Matronics Email Lists :: View topic - L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Europa-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

thomas(at)scherer.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:26 am Post subject: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

This year my son Paul decided to fly to Oshkosh with me, so we chose a 

direct route from Los Angeles to Albuquerque, Kansas and Southern Wisconsin 

where we met up with Paul Mc Allister and his daughter Kristi as well as a 

Long EZ flyer, Jim Price.



The trip to Wisconsin was flown with one landing for fuel.



Next morning we flew three planes in formation into Ripon - Fisk - Oshkosh 

and spent three gorgeous days in Oshkosh, sleeping under the wings. On the 

way in - right over Fisk I called an engine failure to the formation and 

while you'd normally pull up to gain altitude and get to optimum gliding 

speed, I chose to push down away from the formation. Switching to reserve 

quickly fixed the engine failure (at 1800 ft it ought to ...) and we 

continued straight in for a landing on 36 right. Next time I will not only 

fill the aux tanks with fuel but also pump over into the main tank.



On the last day in KOSH I asked my son where he would like to visit on the 

way back and he said "the Bahamas". Two days later we were in Marsh Harbour 

on the Abaco Island and went snorkeling.



The return flight took us through Tallahassee, Florida then El Paso Texas 

and a safe landing home yesterday. This trip has added 60 hours to the now 

840 hours of flying in my Europa. The Rotax 912 has never missed a beat nor 

has the Europa ever shown any malign behaviour. She is a true Magic Carpet.



Looking forward to meeting some of you at our local fly-in "Copperstate" 

later this year.



fly safe,



<Thomas, N81EU>

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

fklein(at)orcasonline.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:15 pm Post subject: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

On Sunday, August 6, 2006, at 11:12 AM, Thomas Scherer wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		    This trip has added 60 hours to the now 840 hours of flying in my 

 Europa. The Rotax 912 has never missed a beat nor has the Europa ever 

 shown any malign behaviour.


	


Thomas,



Thank you for the inspiring description of your recent trip; I've also 

enjoyed your website writing and pixs of your globe-girdling 

adventures...my hat is off to you.



I'm particularly taken with your satisfactory experience with your 

Rotax, having become a Rotax-skeptic while reading accounts of various 

problems other Europa owners have had; readers of this forum know me 

for my enthusiasm for Alex Bowman's 130 hp VTEC Honda installation.



How do you account for the excellent trouble-free performance of your 

Rotax 912? (Or is it a 912S?) Can you describe your routine operation 

and maintenance procedures and schedule? Also, can you give your max. 

take off weight when you had your son and 2 aux. fuel tanks topped off?



Fred

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

thomas(at)scherer.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:33 pm Post subject: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

Hi Fred,



thank you for your eMail. I'll have to update my website - I haven't even 

added the story and pictures of last year's Oshkosh via Alaska...



My eMail was actually written with the intent to re-concentrate on the joys 

of building and flying the Europa. Too many problems have been discussed at 

times in a non-professional manner. Lots of cracked Rotax cores and stalls 

lately. For a while I was actually thinking myself that the Europa does bite 

and the Rotax might be a problem-ridden design. But it simply does not match 

my own observations. I bought my Rotax 912 in 1995 and it has been in my 

Europa Classic Trigear since.



I have in the entire time changed spark plugs twice and the rubber in the 

carburators once. I truly belive it is a very solid, tried and honest 

design. The same core is used on the 912, 912S and 914. I figure the 912 

does have the most safety margin and least wear. It is imperative to keep it 

cool (I have a dual cooler setup).



The Honda did impress me, too. It does have all the latest in technology 

with fuel injection and electronic ignition. Yet it seems to be heavy and 

the gearbox is not native to it. And 130 hp is a lot for this little 

airplane. I always remind people of the Dykins design wing which is made for 

120 kn and does perform poorly at 160 kn and higher.



You ask a good question with max take-off weight. I didn't give it much 

attention... My son is 13 and weighs in at 85 lbs. I have 200 lbs and we had 

70 liter in the main tank and 70 liter in aux tank at take-off. My plane was 

weighed at 808 lbs. I guess we were over gross. Hm ..... we took off at 0400 

am in the morning into cool air. It would not have worked on a hot Denver 

afternoon I guess. Yet I recall take-off performance to be ok. Climb rate 

was 450 ft/min which I mainly attribute to the newly installed cold-air feed 

system.



I would recommend the Rotax wholeheartedly to anybody. Wouldn't have flown 

the Oceans behind anyting else available to-day.



be well,



<Thomas>

---

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

hurstkr(at)growzone.com.a
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:42 am Post subject: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

 	  Quote: 	
		   Climb rate was 450 ft/min which I mainly attribute to the newly installed 

 cold-air feed system.


	


Hello Thomas,



Are you saying you are conscious of a better climb rate all round since the 

installation of the cold air feed ?



I know the cold air must be better but just HOW noticeable is my question.



You see, I have a plain vanilla 912 as well and if I ever get to fly it, I'm 

trying to convince myself that with the cold air intake and a constant speed 

prop, I'll be able to suck all those 912S's and 914's up and spit them out 

the exhaust !!  Well there's no harm in wishful thinking is there ??



Cheers

Kingsley in Oz.



do not archive

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

fklein(at)orcasonline.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject: L.A. to Oshkosh 2006 and back

Thomas...see indented comments and questions below:



On Sunday, August 6, 2006, at 09:32 PM, Thomas Scherer wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   My eMail was actually written with the intent to re-concentrate on the 

 joys of building and flying the Europa.


	


		Thank you for accentuating the positive!



 	  Quote: 	
		  >  Lots of cracked Rotax cores and stalls lately.


	


		Without doubt, the stall discussions are a consequence of our group's 

attempts to get our arms around Cliff & Betty Shaw's tragic accident, 

and as this occurs I trust that posts on "stalls and spins" will taper 

off. As to "cracked Rotax cores", I'm only aware of a single isolated 

case.



 	  Quote: 	
		   I bought my Rotax 912 in 1995 and it has been in my Europa Classic 

 Trigear since.



 I have in the entire time changed spark plugs twice and the rubber in 

 the carburators once. I truly belive it is a very solid, tried and 

 honest design. The same core is used on the 912, 912S and 914. I 

 figure the 912 does have the most safety margin and least wear. It is 

 imperative to keep it cool (I have a dual cooler setup).


	


		Aha...perhaps (based on forum postings) the secret to your success 

may lie in part in your engine being the 912, thus avoiding the 

component stress and sensitivity to the higher compression 912S  and 

the complexity of the 914T?



 	  Quote: 	
		   I always remind people of the Dykins design wing which is made for 120 

 kn and does perform poorly at 160 kn and higher.


	


		Not having the Dykins book, but recalling the Europa literature 

stating "200 mph top speed", could you elaborate on your statement that 

the Europa wing performs poorly at 160kn and higher?



Thanks,



Fred

A194

- The Matronics Europa-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Europa-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum