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Europa XS Trigear - any experiences or alternatives?

IO390 wrote:

A related question: My understanding is that Rotax engines prefer Mogas to Avgas

Since unleaded avgas is a reality now, that should’t be a problem 🙈 (One has to wonder what kind of snake oil they replaced the TEL with …) Seriously, a Rotax runs just fine on (leaded) avgas, but oil change is every 25h and spark plugs must be replaced often. Unleaded is definitely a better fuel for the engine, but it’s not like leaded avgas is a big NO NO.

As with all Annex I, they are made for tinkering (with some exceptions). Europas are very good in that respect, since wings are easily removed, and it can be hauled around with a car. With wings removed, you don’t need much space to work in either. Regard it as a boat, take it “home” and fix/modify it off season, then fly in the summer months. But fiber glass… Some love working with it, others hate it.

IO390 wrote:

but for the price of these aircraft I would not want the limitations imposed on non certified types in Europe.

And what limits are those compared with a homebuilt Europa?

My thoughts about buying a used homebuilt are:

  • Get the build log with pictures. If none exists, don’t buy it – unless you can easily examine the structure as you can with metal and tube/fabric
  • Several of these high priced carbon ULs can also be purchased as homebuilt. They are usually no concern because all the main parts are factory made (wings, fuselage etc)
  • Regard the Rotax engine as something that can be “improved” over time. Improved isn’t really the right word, since it is an excellent engine to start with. There’s lots of aftermarket stuff on these engines. Turbo, EFI, big bore, all kinds of stuff. Or don’t
  • You need to tinker, as explained. Easily removable wings is a plus in this respect, it widens your options.

A newish carbon UL is usually the safest card. You get the looks, good speed, short-field, and there is very little tinkering needed. They just work, change oil every 50/25 hours, wash it every now and then, and that’s it. Get a popular one, keep it in good condition, and you can sell it for the price you bought it. A new one is depreciated fast during the first 3-5 years, but keeps it’s value after that. But, and old Cherokee is also kind of cool, and lots of space.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

There have been already some tread on this forum on the Europa. An XS trigear or Monowheel with a rotax 912uls or 914ul with an aimaster or woodcomp constant speed prop will give you superb performance and marvellous handling for very reasonable money (purchase and operational side). It is a super plane for touring for 2 people. With mine (a 914 mono), based in Ukraine, I flew to Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, France and all the countries in between!
There is a very good following. So I can only recommend it versus any other ones in this price category.

Belgium

As a (third) owner of a 2001 Europa XS Trigear with Rotax 914 and Airmaster constant speed prop since more than 10 years I can only echo what @ploucandco wrote. Very capable going places aircraft and just pure fun to fly! Also cheap to operate, especialĺy if kept at home on a trailer!
@Pavel could also confirm :-)

Last Edited by europaxs at 01 Aug 20:55
EDLE

Thank you all for the input. Lots of advice to consider.

A Europa XS owner kindly took me for a flight this weekend. Negatives first: in the passenger seat the space is marginal for me due to the staggered rudder pedals, and not hugely comfortable for a longer flight. I suspect with adjustment to the seat cushions it would be OK. You can stretch your legs by putting them between the pedals though, which I did read was an intended design feature.

Ground handling looked awkward with the finger brakes. The noise of the Rotax would take some getting used to as well. No cabin heat(!) and limited ventilation, definitely would be a problem on a really warm day. Obviously not as refined in general as the certified types I am used to.

Pros: Fantastic handling. First time I’ve flown a plane like this, and the joystick + pushrod linkages + airframe design make it really fun to just fly around. The controls are really crisp, not overly sensitive but hugely responsive and nicely weighted. £25 of fuel for 1hr flight (912ULS with Airmaster CS prop) is hard to argue with. 1000fpm climb with 2 pob and max fuel, 200m takeoff roll from grass. We were mostly cruising at 100kts indicated on 15lph – up to 18lph and it was sitting around 118kts. This one didn’t have the landing gear fairings or spats fitted, these add approx 10kts according to owners.

This particular plane was the one built for the “A plane is born” TV series back in 2000. The airframe in the series was never finished and a different plane with the reg not shown was used for the flying sequences. The production company went bust and after passing through various owners it didn’t fly until last year. The fibreglass work was done by Europa factory workers and is absolutely perfect. The owner is selling a half share which I would consider, except he derigs it and puts it in a trailer over winter, and no cabin heat, so that’s fairly useless, and it seems most of the owners at this airfield don’t fly through the winter either, so that answers my question about why these types often have such low hours.

The handling is really enjoyable so I will continue to look for Europas for sure. If I had my own I’d fit cabin heat, so I’ll see if any examples come up for sale any time soon. In the meantime I have asked the owner if we can meet some temporary arrangement so I can fly it until the end of summer, so we’ll see what happens.

United Kingdom

@WilliamF I should add that I’m not ruling out certified types, I just can’t see these sub £50k aircraft for sale that aren’t in need of an engine overhaul and won’t cost £15k in paint and interior to be barely presentable. Not even thinking about avionics.

United Kingdom

I think these are hard times for buying a plane, due to the crazzy bubble which is building up in so many markets (aircraft, electronic components, houses, you name it) due to, presumably, peoples’ brains having been fried by the BBC coverage of CV19

Give it a few months and then we will have more clarity, and a shagged 1982 TB20 with 1999 hrs on the engine and compressions of 30/80, a KLN94 and the mandatory dead autopilot will be back down to its real value of about 45k

As to share ownership, the usual advice applies

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

IO390 wrote:

If I had my own I’d fit cabin heat

Some LAA standard mods do exist for retrofitting a cabin heating. You have the choice of either exhaust or oil-/watercooler as heat source. The latter has the advantage to do without the risk of CO toxication. Since the Europa cabin is fairly air tight, the amount of heat needed to get it cozy inside is not that great.

I have the radiator as heat source and flew my Europa comfortably wearing just a pullover up to FL250 (in sunshine) at -30°C OAT.

EDLE

And now let’s add some emotions: We love our Europa!

When I was looking for a plane, I wanted a travelling machine for two, side by side, flyable with PPL (meaning non-UL pilot license) and with ultralight running cost. After a research the Europa XS came up as a winner. I wished to find a Mono with Rotax 914 and was lucky, and we’ve been happy since. It flies like a dream, carrying the two of us, full tank and 40kg of baggage. Sometimes we fly with two Bromptons and sleeping bags, the long freediving fins fit in, too. The cockpit may seem a bit compact, but it is actually pretty wide and even during my longest flight, over five hours in one day, we felt comfortable, thanks to good seating and well balanced controls (and excellent in-flight service).

After purchasing our Europa and some flying I started making further plans. I certainly needed an autopilot, heating, also an EMS with a fancy screen would come handy. But, I did not find a time to proceed. I realized that I prefer flying over tinkering. To hold a stick and feel the reaction of the airplane is exciting. Take off at 25 deg Celsius and fly in 13k ft at minus ten is not a big deal. And flying in winter – of course, we just dress well. So, I just replaced the radio for 8.33 and all the other time we spend in the air.

The Europa Club works very well (theeuropaclub.org). Contact them if you consider Europa, they will be happy to advise and/or help in many areas.

I sat in a Europa, and didn’t like the view compared to a Jodel DR1050. I wouldn’t buy an aircraft without a heater. Jodel DR1050s have great load carrying, but are wood-and-fabric, so cannot be left outside in wet weather. They are mainly factory built. They are often draughty. And the 3 I flew had poor heaters.
The 80 hp Europa might be better with 100hp for short strip and loaded. If you have tailwheel experience the monowheel has best performance. Reported good on soft surface.
Have you considered a Robin? It has the wood-and-fabric problems though.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

I have decided to pursue a Europa as it seems to be the best fit for my requirements and budget.

The Sportcruiser is nice and has the advantage of being all metal (I prefer this to composite personally) however they are out of my budget unfortunately. I keep running into the same problem which is that other types within my budget are either wood and fabric, very old or very obscure.

So far I’ve found other Europa owners and the Europa club to be extremely helpful.

Decent Europa XS Trigear models mostly seem to sell off market, though I’ve just found one for sale which seems good, other than it’s been stored outside (trailer during winter) so it has some “trailer rash”, though nothing serious. I am having it inspected by an LAA inspector in a week or so. I have inspected the plane with another Europa builder and spoken to the owner/builder at length, and have made an offer conditional on the results of inspection. All mandatory mods have been complied with, as for avionics it has a G5 and other instruments are TSO items. There is an old Skymap GPS which is coupled to a wing leveller autopilot. Trig com and xpdr. Everything I’d need for the foreseeable future on the avionics front.

Question regarding the engine: the engine was purchased new for the airframe in 2000 and flew in 2006. It now has 300hrs, and the logs show it has been ground run at least every 3 months if not flown. It’s a 912ULS, and it seems Rotax engines are perhaps less finicky than Lycoming/Continental about being left for long periods without regular use. Is that fair to say? Given how few hours many of these Rotax homebuilts seem to fly, I haven’t heard many reports of problems due to lack of use. If it were lyco/conti then I would be concerned about the low hours.

United Kingdom
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