The GDELS report does indeed make chilling reading, but the report also states that the damage sustained should probably have been visible in a metal aeroplane as opposed to wood and fabric..
Anway I'd be sad to see SS leave, he is a useful contributer and knows his stuff well.......So I hope he comes back. At no time did he support "unauthorised" aerobatics....I don't blame him though.....
Regarding wing spar failures, in one of my books it goes on about one of the memebers of the British Aerobatics team in the early 70's (I forget who
) who was practicing without a parachute on. He pulled 5 G's and snap, the wing started to fold up. Luckily, and with a lot of skill, he very quickly realised that the wing was only folding up under +ve load due to makeup of the wing, so he rolled inverted and the wing popped back into place. He climbed and tried rolling upright again, and again the wing started to fold up.....In the article in the book it is now described how he was shaking like a leaf and thought that he was about to die......had he had a parachute on, he would have climbed and bailed out....but he didn't. He knew he had about 10 minutes to sort this out before the engine stopped due to running inverted for so long so he decided to make an inverted approach, and at the last minute rolled upright - it is reported that the wingtip cleared the ground by 6 inches. As he rolled upright the wing folded up and it settled onto the ground.....he walked away
I NEVER want to be in that situation
