TROY  MAYNOR'S   EUROPA  MONOWHEEL

 
 
 

     This is my dream!

For more information on the Europa line of aircraft, see the Europa website, contact the Lakeland, Florida sales office at (863) 647-5355 (or email at europa@gate.net) or contact me by phone at: (828) 645-3566 or via e-mail at: wingnut54@charter.net
 
 

Here are three more links of interest:

The Europa Club Home Page
Bob Jacobsen's Europa XS
Tony Krzyzewski's Europa Classic
N120EU, is a Europa Monowheel Classic (or Mk1). This designation is to distinguish it from the Europa XS that was introduced later in 1997 which has several upgrades. Some of these upgrades have been built into N120EU, such as increased storage area behind the seats and new tailwheel design. With the monowheel Europa, raising the main gear with a lift assisted lever on the console also raises the flaps and the outrigger wheels mounted under the wings. There is also a tri-gear version of the Europa but it prefers hard surfaces. Some builders have even adapted conventional gear to the fuselage using the monowheel tailwheel setup. For even more versatility, you can build a set of glider wings and plug them in and have a 46' wingspan motorglider.

The Europa is an all-composite construction aircraft. The main kit components consist of upper and lower fuselage moldings; a cockpit module molding, in which the fuel tank and most of the controls are fitted; and premolded gel coated instrument panel, doors, cowling and spinner. The XS also has gelcoat wing skins which saves a lot of build time over the wet lay-up wings of the classic. All moveable surfaces on either model are wet lay-up. The classic is no longer offered anyway. The vertical fin is part of the upper molding on the XS also, not so on the classic. There is a quick build option also where the tailpieces are already built ready for filling and sanding.

Fuselage on Monowheel and Temporary Casters
Instrument Panel & Engine Control / Gear / Brake Console

Ivan Shaw, a British chap designed the Europa, with certain goals in mind from the start. He wanted a plane that could be transported and quickly rigged, storing it at home. Hangar fees in England are worse than here. It had to land slowly and shortly on unimproved fields like a Piper Cub. The Europa touches down at about 50 mph. On the other hand he wanted a high cruise speed aircraft built for touring. Cruise speed is between 130-150 mph. Top speed is 166 mph for the classic. A retired Chief Aerodynamicist for the European Aerobus wing was consultant for wing design. Fuel economy was also a factor. With the sleek airframe and efficient Rotax 912, fuel consumption averages 4.5gph, with a range of about 500 statue miles. (more with the optional long-ranger tank plugged in) The Europa is said to be all aircraft to all pilots for these reasons.

Rotax 912S 100 HP Engine Installation
Retractable Main Gear (Monowheel)

N120EU (I need a name) came to me in 1998 as a partially built kit. But working a full time job and family commitments it is still a labor of love. The filling and sanding of the wings has been the most challenging for me as I am not a body man. (Darn that XS) I've decided it probably won't be an Oshkosh winner. Why build a Europa then? I watched an aerobatics display by the late Pete Clark at Sun N Fun in 1997 and saw how smooth, quiet and graceful it was. Then I took a demo ride with Ivan Shaw. It sold me. The stability of the craft was amazing. Jam the stick fore or aft, let go and it goes back to flying hands off. Pick a wing up with the rudder. Do an aileron roll. Do a half loop rolling level on top. Having only flown Ultralights, Cessnas and a Pietenpol, I was in heaven. The quick rigging of the tail planes and wings was also one of the main selling points. I just could not see anything on the field that could compare for the money. So here I am, plugging onward slowly, knowing someday I'll have my own Europa to fly.
Rear Fuselage
Spacious Cockpit and Gull-Wing Door Openings
Revised 6/2/02