When I flew the prototype Europa four years ago, I subsequently wrote that I hoped Ivan Shaw and his team would "ignore fashion…and never develop a tricycle-gear version." Being a canny Yorkshireman, Shaw chose to ignore the comments of a dyed-in-the-wool aviation hack and did it anyway. He reckoned that many potential customers for his kits would have learned to fly in Cessnas, Pipers, or Grummans and might be put off by the unusual retractable monowheel/tailwheel landing gear, preferring instead a more conventional undercarriage.
His research also suggested that, while as many as 60,000 pilots start their pilot training in the United States every year, an almost equal number of disenchanted pilots drop out of recreational aviation and are lost to the hobby for good, mainly because of the high cost of aircraft ownership or rental. Shaw is therefore determined to address this vast potential marketplace and, to his credit, it looks like he's got it right — again. The worldwide interest in the Europa has remained high since the design's introduction in the early 1990s, and the small but dedicated team at Europa Aviation in Kirkbymoorside on England's North Yorkshire Moors has delivered more than 400 kits to 27 different countries. By late 1997, more than 60 had taken to the air. Only 25 of the 400-plus sold have been of the new tri-gear version; although, to be fair, most of the marketing focus and sales drive has hitherto been on the tundra-tired monowheel model.
The prototype Europa, G-YURO, was powered by the air- and water-cooled four-cylinder Rotax 912, and the vast majority of homebuilders opted for the same powerplant. A Rotax 914T Turbo version was later developed by Shaw. At least one is in the United States operating as Europa's American demonstrator. Flown by Shaw himself, that aircraft won the 1997 Unlimited Sun Dash 1250 race outright at the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, turning in a race speed of 164 mph from a standing start and easily beating into second place the Rotax 914T-powered Katana (by a considerable margin of 34 mph). A number of builders have chosen this more powerful version, especially those intending to operate in hot-and-high conditions. Other engine options include the NSI-converted Subaru EA81 automobile engine (at least two are flying behind this powerplant), the Australian 80-hp Jabiru, the Continental C-90 or O-200, and the Mid-West Engines (originally Norton) AE100R twin-bank rotary engine producing 100 hp at 7,000 rpm. It is this latter engine that powers the prototype tri-gear Europa.
The general consensus seems to be that the tri-gear looks more attractive than its monowheel counterpart when sitting on the ground. In the air the reverse is true, as retracts inevitably look better than those dangling Dunlops, although to the pilot there is little or no perceived difference. The aircraft is very simple in concept and the preflight walk-around is straightforward. On the tri-gear demonstrator, the wing-to-fuselage joint has been smoothed off with silicon compound, so the wings are, in effect, permanently fixed. However, as with the monowheel version, they — together with the tailplane — are normally removable. The whole process of rigging and derigging takes only five minutes, allowing the aircraft to be towed on a purpose-built trailer. The main gear legs are tapered steel tubes (similar to those fitted to Cessnas, Stoddard-Hamilton's GlaStar, and Van's RV-6 aircraft) and carry hydraulic disc brakes and 4.5025 wheels, while the fully castering nosewheel is another 4.5025 wheel. All three wheels are closely spatted, keeping drag to a minimum.
With the modular construction concept, a Europa builder can buy and build his tailplane and rudder to gain experience before deciding which variant to complete. The tri-gear fuselage module is around $750 more expensive, all other module prices being identical.
Getting into the tri-gear is not quite so easy as the monowheel, as the wing walkway is considerably higher. The gull-wing doors are supported by gas struts and move up and down easily, while the door latch is a simple lever on the forward lower corner. The combination lap/shoulder harnesses are simple to put on and adjust, and comfortable in flight.
The attachment points of the main gear are just behind the two seats but still leave ample baggage space of 13.5 cu. ft. However, the area normally occupied by the retracted monowheel and its operating lever (which simultaneously retracts the flaps and outriggers) can now be used as a additional small baggage locker. The total baggage load limitation is 80 lbs. Continued development of the whole central console area of the monowheel version has been carried across to the tri-gear and has resulted in a much narrower molding, giving more hip room for, shall we say, lower-aspect-ratio pilots.
It is no surprise that Europa has worked to ensure as much commonality of parts as possible between the two versions, as this keeps production costs down. Thus, the instrument panel is the same molded and easily removable one-piece assembly as the monowheel Europa. The choice of which dials and avionics to fit is left to the individual builder.
Starting and operating the Mid-West rotary is a little different from the procedure for a conventional aircraft engine. It has two electric fuel pumps, which must be exercised individually once the master switch has been selected On. A red push-button primer is then activated for a few seconds, after which both magneto switches are turned On and the starter button pressed. The engine normally wakes up after a few spins of the three-blade Warp Drive propeller and is warmed up at 4,000 rpm. (Remember, this is a rotary.) The propeller is driven through a reduction gear-box with a ratio of 2.964:1. A critical instrument is an EGT gauge, situated just to the right of the main flight instruments, with twin needles showing the conditions within the rotor chambers. If one needle drops off line after a power reduction and reapplication (as, for example, following a stall or during a go-around), then one of the chambers has gone cold (probably due to a rich cut).
With the early development engine fitted to the demonstrator, it was sometimes reluctant to fire up again, although this problem appears now to have been solved with the recent introduction of fuel injection replacing the twin carburetors.
The final difference is that the rotary runs the opposite way from most conventional engines, is rather "peakier" than a Rotax, and sounds very much like a two-stroke (which in effect it is, having no valves); it is also noisier and thirstier. The former is true because the rotary-powered airplane does not have the same level of silencing equipment as the Rotax-powered model, although this can be fitted by individual builders. However, little can be done about the latter; it is a trait of rotary powerplants, although Mid-West Engines claims that its new fuel-injected version does improve fuel efficiency over the carbureted version.
The pretakeoff run-up is simply a case of checking both mag switches individually and selecting both of the fuel pumps to On. A full-power check takes the tachometer to unfamiliar readings (for pilots of conventional propeller-driven airplanes) as it winds its way around to almost 7,000 rpm. The electric flaps deploy to their full 27 degrees of droop in about three seconds, while the electric trim is normally set slightly nose down, using a rocker switch adjacent to the little ribbon position indicator on the lower center of the panel.
The disc brakes are operated by two pedals sprouting from the cockpit floor just inside and aft of the rudder pedals. Steering on the ground can be done by rudder alone, but for maneuvering in tight spaces, the application of one brake and a short burst of power will spin the tri-gear around in little more than its own wingspan.
With full power applied, the rudder rapidly becomes effective and requires the application of considerable left pedal during the early stages of takeoff. The stick is eased back to take the weight off the nosewheel, and at around 50 knots the airplane flies off normally, with a slight check forward required after liftoff to allow the speed to build toward best climb of 80 knots and the flaps to be brought in once 500 feet has been passed. In the climb, with two fairly hefty occupants and half tanks, we ascended at more than 1,100 feet per minute. I found that a lot of left rudder was needed to maintain balanced flight, while even in level cruise the ball was a full diameter left of center, suggesting the engine may need a little more offset to straighten things out.
In the air the tri-gear version has the same delightfully crisp control responses and excellent field of vision as its monowheel parent. The roll rate in particular is superb, and the Europa is designed for basic aerobatics in the experimental category. It is surprisingly quick, too, considering what is left dangling in the breeze. A full- throttle straight-and-level run took the tachometer to its redline of 7,200 rpm, producing an indicated airspeed of 126 knots. A more relaxed cruise of 6,000 rpm returned an indicated 110 knots with a fuel burn of around six gallons per hour; throttling back still further to a more economical 5,000 rpm settled us at a needle's-width over 90 knots.
The stall was not quite as docile as I had previously experienced in Europa's monowheel demonstrators, but this particular example is slightly right-wing heavy (due to a slight inadvertent twist incorporated during the build), and departure is therefore a little more positive. Both clean and dirty, and with and without power, the left wing and nose dropped more markedly. Slow flight is no problem, but again I had to keep a careful eye on the ball to ensure that we were properly trimmed. If a Europa is built and rigged properly, it's a total pussycat in the stall regime.
Back in the pattern the tri-gear is as stable and uneventful as its retractable brother — although, being a slippery shape, it requires the same degree of advance planning. Flap speed is 83 knots, and the normal approach speed of 60 knots is perfect (in no-wind conditions) to arrive over the numbers and, with a normal flare, put the aircraft on the ground in a slight nose-up attitude. I carried a touch of power down final to control the sink rate, rolling it off just before the flare. The gear can absorb a reasonable amount of sink with no worries.
Many potential Europa customers who have flown only aircraft with tricycle gear may well have been put off building one because of its unusual monowheel arrangement, although there is very little reason for such reticence. Now, however, these individuals can choose a tricycle-gear version that is equally as capable and as much fun to fly as the monowheel, with the added benefit of possessing excellent ground manners. Fitted with a Rotax 912 (or even a 914T) it should deliver the same sparkling performance and thoroughly enjoyable handling of the original design.
A U.S. dealer, Europa Aviation Inc., is located at 3400 Airfield Drive West, Lakeland, Florida 33811; telephone 941/647-5355; fax 941/646-2877.
Peter R. Underhill of Luton, Bedfordshire, England, former chairman of the Popular Flying Association and former editor of Popular Flying, has logged 2,500 hours during 22 years as a pilot. He owns a Jodel D.140.
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