Jons,
> This is generally limited to the flattish flange of the inboard rear top
corner of the door which over time becomes curled up a little causing rather
an unsightly > gap at that corner. This deformation can be "reset" given
time with ingenious use of weights/ straps/ pressure etc plus careful
warming of the corner. (The gas > strut repositioning mod addresses this
problem and helps prevent it happening though I've not fitted it to mine).
Nop! Just apply the mod and the door will come back at the right place and
will not be deformed anymore. I know it because I did it :-)
> The "twisting" I referred to is simply caused by the (quite flexible) door
being twisted when it is open by the fact that it only has one gas strut
fitted to one > edge of the door.
May be, but dont care! I'm used to taxi with my door semi open during days
and I close it when lining up and I just verify the two bolts (specially the
rear one) are engaged on pushing on the door as the last point of your check
list before take-off! (And reopen it and close it again correctly if it
happens that one is disengaged)
Max Cointe
mcointe@free.fr
F-PMLH Europa XS_TriGear
Kit #560-2003 912ULS/AirmasterAP332 520 hours
F-PLDJ DynAro MCR 4S
Kit #27-2002 912ULSFR/MTProp MTV7A 1650 heures
-----Message d'origine-----
De: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] De la part de JonSmith
Envoy: mardi 1 juillet 2014 18:34
: europa-list@matronics.com
Objet: Europa-List: Re: DOOR detached during flight
--> <jonsmitheuropa@tiscali.co.uk>
Hi, just to clarify and expand on my previous comments and noting the very
valid comments by John Wighton and others, the doors, even when closed can
be semi permanently deformed by the continuous action of the gas strut (mine
certainly has). This is generally limited to the flattish flange of the
inboard rear top corner of the door which over time becomes curled up a
little causing rather an unsightly gap at that corner. This deformation can
be "reset" given time with ingenious use of weights/ straps/ pressure etc
plus careful warming of the corner. (The gas strut repositioning mod
addresses this problem and helps prevent it happening though I've not fitted
it to mine).
I don't think this is the cause of people failing to lock the door correctly
though. The "twisting" I referred to is simply caused by the (quite
flexible) door being twisted when it is open by the fact that it only has
one gas strut fitted to one edge of the door. If it had two gas struts, one
at the front and one at the rear it wouldn't twist - but think of the extra
weight....! On mine, if I disconnect the gas strut the door lowers down
completely straight and fits perfectly into the frame with no extra fiddling
required. When I reconnect the gas strut then due to the induced twist,
after I have lowered it I need to give the bottom of the door my previously
mentioned gentle nudge forward to pop it fully into position (ie. to allow
the rear edge of the door to move fully inwards and fully home). It's a bit
like on my old estate car - one of the gas struts failed on the boot
(trunk!) lid and the boot was a pig to shut because the one remaining
(strong) gas strut twisted !
the thin boot lid so much it needed a huge sideways force to make it fit!
Like John, I am completely convinced that the door design is very good and
completely sound but that this is just one of those things that we all "need
to know" and that we all religiously check that the front and especially the
(harder to see!) rear of the door is correctly shut and in the correct
position with the shoot bolts engaged. Someone mentioned about warning
devices - it's a very personal thing but I prefer not to rely on bells and
whistles which might let me down one day but rely on myself to visually
check each time. I just pray that I don't let myself down one day!
I guess an issue is, and this will always be a risk, where someone less
familiar with the day to day operating of the plane flies it - classic
example being the engineer as the original poster mentioned. As owners I
suppose this will need to be one of many briefing points covered.
--------
G-TERN
Classic Mono
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