EAA Sport Aviation - September 2011

SOUTH AFRICA EUROPA XS ON AUGUST 14, 2010, what was previously Europa XS kit A196 officially became an airplane. ZU-TAT was completed over a period of four years, incorporating many ideas and lessons learned during the construction of its monowheel sister ship, ZU-COY, a couple of years prior. ZU-TAT flies behind a Rotax 912S and Sensenich ground-adjustable propeller. In the cockpit an MGL Odyssey electronic flight instrument system (EFIS), Icom A210 radio, and Garmin GTX 327 transponder fill up the panel. The plane is an absolute delight to fly with handling that inspires confidence, excellent ground manners, and fuel economy to boot. The aircraft is pretty much standard save for the modification of the firewall, which helps improve cooling airflow and keeps the engine temperature down during extended periods of time on the ground on hot days. Although the composite Sensenich prop has been performing flawlessly, an Airmaster constant-speed prop is next on the list to get a bit more “get up and go” performance. This father and son team would like to thank the EAA and a whole bunch of awesome friends for making it all possible!

Roelf & Thomas Theron, EAA 761268 & 759832, Klerksdorp, North West Province, South Africa; E-mail: rjtheron@lantic.net

FLORIDA GP- 4

MY GP- 4 WAS BUILT from plans over more than a 10-year period with the help of a lot of folks, and it first flew in November 2009 at Hidden Lake Airport, Florida. I had finished building a Thorp T- 18 in 1994 so I was looking for a new project when Harry Wooldridge decided to sell his partially completed GP- 4 fuselage, most of the welded parts, plus other odds and ends. Les Meggers, another local EAA member, was also starting a GP- 4, and he was a very big help to me, especially in the welding required to convert both of our projects to a hydraulic gear-retraction system. A 200-hp Lycoming IO-360 and a Hartzell constant-speed prop power the plane. Aircraft performance is in the 200-knot speed range, and max gross weight is around 2,000 pounds. Fuel is carried in three tanks and totals 54 gallons so the bird has ample range as well as lots of speed. I would like to thank a lot more of those many folks who have helped me, but I will single out only my very understanding and supportive wife, Margie, who has endured my two projects over many years and even flies in them with me all over the country.