(click on the pictures to see more detail)
In this picture Bart is sanding the foam cores in preparation for
the layup. The small tubes you notice sticking out of the wing will enable us
to bring some electrical wires to the wingtips.
After cure the spars are turned upside down and prepared for bonding the trailing edge foam blocks.
This is me, ensuring myself that the blocks are exactly vertical before any
adhesive is brought onto the spars and blocks. (It's quite enjoyable to build
a Europa, as you can see from the smile on my face).
Things are so much easier when you have a large workshop and are able to put
the entire wings on their tips and have easy access to the root area and make
the root closeout layups. This way the alloy inserts which should be laid in
here are relatively easy positioned and cannot move while curing.
The bottom layup of the trailing edge is cut trough to accommodate for the
flaps which are about to be made by now.
These are our flaps. The wooden jigs helps us to set the correct alignment
of the alloy inserts for the hinges.
This is another picture of me, building the flap hinges and outrigger mechanism.
(Don't click on the picture, I'm not as photogenic as Bart is).
Sometimes you have to do things that you rather won't do. In this case cut
through our beautiful new wing to make an inspection hole for the
aileron bellcrank.
This is one of the last things to do on the second stage of the kit: attaching
the balance arms to the ailerons. Holes are made in the bottom of the wing
to accommodate these balance arms.
Sometimes you need a real expert. This expert came all the way from Norway
to help us and give some good advice and beautiful stories about the
strength of composite materials.
Bart is carrying out the final check before finishing and painting and finds
that everything is working perfectly.
After finishing this stage Bart even makes his own composite underwear!