UPDATES CONTINUED

earlier

October/November/December 2004
I have accepted the criticism that the web site has not been updated regularly. Like most of these things, once you get behind it takes a big effort to catch up again.

The plane is coming on nicely, despite interruptions for holidays, work, and Peter's new bathroom.

The engine has been in and out and in again. Fuel lines sorted. Exhaust all fixed, oil cooler ducting assembled, rear end all closed in, bulkheads fitted etc. We've even started sanding the fuselage into a reasonable finish - a job not good for my tennis elbow.

We have ordered a propeller. We've decided on a Kremen prop from the Czech Republic.

So here are some pictures of progress:

January to June 2005
Our building is still progressing despite the long gap in updating the web site. Updating the site has become a bit like neglecting the garden for a few weeks. If you do it bit by bit it is easy, but if you leave it too long it becomes overgrown and is huge effort to tidy it up. You only take action when the neighbours start complaining. I have received enough complaints now that I decided to catch up with the site. A flat battery in the camera has limited the number of pictures but more will follow over the next few months.

We both sold our shares in our Piper Archer to raise funds for the Europa project. Ian transferred his sale proceeds into our company bank account immediately. Peter didn't. But two weeks after selling his share he took delivery of a brand new 42 inch plasma screen TV. Funny that.

Our propeller arrived from Kremen in the Czech Republic. A nice piece of engineering and a good company to deal with.

We have done a lot of work on the instrument panel housing to make it fit properly. We have started the wiring, finished the rudder, worked on the aileron balance boxes, connected all the water and oil hoses to the engine, and spent hours and hours fitting the doors.

Our earlier pleasure at fitting the top of the fuselage was diluted when Europa Aircraft decreed a compulsory modification to the tail plane mass balance arm - a bit of metalwork right at the back of the fuselage. We were a bit miffed, but we have started working on it through the small inspection panels. Peter's training as an amateur gynaecologist has come in very handy.

We also started the work of filling the flying surfaces. These have to be sanded down by hand outdoors. We needed to pick some decent windy days to do this. All the cars in the neighbourhood now have a mysterious coating of white powder but we are keeping quiet about it.

Fitting the doors	Doors on - instrument panel in progress
With the propeller fitted for the first time	Starting to look more like the real thing
Rudder assembly	The rear end

Peter's girlfriend Lyn came home with a new kitten for her father. Peter, being very animal friendly, came up with a solution about what to do with his six goldfish. He was also not amused at the smell of cat's pee all over his new telly. The cat is now safely ensconsed at Lyn's parents' house. Well away from the epoxy resin.

Lyn with a new pussy

later