Project News
Projects which inspire others to build their own aircraft Compiled by Mike Slaughter
Project News W ell, here we are again, Guy Fawkes and early sunsets, so the flying season is replaced with the building season. This month we have two interesting projects for you, a Sherwood Scout and a Europa. I often look at the Scout with envy as my distant forerunner of the type, the Escapade, has GRP deckchair-shaped seating that, while padded, is the wrong shape for my back and renders me with back pain if I don’t sit in a chair profile with cushions. But, the Scout has seats that look like they fit the human sitting posture – I can only dream! Another intriguing norm for the Scout is the use of the Oratex covering scheme. Some of you will be familiar with aircraft covering and know how long-winded some of the systems can be to apply, using 20th century chemicals. Oratex is a 21st century system using a water-based glue and no further chemicals or paint. Some will say it’s too expensive, but that isn’t
an accurate representation of its costs. Having priced a wing repair and re-cover, I know it is not as expensive as it seems. It’s a modern, clean, and quick system that I’d love to have the opportunity to try. Steve Ivell tells how he has brought a stalled Europa kit to life having taken it on from its original builder who lost heart when some mindless vandals re-worked it for him. So many Europa kits were sold that, statistically, there must still be a number of sleepers out there waiting to be brought into the sunlight. Steve’s is an interesting project adopting an unusual approach to instrumentation. Thank you to all those members who continue to forward their build stories to Project News and those patient ones who’ve yet to see their tale in print. If you’ve a finished or part-built project, do get in touch. To tell your story, report a milestone or just to send a picture, email: projectnews@ laa-archive.org.uk. Please share your story!
G-CLWT (LAA345 - 15671) Sherwood Scout By Archie Liggat
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long time ago I built an Evans VP1, and subsequently I shared ownership of various permit and CofA machines, before retirement brought on a hankering for another build. The craft most fancied by our syndicate was a bush-plane type – something simple, rugged, and fun with just a hint of challenge. Speed was not as essential as STOL capability, whilst range was more desirable than comfort. We looked at several offerings, with a desire to support British industry if possible, and after close study of the prototype at Sywell, we finally plumped for the Sherwood Scout. A proven iteration of the Escapade, the Scout is extremely strong and has been well sorted aerodynamically by the team at TLAC. Encouraged by Dave Unwin’s glowing assessment of the type in the June 2019 edition of Pilot (which, now familiar with the machine, I would agree with emphatically), an order was placed for the 499kg VLA kit and a couple of months later, in late February 2020, just as lockdown was starting to look like a distinct possibility, a big box duly arrived on the back of a lorry.
A pharaoh-ole heave
A bunch of us heaved the massive crate up the driveway on 10 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above The group’s Scout finished in Blue and Silver Oratex. Photo: Archie Liggat
wooden rollers, looking like something from the age of the Pharaohs. Inside was a pair of optional quick-build wings, fresh from the TLAC wing jig (so that the geometry would be perfectly true), a plethora of beautifully welded and powder
