The Europa Club is gratefull to Clive Sutton and Nick Kenney for providing a diagram of an axle stand they created for their own aircraft.
Use 18mm marine ply if you can get it, otherwise outdoor ply is good - providing the stand(s) won't repeatedly get wet in use. A coat of paint will help.
The brass block will need matching in profile with a round file to that of the underside of the UC leg, adjacent to the brake torque reaction plate.
It was designed in three parts so it can be disassembled and stowed in the spaces between the ribs that support the UC leg tubes
Disclaimer: Whilst owners can modify their own aircraft within the constraints of their aviation rules and regulations for their country, only Europa Aircraft have the authority to issue Factory Modifications. These are all well documented in their online literature – which the Club recommends to use as a source. It is important to recognise that the Europa Club does not generate new Modifications from scratch, it only assists where it can with raising the status of an existing Modification to ‘Standard MOD’ status in the UK and relies on open and full disclosure of all necessary information from owners to provide that assistance.
In every case, the liability for the correct selection, implementation and independent signoff of any such modifications adopted, still rests entirely with the owner/operator of the aircraft it is applied to and the Europa Club accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of individual aircraft owners.
“The Europa Club’s activities in the area of Modifications is limited to 1) the publication of known approved modifications on the website and 2) assistance to progress ‘popular’ () UK-generated LAA listed ‘Repeat’ status modifications to ‘Europa Standard Modification’ [SM . . .] status, under the auspices of UK LAA Engineering.
Owners operating under registrations other than G-Reg will need to ascertain the requirements and limitations of the civil Aviation authorities applicable in their own Country, and progress the modifications to their own aircraft, through those routes.”
Nick Kenney
My day career is channeled into architecture where I head up a design team constructing anything from domestic dream homes to designing school buildings, UK or overseas.
My studies took me through seven years of university for architecture and the built environment. Later, with a thirst to understand how all things work, I studied cosmology at Open University.
Flight Training & Experience
I guess aviation is in the blood. My father was a pilot and grandfather before him who served in the RAF.
I gained my PPL at the late, “Luton Flight Training” in the late 90s and went on to gain my night and IR(R) in the preceding years.
I have many type aircraft in the bag, but mainly flew a Piper Cherokee Lance for many years before later, embarking on my new found love of a Europa.
Aircraft
I purchased and imported my partially built Europa from the Netherlands in 2016. Three and a half years later of long evenings, weekends and a very understanding Saffron, I now own and fly my trigear G-NICX (AKA Dilly) based at Southend.
In 2021 I progressed G-NICX through the LAA night/IFR approval system. This has led to newly opened doors and flying experiences.
I now enjoy touring with and without Saffron on some of the more wider reaching club trips across Europe where every day is with out a doubt, a school day. This has rewarded me with some fantastic banked memories.
G-NICX is equipped with a 100hp Rotax 912is, Dynon SkyView 10” suite along with 8.33 com, transponder, ADSB in/out, backup Kanardia Horris EFIS unit, Airmaster VP prop, 2 x axis autopilot, iGrid enabled pilot aware with live metar and weather radar.
Other Stuff
I reside in the seaside town of Shoeburyness with my wonderful partner in crime and most expensive of spices, Saffron and two flourishing daughters.
Other interests include underwater photography/video in far reaching, remote overseas locations and of course understanding anything within the observable universe.
Contact: nickkenney@theeuropaclub.org
Clive Sutton
Responsibilities:
a) Progressing Committee-selected builder Modifications to Standard MOD level with the UK LAA,
b) Ensuring website information about Europa Modifications for both marques are as accurate as possible and accessible to the Worldwide Membership through the website
c) Holding/managing the Clubs’ Loaned Tool Cache
Flying & Europa experience to date
Clive has >500hrs in his UK SEP PPL(A) logbook now, of which 135 are Mono and 170 are TriGear – this in addition to experience in PA28 and PA28R, Bulldog, C172, C152, Islander, Caravan (Uganda) and PA18 Cub including floats – and has a night rating. Clive has gone solo in winch-launched K13 and K8 Gliders.
Flying ambitions
Touring that visits offshore islands - and (when funds allow) uprating his Classic XS FFwd to a set of MG wings, is also of interest.
Relevant skills & experience
After a 7-year stint in the RAF in ground Engineering from 1978, Clive worked in a number of Consulting companies specialising in Noise and Vibration troubleshooting, before working in a Senior Mgt role in Corus Automotive (now Tata Steel). He retired in 2018 but subsequently returned to work 2D/week at a Part-145/Part-CAO and BCAR A8-23 & 25 Aircraft maintenance facility - in support of his BMAA and LAA Inspector applications. These authorisations were awarded in 2023 and 2024 - including amongst other types, for Composite Airframe types.
Clive has considerable experience in navigating the LAA system that regulates Modifications – indeed has created a number of Europa-specific Modifications (14179 Alternative positioned Mono brake Master Cylinder, 14467 Tunnel-top fuel tap, 14588 Mono 135-degree enclosed Mudguard, 15339 Coolant Radiator Fan + Inspection door vent & 13072 Forward-facing Conspicuity light). In his Modifications Secretary role, Clive meets regularly with Andy Draper at the LAA to help progress the transition of existing Prototype MODs to Standard MOD status (Mono Gear lock spring [10755] & Rotary Vents [12871], are examples).
Locality
Having lived, travelled or worked in most of the World (Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA), Clive now lives in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, UK: about an hour’s drive from the LAA’s HQ at Turweston in the UK Midlands.
Contact: CliveSutton@theeuropaclub.org
