Photograph:
Europa Aviation Europa XS 19-3084 (c/n 262) at Narromine, NSW in April 2007 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Great Britain
Description:
Two-seat light homebuilt sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.92 m (26 ft)
- Length: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)
- Height: 1.34 m (4 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 8.82 m² (95 sq ft)
- Max speed: 268 km/h (166 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 240 km/h (149 mph)
- Cruising speed at 55% power: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Stalling speed: 90 km/h (56 mph)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 244 m/min (800 ft/min)
- Range with reserve: 926 km (575 miles)
- Empty weight: 308 kg (680 lb)
- Loaded weight: 590 kg (1,300 lb)
History:
The Europa was an advanced composite homebuilt constructed from a kit and marketed by Europa Aviation Ltd in North Yorkshire, UK fitted with a retractable or fixed undercarriage. It was unusual in having a variety of undercarriages, including a large central undercarriage unit with outrigger wheels on the wings; a normal tailwheel undercarriage; or a fixed tricycle undercarriage. It proved to be extremely successful in later years by being made available in a variety of models, including short wing and long wing models. More than 1,000 kits have been sold.
The prototype G-YURO (c/n PFA 220-11981) flew for the first time in October 1993. The Europa could be purchased in four separate stages to allow the cost to be spread over a period. The main fuselage components were vacuum-moulded using glass or carbon fibre PVC high-density foam and epoxy and phenolic fire-proof resins. The wing spars were constructed using ten plies of glass-fibre rovings laid in a jig and cured under pressure and then post cured in an oven for maximum performance. The wings could be folded for trailering and storage in a garage.
In 1997 the Europa XS was released, this model (in kit form) featuring a turbocharged Rotax 914 engine, aerodynamic refinements, new high aspect ratio wings, extra fuel to give a range of 1,610 km (1,000 miles) and a max speed of 322 km/h (200 mph).
First Europa completed in this region was VH-UBD (c/n 144) registered in April 1997 in Queensland. Since then a number of examples have been completed in both Australia and New Zealand, some in Australia being registered under Recreational Aviation Australia ultralight Regulations.
One example in New Zealand was completed with a Wilksch diesel engine. This engine was produced by Wilksch Air Motive of Gloucestershire, England, the company producing engines for homebuilt aircraft which produced 75 kw (100 hp) to 142 kw (190 hp).