Profiles

Ivan Shaw

Elected at the May 16th 2020 AGM.

“ I first met Ivan Shaw on the 15th of April 1993 when, with my then teenage daughter Joanne, I drove from Tunbridge Wells to the Europa Aviation factory in Kirbymoorside. At nearby Wombleton Airfield and in a matter of a few minutes Ivan and I assembled the "proof of concept" Europa G-YURO and Ivan took me for a local “demonstration” flight. This included, amongst other things the experience of full roll (aileron) control in a stalled condition. At an appropriate altitude I was allowed to handle the aeroplane. When compared with my Grumman AA5 Traveller, its predecessor Piper PA22 Tri Pacer and the Rallye, and Cessna 152 that I had trained on, the Europa is a revelation. It has light controls, superb dynamic capabilities, excellent economy on Mogas and a high cruise speed. It handles more like the Chipmunk and Jet Provost aircraft that I had experienced as an RAFVR(T) officer.
Being in business myself I asked Ivan about his plans for the aircraft. He told me that initially he had wanted to build just the one personal aeroplane. Because of the interest in the Europa he had decided to put the aircraft into production as a kit plane. He proposed to try and sell 250 kits in 5 years. In fact he sold 500 kits in that period. He was surprised at the demand but this was in the days of the mediocrity in the design of most kit planes. In discussion I found that Ivan was, within a few days, the same age as me and we had both grown up and been inspired by the very successful post-war British aviation industry. Ivan told me that his good friend (and mine) the last RAF Vulcan display pilot, John Tye had persuaded him to supply kits. John had ordered kit number 1 and was starting to build a Europa. My Europa Mono, G-OPJK, was the first homebuilt one to fly with the late Peter Clark at the controls in October 1995. I later christened it “The First of the Many”. I exhibited it in Central London near the House of Parliament and it appeared on the TV programme Blue Peter.

Although I had flown to the PFA Rally at Wroughton in July 1992 I had missed seeing G-YURO where it had been fist displayed as a ground exhibit before its first flight later in the year. Having read about this new retractable single I flew to Retford in IMC on the 30th of December 1992 to view G-YURO in its hangar. The original fin and rudder design looked a little ungainly but the aeroplane had flown and was clearly an attractive kit plane compared with others that I had flown. There were some horrible kit aeroplanes about at that time.

Ivan impressed me greatly with his directness, design ability and knowledge of aerodynamics which lead to the design of the Europa and now the ISA180 Seeker. He had qualified as a private pilot in his twenties and by 1980 he had built and flown a Rutan Varieze which he  later converted it to the only Twineze. In the process he had become an acknowledged test pilot, an aeronautical engineer and an ATPL-holding professional pilot. In 1985 Ivan was asked to join Aviation composites to assist in the development of Colin Chapmans Rutan-designed Mercury microlight to be powered by a new Lotus engine. After 5 months of flight testing and continuous modification it was decided to terminate the programme. This was because of insuperable handling and design faults. Ivan then moved on to Aberdeen Airways and later Jersey European Airways flying the BAe 748. Long night flights lead Ivan to contemplate the design and building of a personal aeroplane for him to tour Europe in comfort with good range and baggage capability. This lead to Ivan designing the Europa. Wishing to see a production version of the Europa Ivan then took his "inflated Europa", the Liberty XL2 to the USA where the aircraft was  constructed on a production line as a certified aircraft. I have flown a Liberty and although it has certain qualities it does not have the Europas agility, performance and economy. This is perhaps to be expected of a certified aeroplane.

Ivan likes to “push the wheel forward” and to produce innovative new solutions to improving the performance of light aeroplanes. He is happier doing that than running a company with all of the day to day administration, paperwork and staff management that involves. He is the first to admit that his competency in designing and building does not extend to the interviewing and hiring of staff. Even so he and his staff have produced the most successful and most prolific new aeroplane in post-war Britain and one which has sold world-wide. Ivans ability to seek out talent to help him in areas where he needs technological support is unmatched. He persuaded the late Don Dykins, at the time a recently retired Technical Director with British Aerospace, to assist with the wing design of the Europa in order to achieve a high cruise and slow approach speed. Barry Mellors was asked to carry out stress analysis of the Europa and the resulting tests revealed a wind capable of achieving a load of 9G before slight deformation was witnessed. During my building of G-OPJK I often exchanged correspondence with Ivan and he impressed me with his practice of providing a first class service to a customer, replacing faulty parts when necessary. On one occasion I was criticised by Ivan for "cutting up a perfectly serviceable engine mount” and returning the bits to the factory rather than awaiting the test results of a modified part. But in my defence I had promised Ivan that I would work with haste to finish my Europa for exhibiting at the 1995 PFA Rally, which I did.

Ivan has chosen to use the Europa laminar flow wing design in a modified form in his latest design, the ISA 180 Seeker, a single seat, touring aeroplane with a high cruise speed (estimated to be 200 mph) and economy in the order of 6 to 15 litres per hour of Mogas. Like many of us, in our early days of flying we were always able to find willing volunteers to fly with us. As time moves on our children move away, our partners lose the thrill of flying and we find solace in solo flight. Ivan wanted to be able to meet up with his many chums who fly but he did not need anything more than enough space for a folding bicycle and baggage for a few days away from home. Hence the Seeker. I am privileged to be the LAA Inspector on this new aeroplane which I have seen evolve over the past 7 years into one of the most stunning new aircraft ever built. The finish and fittings are excellent and in my opinion better than a professional design from a major manufacturer. The fact that it has been designed and built in a small home workshop at Hutton le Hole in Yorkshire, essentially by one determined individual, who answers only to himself, shows that creativity is no longer the province of the big corporation and its enormous overheads.

I am honoured to know Ivan Shaw and to have witnessed over a period of 26 years that there is still a role for a straight talking, highly entertaining, opinionated and creative person in our modern society”.

Peter Kember

Ian Gale

Flying Experience

I learnt to fly on gliders and Chipmunks then Bulldogs with the Air Training Corps then through an RAF Flying Scholarship to gain my PPL aged 17. I’ve been lucky to fly a wide range of aircraft from Tiger Moth to Typhoon, Sea King, Hawk, Jet Provost, Apache, Poseidon, C130, Jaguar, the development Harrier that gifted flight control logic to F35, A400, Magister, F15 and a few others through my military career although some of them were as a guest rather than full time crew! Most of my combat experience has been over 3000 hours flying Tornado ground attack in combat and operational test. I’ve been lucky to keep my light aircraft flying up most of my life and have a Commercial Pilots Licence and multi engine rating, I’m a Class Rating Instructor, used to be a competition aerobatics pilot in Pitts Special and I’m an active glider pilot. I previously owned a share in a taildragger Europa Classic and currently own a mono XS.

Special Skills / Experience

Over 35 years in the Royal Air Force highlights include commanding 31 Squadron and RAF Lossiemouth so I’ve been the accountable manager in civilian terms for various organisations. Away from flying I have been Senior Responsible Owner for large, high risk, high security intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance acquisition programmes like the P8 maritime patrol aircraft, Rivet Joint, E7 Airborne Warning and Control System, Protector uncrewed aircraft and project Marshall, which is modernising military air traffic management worldwide. I served as Assistant Chief of the RAF for 2 years during which time I also served as a Non Executive Director on the board of the UK Civil Aviation Authority and most recently I’ve been working as director general of the organisation that looks at futures, doctrine, education and how to make UK Defence fit for the challenges ahead.

I’ve been a NED or advisor to a number of organisations, including a start up that recently secured major investment on the TV programme Dragons Den and I’m an active mentor and coach to help people achieve their potential. Finally, I’m a government gateway high risk reviewer, providing focussed intervention to the kinds of programmes I used to run for UK and friendly governments. I’ve reviewed the UK aircraft carrier programme, a major military procurement in New Zealand and the Houses of Parliament cyber security modernisation programme so its quite varied!

Iangale@theeuropaclub.org

Bob Hitchcock

Retired 2016 after decades working for a European company with major plants in; Nantes, Remscheid and Belper.  Logistics, Credit Management, e-commerce and Business Continuity Management.
Since 2016: Secretary of the Europa Club . 

Flying

Mostly European touring. PPL, EASA  Instrument Rating (Restricted), Night.  SLMG. Early training on the usual Cessnas, Pipers and half a dozen other types. Then share in a Monowheel Falke, followed by a share in a Tri-gear 80HP Europa. Initiated into longer range European touring by the Europa Club in 2006 and then never looked back. In 2008 acquired outright Sadie, (G-BYSA) a 100HP Europa XS Monowheel with VP prop. Eight wonderful years of pure flying joy until her tragic loss to the sea in August 2016. Now with Megg, (G-MEGG) another beautiful Europa  XS Monowheel, retractable undercarriage, 912ULS Rotax 100 HP engine. Woodcomp 3000N VP propeller. Funke Mode S & ADSB out, PAW, Funke 8:33 coms. SmartASS3 voice guide, dual Xtreme EMS/EFIS, Kanadia Horis c/w UPS, Garmin Aera 660 autopilot control, Pilotaware: ADSBsquitter, Pilotaware SkyGRID&iGRID (IGRID Dongle:This secondary Wi-Fi connection allows for increased levels of server-enhanced traffic, a pseudo weather map, and the ability to rebroadcast real-time server-enhanced traffic through SkyGRID.)

Acknowledgements

Builder of G-BYSA; The late Bryan Allsop.
Builder of G-MEGG; The late Martin Mavers

Contact: secretary@theeuropaclub.org

Bob Dawson

I retired in 2014 after 30 years in the IT business, when I sold my company specialising in Computer Systems for the Clothing, and Steel Stockholding Industries. From the early 1980’s, we developed specialist software systems for these Industries, initially on the MS-DOS platform, then UNIX, and latterly on the Windows Operating System.

Prior to this I spent 15 years in Management Services, working mainly in the Clothing Sector, but I also spent 4 years as a Consultant, gaining experience across a wide range of diversified Industries.

Flying Experience

Like many others of my generation, my early flying experience was courtesy of the Air Training Corps, where I had flights in a variety of powered aircraft, and gained my Gliding Proficiency Certificate at RAF Sealand. My interest in aviation was re-ignited in 2010, when a chance meeting at a Dinner Party led to a flight in a Mono Wheel Europa. In 2011, I went to Florida to get my PPL, and have been learning to fly ever since.

Special Skills and Experience

My working life gave me skills in Computer Programming and Hardware, and latterly in Finance and Business Administration. Since gaining my PPL, and until my Europa first flew, I was a member of a syndicate, and have experience flying the following aircraft: PA-28, Cessna 150, Cessna 152, Cessna 172, TB-10 and Cessna 182

Aircraft & Current Status

In 2015, I acquired a part built Tri-Gear Europa XS (Kit No. 333, G-NHRJ, the “Snow Goose”). My main contribution to completing the kit was to carry out various MODS required since 2005, and to fit a completely new “Glass” Control Panel. The maiden flight of the Snow Goose took place on 21st February 2018, and I am now flying her as often as possible.

General

I am married to Carole, and have three grown up daughters, and six grandchildren. I live in Sheffield, and fly from Retford-Gamston Airport. Apart from flying and building aircraft, my other interests include golf, racket ball, and snooker.

Treasurer@theeuropaclub.org

Mike Gregory

Responsible for promoting safety in all its aspects. These include safety in the hangar and workshop, as well as operating safely in the air and on the ground. Willing to discuss the safety aspects of any Europa accident or incident, actual or potential, and where appropriate to take action through the LAA to develop and maintain safe operating procedures as well as the technical aspects of airworthiness.

Flying Experience

Learned to fly on Chipmunks at Elstree and continued with the Air Squadron. Other experience includes the Miles Hawk III (Magister), Auster, Beagle Pup, Cherokee, Cessna 150, Dyn-Aero MCR 01, Slingsby Firefly, Tiger Moth, and Robin DR 400. Total 760 hours.

Special Skills/Experience

Served 37 years as an engineer officer in the Royal Air Force, including the maintenance of avionics systems and work as a project officer on the introduction to service of the Tornado, Hawk, Bulldog and Lynx. Subsequently worked at Cranfield University researching into design for manufacture in the aerospace industry and distributed design teamworking across industry sectors. Employed until 2010 as an external tutor by the Institute for Manufacturing, Cambridge University Engineering Department, then worked as a volunteer on the e-Go SSDR. Currently an engineering consultant. In 1996 (at Ivan Shaw’s request) designed a circuit diagram for the Europa and wrote an electrical chapter for the builders’ manual, including a section on basic electrics.

Locality

Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Aircraft, and Current Status

Building Europa Classic Hi-Top G-CLXU kit number 94 with Graeme Bird.

General Comments

I would encourage everyone concerned with Europas to share their experiences and knowledge to help others to understand what goes right and what might go wrong. Safety is no accident!

Fly safely 

safety@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

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

Paul Mansfield

Flying has been a dream for as long as I can remember, but my earliest adventures in aviation were as a skydiver. I started jumping in 1980 and it soon developed from a passion to an obsession - by 1996 I had completed 2,000 jumps, managed to win 10 British Championships, and captained the British Team at 4 World Championships, finishing 6th on 3 occasions...but that wasn't enough - I wanted to fly aeroplanes not just jump out of them...

I started flying when I retired from competitive skydiving and have flown around 1,000 hours in the 30 years since then, starting in the usual Cessnas etc, then flying 100s of aerobatic hours in Chipmunks plus a few dozen hours in Comanches and Jet Provosts, to name a couple of "different" types.

I resolved to build a Europa and started Monowheel G-PLPM in 2000, finishing her in record time of just 20 years(!) and conducting the first flight on her in Feb 2020, then all the test flying. Since then, we have flown 300 hours in 4 years (including the COVID year and deployments overseas for 2-3 months every year). Touring is the main attraction and we have happily cruised the length of Britain, through Scotland, the Netherlands, France, and Italy many times in just a few years - the Europa's resin d'être, Shirley?!

 
Workwise, I served as logistics officer in the Royal Air Force for 12 years, then spent 15 years in compliance and safety in the private jet world, before arriving at Airbus on the Zephyr Programme - the solar-electric UAV that flies for 60+ days in the stratosphere. It’s my job to obtain the approvals to fly in various parts of the world, including over international waters and crossing FIR boundaries (where no international standards or agreements exist at present!) I then take my place in the team of pilots and mission planners who operate the aircraft in shifts for months at a time. So, never a dull moment...

 
 dpo@theeuropaclub.org

Roland Schmidt

Born in 1974, working as a civil servant in the nature conservation authority, thus having "all thumbs" and not exactly the typical owner of a Kit aircraft but nonetheless totally addicted to flying, especially the Europa!

Live with my young family in Wülfrath nearby Düsseldorf in Germany. Happy to be a member of the fantastic and unique Europa-family!

Flying
Started flying Motorgliders back in 1998 but soon went the "powered-flight-route". Flying as much as possible and family commitments allowed, currently resulting in about 60 hrs annualy, which regulary include a couple of the much enjoyed Europa-meetups. EASA PPL, EASA Instrument Rating (Enroute IR), EASA Night Rating.

Bought this Europa back in 2011 third hand in Perranporth (was G-BZTI, since 2011 on the Dutch register as PH-ZTI). It's an XS Trigear, powered by a Rotax 914 Turbo, equipped with an Airmaster CS-prop, full speedkit, Dynon EFIS and autopilot. The Europa gets trailered to the airfield in an enclosed Anschau-trailer everytime, where I rig single-handed, using a rigging aid. The enclosed trailer helps him to drastically cut my operating costs. Plus adding the peace of mind to rescue my Europa from anywhere if need be.    

Member of the Lufthansa Flying Club Düsseldorf in Germany, where I also occasionally pilot a C172 and PA28. Homebased at Essen-Mülheim (EDLE).

DACH@theeuropaclub.org

John Rødseth

I have been interested in airplanes and flying since I was a small kid. My father was a military man since the start of WW2 and served some time at North Weald (EGSX) servicing Spitfires of the Norwegian Squadron during the war. There he met my mother and consequently I had grandparents and family living close to an active RAF base. I spent countless hours looking at Spitfires, Gloster Meteors and Hawker Hunters taking off and landing, dreaming of once becoming a pilot.

Since I was 12, I have been designing, building and flying model airplanes, and still do! This evolved also into gliding, my first solo in 1963 in a Bergfalke towed by a BueckerJungmann double-decker, both now in the Technical Museum in Oslo.

The Norwegian Navy thought it would be a good idea that I spent time with them (we all in Norway had to do 18 months military service back in those days). I used this time to do PPL theory and meteo per mail and reading everything I could find on aviation. But most of all, during the military service, my talent in target shooting, became apparent. The National Olympic Committee got the Navy to post me to their HQ in Oslo, so I could train shooting and sport. I took part in the Olympic Games in Mexico 1968, in Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976. Didn’t win a medal, but placed 13th in ’68 and ’72 and 21st in ’76.

I studied mechanical engineering and spent a year at Hatfield Polytechnic, during which the fees for foreign students became unpayable and I finished studies in Norway. I did about 2 years practical work during the studies, as a Technical Trainee in Scandinavian Airlines in Oslo, servicing Convair440 Metropolitan and Sudaviation Caravelle jets.

Wanting to learn French, I moved to Luxembourg (not realizing they all speak Luxembourgish here), and joined Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co’s international research and development establishment located here in the Grand Duchy. I started out as a machine design engineer and became finally Chief Engineer and Senior Consultant Engineer for the company. Among many projects, taking me to many countries, I designed and built a production line for radial aircraft tyres in Danville Virginia.

As it often happens, I met my Luxembourgish wife travelling. She was an air hostess in Luxair, and was not happy that I wanted to keep my pistol with me in the cabin. The argument didn’t get resolved on bord, so we decided to marry, and hadone daughter. Sadly, after 48 years of marriage, my wife Ginydied after a long and tough illness. Now I share a close friendship with Kathrine, who many of you may have met at the Luxembourg Fly-in.

In Goodyear I became friends with Tom Welter, an aeronautical engineer and gliding instructor. He got me to join the local gliding club here in Luxembourg. I got my Touring Motorglider rating and we flew around Europe in the clubs Dimona. Tom wanted that we should build each of us a Europa Motorglider, but I did not have the time. Instead, I bought a GROB 109B, which served  me well for more than 10 years with trips to Norway, Croatia, Czech Republic and Spain.

Tom was less fortunate. He built his Europa Motorglider, LX-CWT, and managed to make a few flights in it, even though the interior was far from completed! The CAA inspector had a lot of understanding. Tom was terminally ill with cancer and wanted so much to enjoy his Europa in the air. Sadly, Tom died in 2007. I bought LX-CWT in 2009 because nobody wanted the Europa, maybe because the builder was no longer there. I completed the interior and did all the modifications and upgrades required, including fitting bubble doors. EUROPA Aircraft converted it to tri-gear in Kirbymoorside. I did some flying practise in Wombleton with Ivan Shaw, as tricycle landing gear was new to me.

I enjoy nowadays small trips in LX-CWT. I don’t care toomuch about flying alone anymore, and as long as I pass the annual medical, I guess you may see me and LX-CWT at meetings and airfields, specially where a good meal or coffee and cakes can be had.

nordic@theeuropaclub.org

Dirk Oyen

Appointed 29th September 2023
New detail to appear here. 

John Archer

I have been interested in aviation for as long as I can remember, always an eye skywards when I hear the noise of an aircraft overhead.

I started gliding with the air training Corps at 631 Air Squadron based at RAF Sealand and became a civilian instructor giving initiation flight to cadets.
That was cut short due to a move to Grenoble, France in 1980 where I did a year of gliding before running out of funds due to purchasing my first home. 

Fast forward to 1992 and I went to Centralia, Illinois in the United States where I did a PPL in three and a half weeks during the Christmas holidays. There I became a Cessna 150 driver and learnt how to do cold starts and fly in “average” weather.
PPL in hand, I went back to France and joined the local flying club and had access to a Jodel D119 through the sports club of my company.
I returned regularly to the US to rent and travel the country getting a tail wheel and complex aircraft sign off as well. A fantastic country to see from above with a pragmatic airspace system.

I soon felt I needed a new challenge so I took up aerobatics using a Cap 10b. Besides the thrill it is great to have the knowledge of what it feels like to be in an  unusual attitude if you need it. (So far I haven’t tested this theory unintentionally).

Then, tempted by the immediate proximity of the Alpes, decided it would be good to be able to land on them starting with the wheel rating then getting the ski rating a couple of years later.

Besides my US license which I haven’t used recently, I hold a French EASA/DGAC PPL with sign offs for night, elementary aerobatics, mountain rating for wheels and skis. I also do formation flying which on occasions has been with up to 8 aircraft. 

Professionally I was a mechanical engineer, working initially with Hawker Siddeley, then in the nuclear industry before moving to a fundamental research institute in Grenoble

In the late 90s I heard about a revolutionary kit plane in the UK and fixed a meeting with the French representative. After some reflection I decided I didn’t have the means to build the kit lacking a decent sized workshop at the time.
I did meet a local Europa builder though and he was full of praise for his aircraft stating “the only thing wrong with it was that it was Anglais!“

Then, with retirement looming in the not so distant future I thought it would be nice to have an economical aircraft to use for travelling.
I spent several weeks looking at all the options and decided a Europa could provide the best performance/economy at a reasonable price.
Within six months I had located one on the Brittany coast which belonged to an ex-Air France pilot and during the flight up there in my friends Europa I was convinced that this was the right aircraft for the job. I became the owner of kit Nr 192 F-PSCZ in August 2014. She is on the French registry in what is called the F-P category and particularly CNSK (Certificat de navigabilité spécial d’aéronef en kit) which is the equivalent to kit built or permit to fly aircraft requiring 51 % to be built by the builder. 
I have carried out avionics and engine upgrades, changed propellers and do all the maintenance on the aircraft. I am delighted with the freedom and flexibility that an experimental/permit to fly aircraft provides.

johnarcher@theeuropaclub.org

Alan Burrill

Flying Experience.

I was taught to fly at the Three Counties Aeroclub based at Blackbushe in 1979 and I've been learning ever since in a private capacity.

Building hours I naturally graduated to an IMC and Night rating and then was one of the early Class Rating Instructors in 2005.

I held a twin rating for 5 years and completed the IR exams to pursue a rating but time, circumstances changed and I continued with my single engine flying.

I have flown a number of light aircraft and hold tailwheel, complex single, glass panel and turbo ratings

Touring extensively in Europe in the 1995 - 2010’s with trips as far south as Malta for the annual rally, Berlin to get Templehof in the logbook before it closed as well as the Spain, France, Netherlands and Ireland.

I bought my Europa Tri-Gear G-OBJT in 2012 after relinquishing may share of a PA28 Archer and PA38 Tomahawk which were based at Wycombe Airpark. I am now based at Brimpton Airfield (EGLP) and you are welcome to visit. I also confess to being a longterm builder of Kit 303 a Monowheel Europa, with 50% complete and another 95% still to do. I have been a Europa Club member since it started.

Experience

I worked for NATS from 1974 to 2015 in a number of Engineering Roles and have extensive knowledge of Air-Traffic Systems, Safety Management,  Flight Planning, NOTAM and Radar. I initial worked in the en-route environment but transferred to the Airports side of the business in early 1990 when I progressed a number of challenging Radar and  IT projects transforming the newly formed commercial side of the business.   In my final years I was a system design engineer delivering frontline ATC systems and undertook some consultancy work in foreign countries.

I volunteered to participate in the early days of electronic conspicuity, 2013 which started as a NATS research project into a ‘low-cost’ portable transponder. I kitted out G-OBJT with ADS-B out and FLARM and undertook, and jointly managed, the early flying research projects for UK CAA and EASA. I continue my involvement as an Electronic Conspicuity working group member.

I assist the Airfield Manager of Brimpton Airfield in the day-to-day running, support the website, our airfield members user forum and the information in the flight guides as well as any regulatory queries we get. I also work with a Flight Examiner who is also a LAA Coach.

I hold an Radio Operators Certificate of Competence and therefore one of the Air Ground Radio operators. I have just been awarded Examiner status by the CAA so will be keeping up to date with any changes that are in development for how future courses are delivered and managed.

I am trying to revitalise my model aircraft flying skills and I am also a keen amateur photographer.

alanburrill@theeuropaclub.org

James McErlain

I joined my local Kerry Aero Club in 2001 & after a few instruction flights I was advised to get a medical sorted. So off I went to my AME & one of the first items on page one of the form was Vision.

The question was; if this is the applicant’s 1st medical, does the applicant have 20/20 vision in both eyes? And because of loosing the sight in my left eye as a 10 year old in 1965, I obviously didn’t have 20/20 vision in both eyes.

The AME said to me; “There’s no point in going any further because you won’t be able to pass this medical.” The stupid aspect of the rule was that if I had lost the vision in one eye after having obtained a medical, I would have

been allowed to continue flying. This despite the fact that I had 35 years to acclimatise to monocular vision whereas a new monocular pilot would take about 5 years minimum to acclimatise.  

I then contacted the IAA (Irish Aviation Authority) & they said that there wasn’t anything they could do because the new European JAA controls everything including the medical rules whereas before the JAA came into being,

in the national rules, an exemption could have been granted by the IAA.

I then started searching an aviation forum & discovered a thread where a discussion was going on about monocular pilots. Upon reading through the posts, I came across one quite long post by a person who was singing my

Song. I contacted this person privately & asked him was he serious about what he was saying in his post. He said absolutely & I told him my story. He advised me to go to the USA where I would be issued with an exemption

after a Medical Flight Test & if I was successful in passing my Flight Test, my FAA PPL would be recognised here in Europe. That man was a recently retired British CAA Chief Medical Officer. He told me that when the JAR were

being created he attended meetings with the other European country’s CMOs & he was out voted (7 to 1) on the Vision Rules. He was in favour of allowing monocular persons to obtain pilot’s licences due to his experiences of

WWII when pilots were getting all kinds of injuries including vision loss & were being put back into the aircraft asap.

I duly went to AAA (Anglo American Aviation run by Andy Burr) Flight School @ Gilespie Field in El Cajon, San Diego county (down near the Mexican border) & obtained my FAA PPL.  Upon arriving back to Ireland & Kerry Aero Club,

a rather zealous club instructor contacted the IAA to ask if they accepted my licence. The IAA responded by saying that the FAA had recently informed ICAO of ‘3 Differences’ between the FAA Class 3 (PPL) Medical & the ICAO Class 2

(PPL) Medical. The differences were of no relevance to me, e.g. one referred to pregnancies, one referred to the carrying of spare glasses (I didn’t wear glasses then) & the third referred to something else which was also irrelevant.

Regardless to the irrelevances, I was grounded for about a year & luckily a new CMO for Ireland was appointed a few months after this debacle started. She as a South African lady & her attitude was, we must get this man flying again!

After much discussion & letter writing, it was agreed that the IAA would accept an FAA Class 2 medical even though those same differences applied between both Class 2 medicals.

Anyway, my SA CMO lady went to the JAA (now EASA) & explained that this situation had come about due to their nonsensical rule about monocular vision & I had proven that it was nonsense because I was obviously well capable of flying

an aircraft with one eye.

The 20/20 vision Rule in both eyes was duly amended as a result!