Amateur-built planes more likely than factory counterparts to crash

[Oracle1]

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/amateur-built-planes-more-likely-than-factory-counterparts-to-crash-study-finds/story-e6frg95x-1226606900538)


A very interesting Article from Steve Creedy about the causes of Amateur Built Crashes and well worth a read if you intend to build an aircraft

[VH-XXX]

Unfortunately Oracle1 we probably don't all have a subscription to the Australian, so please post your username and password here :ok:

It would be based on this baby at a guess:

http://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/new...otlight-on-amateur-built-aircraft-safety.aspx

[Hasherucf]

Builders of amateur-built aircraft should select, install and maintain aircraft engines carefully as engine issues

Yep car engines belong in cars !!

[Mick.B]

Thats because that alot of them are buckers of **** Death trap machines. I cringe at some of the crap people put themselves into.

[Homesick-Angel]

And private pilots need to be smart about how current they are. How quickly can you adjust to an EFATO , or conduct a forced landing. When was the last time you actually practiced any of those life saving actions?( you know- all that boring crap you leant years ago) When was the last time you were assessed? .. Is an AFR enough? If you cut corners by putting the wrong sort of donk in an aircraft, or cut corners cos lets face it , it's not cheap, you better be ready.

If your gonna build your own, at least make sure you aren't the weak link .

[Hasherucf]

For years people have been telling me they know better.

"The doctor doesnt know what he is talking about .I'm right to fly!!"

"LAME's don't know **** .... Could you help me install my magneto's?"

These people have their own categories now. Don't be upset if the ATSB doesnt investigate the crash !!

[Sunfish]

Very sobering reading. Confirms my decision to use a Rotax 912 engine and keep the aircraft as bog standard as possible.

[Grivation]

I think the real crux of the matter is that the people who are attracted to building aeroplanes aren't always the best people to be flying them.

With a few notable exceptions of course :E

[VH-XXX]

It's disappointing that it doesn't cover RA-Aus aircraft. If they weren't so tight-lipped with their information it might have been included. It would be interesting to see the RA-Aus results as overall for the entire aircraft register the percentage of amateur built versus factory built may be much higher than in the GA world.

[sprocket check]

IMHO, a Rotax 912 barely qualifies for an aircraft engine.

but just my opinion...

And if RAA was serious about safety education, they would have a very different strategy for dealing with accidents and incidents.

sc

[Arnold E]

Thats because that alot of them are buckers of **** Death trap machines. I cringe at some of the crap people put themselves into.

Me too, I have seen a Cessna 310 that I wouldn't taxi to the end of the runway, but the pilot jumped in with passengers and departed.:ugh:

[thorn bird]

Hmm,
since CASA is well on the way to regulating factory built aircraft out of existence, is this article laying the groundwork for them to step into regulating RAA, remember the CASA mantra "Safe Skies are empty Skies".

[VH-XXX]

IMHO, a Rotax 912 barely qualifies for an aircraft engine.

Well, the P2006T Tecnam twin is your kind of aircraft, it has two of them!

[Oracle1]

IMHO, a Rotax 912 barely qualifies for an aircraft engine


A truly uninformed comment I have a lot of experience maintaining both american air cooled and the Rotax and pound for pound I would trust the Rotax any day. Especially in a training environment.

[Flying Binghi]

Hmmm... surprising lack of interest in this subject.

I woulda thought the prune 'You can learn from this' expert brigade would be all over this subject...

Over the past three decades, amateur-built aircraft (aircraft built for personal use from an original design, established plans or kit, which are not entirely built and assembled in a factory) have become increasingly popular in Australia. This is the first detailed examination of their safety record. The ATSB’s research has identified key differences in the safety record of amateur-built aircraft when compared with similar factory built aircraft and established an important baseline on which to improve safety in this growing sector of the aviation community.

...“Overall, the pilots of amateur-built aircraft are significantly more experienced as pilots,” said Dr Godley. “They’ve been flying for a long time, they know aircraft, and they want the challenge and intellectual satisfaction of building a customised aircraft...



News: (http://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/news-items/2013/report-puts-spotlight-on-amateur-built-aircraft-safety.aspx)






.

[Jabawocky]

And the results show that since the introduction of the modern ABE rules safety has improved. What is more many of the accidents would have happened in a certified machine. They being pilot shortcomings, so, when you consider that wings falling off etc are not really a problem, especially with the modern RV/Lancair/Glasair etc designs., its a pretty good result.

[Jack Ranga]

You da man Bingsta ;) keep the thread going with your wisdom, spread the cheer bro :ok:

(P.S. we won't mention Whyalla)

[Andy_RR]

Hmmm... surprising lack of interest in this subject...

Over the past three decades, amateur-built aircraft (aircraft built for personal use from an original design, established plans or kit, which are not entirely built and assembled in a factory) have become increasingly popular in Australia.
[/url]


There seems to be a surprising lack of interest in asking why this is the case... :ugh:

Perhaps people are not prepared to pay an infinite amount for infinite safety and we're somewhere along the cost-safety curve and Joe Punter has said, "that'll do."

[Oracle1]

This is more where I wanted to go with this thread. In particular I too stress that it doesn't seem to be the aircraft at fault. This is a behavioural and training issue that needs to be addressed. Without doubt Darwinian selection for some people is inevitable but your still just as dead if your a smart guy who makes a dumb mistake


How to Kill Yourself in a Homebuilt Airplane (http://www.seqair.com/FlightTest/KillYourself/KillYourself.html)

Your Test Pilot (http://www.seqair.com/FlightTest/TestPilot/TestPilot.html)

If you have been building for a lot of years get someone who has some time on type that is able to teach you, buy a kit that has flying support perhaps?

[Jabawocky]

A couple of years ago Van himself started the push. A bunch (about 10-12 in the USA & 1x Aussie ;) ) set up this RV Flight Safety (http://www.rvflightsafety.org)

Since then Dick Van Grunsmen has noted cultural changes for the better. To the point where the RV fleet in the USA had a better safety record in the 2011-2012 year than the GA fleet. That was impressive.

It is usually simple to knock off the low fruit. Cowboys and the best way is peer pressure not regulations. I wonder if CASA get this? It works.

[Sunfish]

Transition training organized today, but won't be needed for some months. I'M going to get solidly current and do my BFR and then some before the transition training.

[sprocket check]

A truly uninformed comment I have a lot of experience maintaining both american air cooled and the Rotax and pound for pound I would trust the Rotax any day. Especially in a training environment.

Not really. You can have the four or five that have either fallen out of the sky or refused to go up that I have seen in three years. And no, not because of a lack of quality maintenance etc. They are still sitting in hangars about the place.

And yes, in Tecnams among others. I'd show you some pictures but I'm not allowed.

While it may be an aircraft engine, it is, IMHO as I said before, barely so.

The manufacturer (or their agent) seems to have either very little interest or no capacity to investigate causes of failures.