I also have the tri-gear, and have the wheel well area covered with a door.
I also cut out the area A (on your drawing) and made one long oval door b
etween the two round holes . I reinforced this oval opening with thin alumi
num and glass. In addition, I put an additional several layers of glass acr
oss the entire bottom and up the sides about 6 inches. In part I did this t
o reinforce the hole I made between the normal round holes and also becaus
e a friend with an older Europa said that after a few years his Tri-gear de
veloped cracks around the gear supports. The rule is that you have to repla
ce a cut out area with some multiple of the area removed (4?, 6?). I probab
ly went over board and will see the costs of my over- reinforcement next mo
nth when we do the weight and balance (I have nightmares that I have built
a single person plane - and that person must be skinny - something I am not
.)
I would not be too happy about cutting out more as in area B in your drawi
ng - especially after the cockpit is in and you can't reinforce the surroun
ding glass from the inside. - although the way the cockpit module is glued
in means the structure is really strong.
Although my gas valve is on the top of the cockpit module center armrest I
did cut out the provided cutout for the gas value on the co-pilot side of t
he cockpit module. This approximately 6" hole does provide some access.
The other approach is to move the parts so they are accessible. I have been
through several revisions of the fuel system to make it maintainable. The
rule I have found is that it takes 1 X of time to make it work, 2 X to make
it work and be maintainable, and 3x of time to make it work, be maintainab
le and be pretty. Or maybe you can get your spouse (with hopefully small ha
nds) or a small child to do that part of the maintenance.
Gary Leinberger
A237
Real near flying (except for just a few "little" things)
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-serv
er@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Sidsel & Svein Johnsen
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 10:39 AM
Subject: Europa-List: Bottom cut-outs
When I installed the fuel hoses in the then not yet installed cockpit modul
e(supply line, return, drains, sight tube), I did not think about renewing
the hoses. Now, I realize that access to some of this is difficult, at bes
t.
I built my plane with a cut-out in the bottom where the monowheel would hav
e been (mine is a tri-gear), with a hinged hatch door for easy access to ga
scolator, fuel pump, drains, Andair fuel selector valve, etc. It is, alas,
too tight to reach further back and do much there.
I know that some have cut out the bottom between the two round tank outlet
inspection hatches - see the green area A on the attached sketch. I canno
t see that this weakens the construction, but on the other hand it may not
give me the access I would like.
Has anyone cut out the red area, marked B? If so, how has it been covered/
the area reinforced? Although the very strong cockpit module probably carr
y the loads on its own, this part does give some contribution to strength.
I can see ways to maintain the strength when a cover plate is bolted in pl
ace, but if anyone has already tread this path, I would appreciate to know
the details.
Regards,
Svein
LN-SKJ
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