego I ve built it so will fly it Who knows more about my aircraft than me The builder is understandably proud of his creation and becomes very possessive The builder is quite likely to know more about his aircraft than anyone else but he may not have done as much flying as he would have liked to whilst building his aircraft and is therefore out of practice Flying currency is the most important prerequisite for anyone contemplating carrying out the first flight of a new aircraft and is more important than total hours flown Before flying a Europa on first flight a pilot needs to be sharp and in current practice on a similar aircraft It is better to have a pilot who has recently flown many different light aircraft than an airline
46. iscontinue the test immediately and report to Europa Aircraft Similarly extend your weight and C of G envelope in small increments noting the differences in the handling characteristics Do not assume that your aircraft will be exactly as the company prototypes Be prepared to restrict your C of G envelope if necessary Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 9 12 July 2012 Owners Manual XS Trigear Issue 6 Owners Manual July 2012 Page 9 13 INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 9 14 age July 2012 Owners Manual 10 Safety information The Europa aircraft offers the pilot owner a total utility performance package that is much greater than the normal certified aircraft Its ability to be kept at home on its own transporter towed behind a car to a grass strip and then cover long distances at high speed all bring and demand more knowledge skill and experience than simply renting a Cessna 150 from your local flying club You must be familiar with loading and securing the aircraft safely and towing a long trailer behind a car Be familiar with all traffic regulations and speed limits in force for towing a trailer Practice rigging and de rigging the aircraft make a check list if necessary It is wise to have a board with holes in which the main wing pin and pip pins are stored That way they will not get lost or be mixed up with other incorrect pins that you may have in your workshop or tool box Do not become distracted whils
47. it highly resistant to damage or fatigue If the structure is damaged it will show up as a crack in the paint or wrinkle in the skin Remove the paint around the crack by sanding and inspect the glass structures Do not use any lacquer or paint remover on your Europa If the glass structure is damaged it will have a white appearance indicating either torn tension or crushed compression fibres If there is no glass damage it will be smooth and transparent when sanded Plexiglas screens Due to the uniform bonding and lack of metal fasteners your Europa screens are less susceptible to cracking than most other aircraft If a crack up to 3 long does occur drill a 1 8 hole through the Plexiglas at the end of the crack to prevent it growing further Cracks longer than 3 require the screen to be replaced Engine propeller batteries and accessories follow manufacturers recommendations for maintenance inspection Every 25 hours for the first 100 hours then every 50 hours e Clean spark plugs re gap as necessary change every 100 hours e Inspect ignition harness e Change engine oil and filter see Engine Manual e Check exhaust system for leaks cracks and security e Remove and clean carburettor bowls e Battery inspection o Clean terminals o Clean battery box o Check electrolyte level and top up if required XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 8 1 Owners Manual July 2012 i o Inspect drain tube and vent lines for obstruction and corre
48. ite into the airstream the trailing edge of the tab is thickened slightly These areas of extra thickness are called Flettner strips Without these strips fitted to the Europa we found the aircraft wandered slightly in pitch and had a different qualitative feel which led some pilots to over control in pitch and get into a 1 0 pilot induced oscillation situation Fitting of Flettner strips to the tailplane tabs is mandatory and is covered in the Builders Manual IMPORTANT Check tailplane balance after fitting Flettner strips With the aircraft level set the tailplane to its neutral position If it moves from this position once you let go of it then clearly it is out of balance and will require adjusting accordingly Once you get to the fine tuning stage we found that the best way to do this was to simply rotate the tailplane gently each way in a rocking motion by pushing down on the upper surface forward and aft of the pivot point checking for the same force being required to reverse the direction once the balance is correct XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 7 5 Owners Manual July 2012 SES Firmly secure all balance weights to the balance arm then double check the tailplane for full and free movement Check the rudder system for correct operation Check the cables for security and chafing pulleys for freedom of movement and cable security under the pulleys Note The cables will take a set or lengthen slightly in service You ca
49. l by 2 to obtain the actual airspeed Don t forget to take into account the effect of density altitude Fitting stall strips Once you have completed your first few flights and are feeling comfortable with the aircraft review the stalls both clean and in the landing configuration Make careful notes of exactly what happens in terms of airframe buffet the air speed at which the buffet is felt whether it is mild or quite marked Is it accompanied by wing rocking or the nose pitching up and down etc And does one particular wing always drop At what 1 4 5 does the stall occur and does the A S I actually give good indications down to the stall Although there is wash out built into the wing to encourage the stall to start from the inboard section stall strips are fitted to the inboard leading edge to act as a trigger to stall that part of the wing first The stall strips consist of small triangular pieces of wood that are initially taped to the leading edge and once the optimum position has been found are bonded permanently into place When correctly fitted the stall strips should give a more marked buffet with a greater margin between the onset of buffet and the stall You ideally want a 5 kt margin Amore gentle and benign stall is more desirable than a sharp G break and or a possible wing drop If for instance you have one particular wing that always drops then by adjusting the stall strip on the other wing they can be made to stall to
50. le and so would be unable to climb Aircraft B still has 120 60 60 hp available for climb There is one other important point that needs considering and that is the use of flaps for high density altitude take offs For an aircraft to fly and climb lift must exceed weight This lift is created by the wings but how efficiently this lift is generated is of major significance when considering high density altitude operation Any increase in lift generates an increase in drag Wing flaps increase lift but at a price That price is a disproportionate increase in drag that must be paid for by thrust and therefore engine power The problem is that as flaps are deployed a greater price in drag has to be paid for the extra lift generated In other words flaps produce extra lift but not as efficiently as a clean wing Referring to the earlier example if it takes more power to generate the lift then the extra power available for climb will be reduced and even this power available for climb will not be used efficiently The best rate of climb for an aircraft is always when it is in the clean configuration The Europa is most affected by density altitude by e Being low powered unless the 914 Turbo version of the engine is fitted e Having flaps deployed A technique that can be used with the Europa to maximize high density altitude take off performance is to accelerate after lift off at approximately 20 30 feet to 55 kts and then in level
51. ler clockwise as viewed from the cockpit the effect of engine torque the rotating prop wash and gyroscopic precession of the propeller makes a cross wind from the port side the worst case If the wind is at 90 to the runway take off with the wind from the right Be prepared to use substantial differential braking to keep the aircraft straight in the early part of the take off run Practice your cross wind take offs and landings on a wide runway and gradually build up your experience Europas have been operated in cross winds greater than 20 kts but pilot skill and experience is very important Find the cross wind limit that you are comfortable with and stick to it Remember The superior pilot uses his superior judgement so that he never has to demonstrate his superior skill Cruise Manoeuvring speed is 97 KIAS remain below this speed in rough air Depending on aircraft weight and propeller setting 5000 5200 rpm with the Rotax 912 engine should result in a 120 kts IAS cruise and a fuel burn of approximately 4 imperial gallons per hour 18 20 litres per hour or in motor car terms 35 m p g A typical economy cruise would be 100 kts IAS resulting in a fuel burn of approximately 2 imperial gallons per hour 11 12 litres per hour or 46 m p g Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 5 10 July 2012 Owners Manual 75 power at 8 000 ft should give a true airspeed of 130 kts Unfortunately the Rotax 912 engine is not equipped with mixture
52. lly at 55 kts to clear any obstacles allowing the aircraft to accelerate to 60 kts before retracting the flaps Retract the flaps in stages of about 5 or 6 Note With the Warp Drive propeller fitted you may find that the engine RPM in the climb will be slightly less than the static RPM This is due to the propeller becoming more effective as the aircraft accelerates during the take off run Once the flaps have been retracted allow the aircraft to accelerate to 70 80 kts for the climb XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 5 7 Owners Manual July 2012 SES A cruise climb of 90 100 kts may be preferred as this will give better engine cooling and greater field of view over the nose of the aircraft Climb checks Flaps Up Engine temperatures and pressures within limits Fuel pump above 1000 ft AGL 912 off 914 secondary pump off Short or rough field take off refer also to performance section Set flaps to full down Hold the aircraft on the brakes whilst applying full power Release the brakes and apply sufficient rearwards pressure on the control stick to raise the nose as soon as possible It will be possible to rotate and lift off at a lower speed than normal The initial climb ratewill be slightly less than normal Important Do not try to fly the aircraft off the ground before flying speed has been reached Ona rough field where the aircraft is being thrown into the air by undulating ground resist the temptation to over rotate T
53. major causes of fatal accidents in home built aircraft is the hooligan fly past Our builder intent on impressing everyone with his new bird beats down the runway the wrong side of Vne pulls up into an impressive zoom climb and then just as he runs out of airspeed and brains decides to do a cross between a wing over stall turn and half Cuban The result is sadly all too often a fatal stall spin tragedy The above is often carried out by pilots whose last steep turn was demonstrated to the examiner for the issue of their P P L twenty years ago Unless you have the experience of throwing aircraft around the sky get it at a safe height with an instructor sat next to you Do s e Be thoroughly familiar with your aircraft know its limitations and your own e Becurrent in your aircraft or fly with a qualified instructor until you are current proficient e Plan all aspects of your flight including weather and fuel reserves e Use services available In flight weather information radar advisory flight following etc e Carefully rig and pre flight check your aircraft e Use the check list in this manual e Be sure that your weight and C of G loading are within limits e Pilot and passenger must always wear the seat belts e Be sure all loose articles and baggage are secured especially for takeoff and landing e Check freedom of all controls during pre flight inspection and before takeoff e Practice emergency procedures at saf
54. n The Europa is fitted with a powerful all flying tailplane which is pivoted close to its centre of lift Having a tailplane alone would result in there being little feed back to the pilot no matter how much work it was doing The pilot needs to feel a resistance or stick force relative to the work being done by the tailplanes and this stick force should increase with an increase in g To provide this stick force a tab is fitted to the trailing edge of the tailplane which is geared so that it opposes its movement an anti servo tab When the pilot pulls back on the control stick the trailing edge of the tailplane moves upwards The trailing edge of the tab also moves upwards therefore resisting the movement of the tailplane The tabs attempt to maintain the status quo It is the force generated by the tab that the pilot feels In the stick free situation where the pilot has released the control stick the tab controls what happens to the tailplane Firstly the tab can be moved independently of the tailplane to act as a pitch trim control Secondly if the tailplane is upset by a sudden gust it is the tab that drives the tailplane back to its original angle of attack Because the tab is attached to the trailing edge of the tailplane it has a tendency to float slightly within the turbulent boundary layer of air This makes the tab less effective at damping out any oscillations of the tailplane To give the tab an immediate b
55. n either sit in the cockpit and apply a foot force of approximately 25kg 55Ib onto each pedal for 24 hours or rig up a wedge of some kind possibly off the seat front to do the same job Make sure that after this initial set that full rudder movement can be achieved before the rudder pedal or your foot contacts the firewall conduct this test by having someone apply an opposing force of approximately 2010 at the tailwheel to simulate both ground and air loads Rudder movement should be 30 2 0 each way None of the company s three Europas have ever experienced any flutter of the control surfaces but this does not guarantee that slight builder inaccuracies will not act as a trigger for flutter on other Europas Check all wing attach pins for cracking or corrosion wing spar and fuselage bushes for wear corrosion or looseness Check doors seals hinges and latches for correct operation and security of door closure Note The non tapered parts of the door shoot bolts should enter into the shoot bolt guides in the fuselage Check seat belts for correct installation security and adjustment Swing the aircraft compass and fill in a correction card Brakes and steering test To check for leaks and to avoid overheating leave off the wheel fairings Ensure before you start the engine that the parking brake is set to on and the brake levers have been pulled to pressurise the system Issue 6 XS Trigear SES July 2012
56. ners Manual 5 Normal operations Introduction This section describes the normal operating procedures for both ground and flight operations All pilots should be thoroughly familiar with this section and the Emergency Procedures Operating Limitations Initial Systems check out Flight test procedures and Performance data before attempting any ground or flight operations Recommended Speeds Best rate of climb speed Vy 75 kts 139 kph Best angle of climb speed Vx 61 kts 113 kph Glide speed engine off 75 kts 139 kph Stall speed flaps up 49 kts 91 kph Stall speed flaps down 44 kts 81 kph Pre flight Walk Around Cockpit Throttle closed Master switch off Ignition switches off both Fuel on main tank Main wing pins engaged and locked Fuel drains if fitted check clear of water XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 5 1 Owners Manual July 2012 nee External port side Remove all tie downs and control locks and stow Main Gear Wheel Brake Door and latch Flap Aileron Upper and lower wing skin Pitot static tube Forward and aft wing pins Engine and propeller Check All cowling attachment screws Engine oil and water Exhaust tailpipe Water radiators Propeller condition Spinner Tyre for creep condition and inflation and if fitted speed kit for condition security and debris between the wheels and fairings Brake pad wear and calliper secure Check for correct operation and freedom from crack
57. ng when we are all bright eyed and bushy tailed We complete all our preparations the day before so that the only thing we have to do is get in and fly Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual 2 The weather should be calm and clear any wind should be down the runway at 10 kts maximum 3 Don t let a crowd gather and make you anxious and nervous Have a friend or two present to help but don t make the mistake of letting everyone come You will be calmer and more level headed 4 Emergency procedures should be memorized and rehearsed mentally The pilot should be familiar with open areas in the flight test area for use as possible emergency landing sites 5 If you are at a controlled airfield plan your first flight when they are least busy early morning is usually best 6 You should have at least 800m of runway for first flight with a clear climb out area 7 Wear a parachute and practice getting out of the aircraft quickly 8 Your first few flights should be with 20 25 litres 6 7 gallons of fuel and secure ballast to bring the aircraft into the C of G first flight box at both take off and zero fuel weights The first flight is used to verify that the engine and primary control system are functioning normally and to begin to establish a feel of the controls and to note any necessary changes to control rigging or trim Follow the normal operating procedures described in this manual Line up wi
58. nvestigated Climb over the field to 5 000 ft and level off reducing power to maintain 100 kts Trim in pitch to maintain level flight and note the indicator position Record any tendency that the aircraft has to roll left or right and if the ball is in the middle Record the cylinder head and oil temperatures for future reference Once you begin to feel comfortable with the aircraft and you are happy with the engine operation and temperatures reduce speed to 75 kts and carry out a few gentle turns Now try a few gentle stalls reduce power to idle making sure first that the area is clear of traffic The stall should be preceded by a slight airframe buffet but until you have fitted the stall strips later in the test programme this buffet may be non existent Keep the ball centred as you approach the stall and prevent any further wing drop by use of rudder preventing further yaws Make a note of the airspeed and verify this with another stall Climb back to 5 000 ft and now carefully lower the flaps at 70 kts Familiarize yourself with the handling of the aircraft in this configuration Note any roll or yaw tendencies in this configuration Keep an eye on the engine gauges Once again reduce the power to idle and carry out a few gentle stalls making a note of the speed There is more likely to be a wing drop with the flaps down so be prepared to recover with top rudder Use a speed 15 kts above the stall speeds for the clean approach and the
59. ompressibility Va Manoeuvring speed is the maximum speed at which application of full available control inputs will not over stress the aircraft This speed is also used as a rough air speed in turbulence Ver Maximum flap extended speed is the highest speed permissible with the flaps in a prescribed extended position Vue Never exceed speed is the speed limit that may not be exceeded at any time Vno Maximum normal operating structural cruise speed is the speed that should not be exceeded except in smooth air and then only with caution Vso is the stalling speed is the minimum steady flight speed at which the aircraft is controllable with flaps extended Vsi is the stalling speed is the minimum steady flight speed at which the aircraft is controllable with flaps retracted Vx Best angle of climb speed is the airspeed which delivers the greatest gain of altitude in the shortest possible horizontal distance Vy Best rate of climb speed is the airspeed which delivers the greatest gain in altitude in the shortest possible time XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 2 Owners Manual July 2012 INTENTIONALLY BLANK Issue 6 XS Trigear Page 2 4 SE July 2012 Owners Manual 3 Emergency Procedures Fire There are normally only three sources of aircraft fire electrical fuel and oil In the event of fire on the ground shut off all electrical power and fuel supply and evacuate the aircraft taking with you the carbon dioxide
60. ould result in lifting the tail from the ground These conditioning procedures will wear off any high spots and generate sufficient heat to create a thin layer of glazed material at the lining friction surface Normal brake usage should generate enough heat to maintain the glaze throughout the life of the lining Properly conditioned linings will provide many hours of maintenance free service A visual inspection of the brake disc will indicate the lining condition A smooth surface one without grooves indicates the linings are properly glazed If the disc is rough grooved the linings must be reglazed The conditioning procedure should be performed whenever the rough disc condition is observed Brake Disc Inspection and Service The Matco brake disc should give years of trouble free service under normal field conditions Conditions such as unimproved fields standingwater industrial pollution even infrequent use of the aircraft may requiremore frequent inspection of the discs in order to prolong the life of the brake lining Issue 6 XS Trigear SSES July 2012 Owners Manual The disc faces should be checked for wear minimum thickness 4 25 mm 0 167 and for any grooves deep scratches excessive pitting or coning of the brake disc Coning beyond 0 4 mm 0 015 in either direction would be cause for replacement Coning however is rarely a problem Isolated grooves up to 0 75 mm 0 030 deep should not be cause for repla
61. place your inclinometer on the flat aft portion of the tailplanes outboard of the trim tab and make a note of the reading The tailplane trailing edge needs to rotate 12 upwards and 4 downwards to cover the full range required You will notice 1 hope that as the trailing edge of the tailplane is raised the trailing edge of the tab raises even further the ratio is approximately 1 3 to 1 Therefore when you have raised the trailing edge of the tailplane by 12 the tab should have raised 15 6 relative to the tailplane or 27 6 from the zero start position A tolerance of 2 4 and 1 2 of tab movement is acceptable Similarly moving the tailplane trailing edge down 4 from the zero reference point the tab should move down approximately 5 2 relative to the tailplane of 9 2 the zero reference position A tolerance of 0 8 and 0 4 of tab movement is acceptable Pitch trim control Check that when pressing the bottom of the pitch trim rocker switch for nose up trim the indicator needle moves up and the anti servo trim tab moves trailing edge down With the tailplanes held in the neutral position operate the trim motor to confirm that the anti servo trim tab will move up and down at least 6 Flettner strips Flettner strips are fitted to the trailing edge of the tailplane tabs to assist in damping out the short period oscillations in pitch Issue 6 XS Trigear Page des July 2012 Owners Manual A brief explanatio
62. re Plexiglas for cleanliness and freedom from cracks For cracks fractures and buckles Condition and operation Check operating pin engaged hinge points for damage For correct operation Engaged into fuselage socket Pip pins in and secure Check pip pin spring action For cracks fractures or buckling Pip pins engaged and sprung back to locked position Connected Issue 6 July 2012 PS Tailplane Check full and free movement balance and correct tab operation tailplane trailing edge up tab trailing edge up Rudder and fin For cracks and fractures Rudder Hinges and push rod attachment Entrance is gained to the cockpit from the trailing edge of the wing A step area on the wing is provided to assist in the safe entry exit of the aircraft Cockpit Check Fuel selector valve to MAIN Glass fuel in line filter s for water and contamination All instruments and controls for damage Note Always brief passenger to step off the wing towards the tail on departing the aircraft never forward towards the propeller The gull wing doors are supported on gas shock struts in the open position The aircraft may be taxied in calm conditions with the doors open where large power inputs are not necessary In gusty or soft wet grass conditions where large power inputs are necessary to start the aircraft moving it is prudent to close the canopy This is also wise in dry dusty conditions when dry grass and debris ma
63. rettors simultaneously For leaks tightness of securing clips chafing of pipes For security and chafing For leaks and chafing hoses For security leaks and cracking Install and check according to the manufacturer s instructions Check pitch is as recommended in the Rotax912 or 914 Engine Installation Manual Torque and safety wire propeller bolts For true running cracks and security Set idle to be 1400 1600 rpm Approximately 5100 rpm Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual Fuel flow check You will need to know that your fuel system can supply sufficient fuel to the carburettors to sustain maximum power Both the mechanical 912 and electric fuel pumps must be checked independently See Engine Installation Manual for details Airframe Check e Main gear leg attachment secure brake attachment bolts and axle bolts secure bearings packed with grease e Nose gear leg condition shimmy damper operation bearings correctly grease packed e Tyre pressure for correct inflation 30 psi 2 0 bar Leave for 24 hours then check again e Brake system for correct operation brake pad wear leaks and chafing of hydraulic pipe Bleed by pumping fluid up from the bleed nipples to the master cylinders Paint creep marks onto the main wheels and tyres Check the entire flap operating mechanism for adjustment correct operation security of all nuts bolts pins and fittings Bungee cord The bungee cord is there to act
64. roceed by adding pilot passenger baggage and fuel weights to calculate the flight C of G The arm for the pilot and passenger is 56 The fuel arm 76 The baggage arm 88 XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 6 3 Owners Manual July 2012 ES Note Fuel 72 0 per imperial gallon Carry out calculations with various aircraft loadings until you fully understand the limits applicable to your aircraft For example due to differences in build which may affect the A P S weight and C of G it could mean that your baggage capacity is restricted when for instance carrying two 18010 adults and full fuel Note Both zero fuel C G and take off C G should be within the C G limits bearing in mind that all weight limitations are adhered to Item Weight Ib Arm inches Moment A P S 788 59 3 47049 5 Pilot 180 56 10080 Passenger 160 56 8960 Baggage 50 88 4400 Zero fuel weight 1178 SE 70489 5 59 83 Fuel 110 76 8360 Takeoff weight 1288 ithe 78849 5 Refer to the loading diagram and plot the total weight and the C of G position Make sure that you stay within the weight and C of G limits Page 6 4 Issue 6 July 2012 XS Trigear Owners Manual FIRST FLIGHT LIMITS TOTAL WEIGHT Pounds 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 FUSELAGE STATION inches Note For the first flight the total weight and C of G should be within the First flight box shown on the graph XS Trigear Issue 6 Owners Manual
65. s Check operating pin engaged and hinge points for damage Condition and operation free from backlash Free from stress cracks fractures and buckles Clear no damage Engaged into fuselage socket Pip pins in and secure Check pip pin spring action Secure Quantities inspection hatches secure Secure Clear from obstructions damage and chafing Free from cracks or damage Secure and free from cracks Rotate engine through four blades to check that no engine oil hydraulic locking is present Note Always treat an aircraft propeller as live Page 5 2 Issue 6 XS Trigear July 2012 Owners Manual Nosegear Nose Wheel Nose Leg Speed Kit if fitted Nose Wheel Orientation External starboard side Main gear wheel Brake Windscreen and door Upper and lower wing skin Aileron Flap Door and latch Forward and aft wing pins Rear fuselage skin Tailplanes Tailplanes attached Anti servo trim tabs XS Trigear Owners Manual Tyre for creep condition and inflation Condition For condition security and debris between the wheel and fairing Ensure wheel speed kit assembly is in the normal trailing position Note If the aircraft is pushed back it can rotate 180 In this rotated position the propeller can contact the top of the fairing Tyre for creep condition and inflation and if fitted speed kit for condition security and debris between the wheels and fairings Brake pad wear calliper secu
66. s are inserted vertically through the rear 12 mm pins and receptacles to take the wing drag loads in the cruise and also the forward lift loads at high angles of attack There are 12 mm diameter pins in the root ribs of the flaps and these locate into bearings on the ends of the flap operating drive tube in the fuselage An inspection hole is cut in the inboard top skin of the flaps so that proper location with the controls can be verified during rigging and preflight inspection Ailerons self connect by use of a bellcrank on the wing root rib which mates with a similar bellcrank fitted to the fuselage Steel locator boxes are fitted to encapsulate the ends of the spars making rigging simpler by holding the wing in position to allow the pins to be engaged Rigging Before rigging inspect e security of the wing spar sockets see MOD 247 008 e both wings and controls for damage and correct operation e wing pins and pip pins for damage or corrosion e aileron and flap connect parts for damage and correct operation e fuselage sides where the wings mate for damage e wing pin receptacle for damage and corrosion e pitot static connection tubes for damage XS Trigear Issue 6 Page 4 3 Owners Manual July 2012 eae Rigging starboard wing shown Note Rigging the wings is a two person operation With the fuselage supported upright slide the port wing part way into the fuselage and connect the pitot static tube connections Then sli
67. senger door latch is half open and the altimeter is showing 870 feet although you have only just cleared the boundary hedge More importantly you were not mentally prepared for a first flight and the aircraft may not even have been loaded to bring it into the allowable C of G envelope To start make sure that when you sit in the cockpit you are comfortable and that your head is within 2 5 cm 1 of the top of the door This is important to guarantee that you have the best field of view over the nose Similarly you may need cushions behind you or the rudder pedals adjusting Make sure that all the controls fall comfortably to hand or foot Take time to become familiar with all the controls so that you do not have to spend time hunting for them Check the operation of all your flight controls engine controls and instrumentation etc Everything should operate smoothly with no binding or interference Make sure that the brakes are working properly before commencing taxi tests The purpose of the low speed taxi testing is to give the pilot a feel for the steering of the aircraft by use of the rudder pedals and the way that the aircraft will rock from one outrigger to the other whilst executing turns These initial tests should not exceed walking speed as the space needed to manoeuvre is explored The landing gear should be checked between taxi tests for defects loose hardware loose wheel bearings brake wear etc With the aircraft chocked first
68. t and good mechanic Thorough careful construction continued maintenance and practice during operation are essential Performance data in this manual is based on data collected on the Europa prototype aircraft operated by Europa Aircraft Ltd Many factors affect aircraft performance build quality maintenance standards propeller settings builder modifications pilot techniques etc The aircraft operator pilot should carefully measure and record the performance of their aircraft to assist in the safe operation of their particular aircraft Issue 6 XS Trigear Papen July 2012 Owners Manual 2 Limitations and Placards Limitations Never Exceed Speed Vye 165 kts 305 kph Manoeuvring speed Va 97kts 179 kph Max Structural Cruise Speed Vno 131kts 243 kph Max Flap extension speed Vre 83kts 154 kph Structural limit loads 137010 3 8g 1 9g Placards Intentional spins prohibited No smoking in or near aircraft Flight in icing conditions prohibited Canopy warning do not open in flight Registration letters numbers and name and address of registered owner To be engraved on a stainless steel plate Occupant warning This aircraft has not been certificated to an international requirement Daytime VFR only Depending on nationality Throttle FULL IDLE Pitch Trim Indicator NOSE UP NOSE DOWN All circuit breakers fuses and switches to be placarded CONNECT PITOT STATIC To be positioned on seat back XS
69. t rigging the aircraft If you arrive at an airfield and start rigging your Europa people seem to appear out of the woodwork to see what is going on People asking questions Did you build it How fast is it What is it Is it a glider can easily distract you Always carry out a final close rigging inspection and then do it again on your pre flight inspection Do not assume that you are infallible Remember more freedom more responsibility The ability to operate from short and often rough strips will demand more skill from the pilot Just because someone else flies their Europa into or out of a particular strip does not mean that you can The skill level required between flying from a large airport and a private grass strip could be tenfold Do not be caught out trying to operate from a strip that is within the aircraft s capability but beyond yours If you intend operating from short grass private strips then first practice from long wide ones A pilot should have made a minimum of 100 successful landings in the Europa before considering operating from short narrow or undulating rough strips Fly within your skill and level of experience XS Trigear Issue 6 P 10 1 Owners Manual July 2012 BERAN The Europa is a real pilot s aircraft Its crisp responsive controls and excellent field of view make it a delight to throw around the sky BUT Don t let it bring out the hooligan in you Always fly responsibly One of the
70. th the centre line of the runway Smoothly and fully open the throttle being prepared to add right rudder to track the centre line Rotax 912 and 914 engines Concentrate on keeping straight with differential braking and rudder If you do nothing else the aircraft will fly itself off the ground when it is ready This will be at approximately 45 50 kts Be especially prepared to contain any out of trim forces in pitch Once airborne if there are any serious handling problems they should be evident immediately If there are close the throttle and land ahead within the remaining runway If all is well allow the aircraft to accelerate to 55 60 kts before climbing Once established in the climb trim to maintain climb speed of 55 60 kts Climb to 500 ft before raising the flaps having established a speed of 60 65 kts Raise the flaps in stages of a few degrees over a period of 4 5 seconds at least easing the stick forward to contain the slight pitch up which occurs when raising the flaps Once this has been carried out continue climb at 80 kts XS Trigear Issue 6 Owners Manual July 2012 HABEAS Make a gentle turn downwind and monitor engine temperatures If excessive try reducing power and fly straight and level If they continue to climb return to the airfield and resolve the problem Note Be alert to any peculiar noises vibrations or binding in the controls Keep an eye on all engine gauges Anything unusual should be i
71. the stall occurs with higher power settings right rudder will be required to keep the aircraft in balance with clockwise rotation of the propeller as viewed from the cockpit As power is increased there is more likelihood of a wing drop during the stall Recovery is always the same ailerons neutral stick forward countering any wing drop with rudder Warning Power on stalls can more easily lead to a spin entry Give yourself plenty of recovery height The Europa is a very clean aircraft and will pick up speed very quickly in a dive Power is not usually necessary to aid in the recovery from a stall unless you don t want to lose altitude as on the approach to landing Spinning Intentional spinning is prohibited Both the proof of concept P O C aircraft G YURO and the kit prototype G ELSA have been extensively spin tested up to 12 turns and found to have excellent spin recovery with standard spin recovery techniques Both aircraft were also found to recover satisfactorily from fully developed spins by removing both hands and feet from the controls depending on trim setting However due to builder differences individual kit aircraft may not exhibit the same spin characteristics as our prototypes The prototype aircraft have a developed spin rate after 3 turns of approximately 180 per second with a 60 nose down attitude If a spin is inadvertently entered e Close the throttle e Retract flaps if deployed Issue 6 XS Tri
72. the stick is moved full aft a more pronounced buffet will be felt accompanied by a pitch oscillation before the nose drops To recover ease the stick forward and counter any wing drop with rudder Although the ailerons remain effective up to and during the stall any wing drop should not be contained by use of aileron but by using rudder to prevent further yaw and therefore further wing drop Recover the stall in a wing down attitude then once flying speed is re established level the wings and pull out of the dive Power off stalls When practicing power off stalls remember to first carry out HASELL safety checks H Height recovery by 3 000 ft A G L A Airframe flaps as required S Security no loose objects harness secure E Engine Temperatures and Pressures within limits fuel ok XS Trigear Issue 6 P 13 Owners Manual July 2012 see L Location clear of built up areas airfields controlled airspace and cloud L Look out check for other aircraft Progressively bring the stick back to prevent a descent and as the aircraft stalls ease the stick centrally forward and simultaneously apply full power to recover then level the wings and ease out of the dive Practice these stalls both in the clean and landing configuration Take care not to exceed 83 kts in the recovery with the flaps down Power on stalls Practice these stalls with increasing amounts of power bringing the stick progressively back until
73. touring aircraft with safe handling characteristics By incorporating a 3 blade propeller and efficient exhaust silencer system the Europa complies easily with all international noise requirements for light aircraft A purpose built transporter can be used so that the aircraft may be quickly rigged and de rigged for storage at home The Europa tri gear has non retractablemain and nose gear The flaps are electrically operated and can be set to any position between zero and full flap 30 Principal Features and Dimensions Engines Rotax 912 80 bhp 60 kw Rotax 9125 100 bhp 73 5 kW Rotax 914 115 bhp 86 kw Wing Span 27 ft 2 in 8 28 m Wing Area 100 ft 9 30 m Wing Root Chord 50 1 27 m Wing Tip Chord 40 1 02 m Aspect ratio 7 0 Length 19 ft 8 6 00m Height 7 ft 0 2 13 m Tailplane span 8 ft 2 44 m Tailplane area 22 ft 2 050 XS Trigear Issue 6 P 1 1 Owners Manual July 2012 Aer Fuselage width 44 Baggage capacity 80 Ib Gross weight 1370 10 Wing loading 13 7 lb ft Main wheel tyres 5 00x5 Nose wheel tyre 11 x 4 00 5 Fuel capacity 15 Imp gall Page 1 2 1 12 m 36 kg 622 kg 67 kg m 68 litres Issue 6 July 2012 XS Trigear Owners Manual Se ED RADIO e N TRANSPONDER Ni a l SS Figure I 1 Cockpit Layout 1 Flight Instruments 6 Throttle 2 Engine Instruments 7 Engine RPM 3 Radio Nav Equipment 8 Pitch Trim Switch and Guage 4 Fuel Sight Gauge 9
74. y be blown into the cockpit area by the propeller Pilot position The Europa is designed to accommodate pilots up to 1 93 m 64 in height in comfort Shorter pilots can fly the aircraft but they must sit on cushions to bring their eye level up to that of a tall pilot Note When seated in the Europa all pilots must have a maximum clearance of 2 5cm 1 between the top of their heads and the canopy This is necessary to give the best view over the nose for the taxi take off and landing Being just 5cm 2 lower than optimum makes a large difference in the field of view over the nose Issue 6 XS Trigear poge a4 July 2012 Owners Manual Rudder pedal position is set during the build process but to bring the pedals further aft for pilots with shorter legs a small cable adjuster can be fitted onto the rudder pedal cables in the rear of the fuselage Seat belts Four point harnesses are provided for safety with a simple press to release operation similar to many motor cars These are fully adjustable and should be tight particularly in the takeoff and landing stages of the flight Door latch operation should be checked before flight and clearly placarded on both the inside and outside of the door showing the open and closed position and a warning Do not open in flight Engine starting Engine starting on the Rotax engines is both simple and straightforward Cold start Brake Parking brake on if fitted Check Clear ahead and

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