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Europa-List: First few hours N378PJ

Subject: Europa-List: First few hours N378PJ
From: Paul McAllister <paul.mcallister@qia.net>
Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 17:08:21

Hi all,

I have flown a total of 6.5 hours this week and so far so good.  I have been 
particularly
concerned about a fuel blockage so I took the gascolator bowl off after
a couple of hours.  There was some sediment in the bowl but nothing stuck
to the screen. Previous to flying I cycled the entire tank full through a filter
twice and it seems like I might have got the bulk of it.

The aircraft is an absolute delight to fly, it is everything Europa said it 
would
be.  It fly's hands off and seems to stall straight ahead, although I haven't
tried it with the flaps / gear down yet and based on Graham Singletons mishap
I have decided to fit some stall strips.  The only adjustment I might have
to make is to the C of G, it seems further forward than my calculations would
suggest.  .  Take offs are quick, I operate off a 5000' runway and I can be at
pattern altitude by the time I get to the end of the runway.  I haven't tried
it with the prop set to takeoff pitch and kicking in the turbo charger,  I 
suspect
that it would climb like a scolded cat.  The local grass strip is too wet
at the moment so I have been working of pavement.  Its a bit of a handful and
I don't fly if there is more than 20 degrees of cross wind component.  I will
have to work up to cross wind landings very slowly.

I haven't finished my ASI calibrations yet, but it is shaping up to being good
for 135 knots TAS without the speed kit on.  I took it up to 10,000 feet to 
check
the turbo charger waste gate adjustments to check to ensure it would hold
34".  A very rough speed check indicated a 160 knot TAS.

I am wondering what to do about my WEB site ( http://europa363.versadev.com/ ) 
.  Are folks interested in me writing up my test flying ?, and possibly a trip 
diary?  I be interested in some feed back on this.

Paul




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