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31 October 2003
After receiving advice from the Europa Forum, we worked out that removing the erroneous lay ups on the wings could probably be done by some careful work with a chisel. So the solution seemed to be that Peter would go to Spain for a week to play golf while Ian did all the wing repairs. But ian had other ideas, and spent the week working on the undercarriage strengthening instead.

Here are some pics of the bay


Peter installing rib 1.
Redux everywhere

Peter claimed acetone would not damage the scissors!

The finished undercarriage bay.
Doesn't look like 30 hours work

20 November 2003
We have spent several days installing a bell crank assembly behind the rear bulkhead so that the rudder cables terminate at the bell crank and this in turn drives a push rod. This modification seemed a more elegant solution than having cables all the way to the rudder. Photo soon. Much of the time was spent preparing an absolutely perfect inspection panel. Peter was responsible for this. It is so perfect that a photo would be useless because you just cannot see the join. We will feel very proud as we fly along knowing that such a masterpiece is attached about 12 feet behind our backs.

DECEMBER 2003
Ian went to India for a two week break and left Peter the enviable task of cleaning up our wing roots (this is where we inadvertently laid up glass fibre over the factory-prepared peel ply). This was a horrible job and Ian was spared the foul language resounding round the workshop. Peter did a splendid job of it, but had to spend several hours clearing up the piles of shards of chipped-off resin and glass cloth.

23 DECEMBER 2003
Ian returned and after congratulating Peter on his fine workmanship, finished the job by re-doing the lay ups, this time without the offending peel ply underneath. It now looks perfect.

29 DECEMBER 2003
We spent several hours debating the best method to make an access panel in the bottom of the fuselage. Peter came up with a design and a method which proved to be very good. We made the panel from thin foam covered with glass cloth and resin, and the flange (which was quite tricky) from 5 layers of cloth.

The cut out

The panel - all taped up

We also went to the sales, and bought a radio controlled model airship. This was so easy to assemble that we are considering abandoning the Europa and getting an airship instead! Here it is flying round the lounge:

 

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