A quick comment......
In the US FAA system, anyone may offer for consideration a change, amendment, removal, exemption of a current regulation or even propose a new regulation. The procedure is clearly spelled out and the FAA must consider those proposals. The official website www.usfaa.gov can be accessed and the pertinent rules and forms, etc....can be located for one's use in such an effort.
Does the CAA in the UK have such a vehicle for outsiders to make such proposals?
If the CAA Annual Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) inspection does not certify the aircraft to be "airworthy" then just what does all that time, effort, paperwork, and cost of that exercise provide?
Sounds like Flying Lawyer might want to start looking at catalogues of Warbirds for sale.......in this country...there would be some very interesting law suits being filed!
I wonder what records the US Army might be able to produce for the now retired fleet of TH-55A's that were off the shelf purchases of the 269 helicopter. They operated several hundreds of the things from the 1960's to sometime in the early 80's as a Primary trainer. What if someone was to get permission to do an inspection on the mothballed fleet out at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona and determine how many had bad clusters?
THIS DATA CURRENT AS OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER DATED FEBRUARY 27, 2003
14 CFR - CHAPTER I - PART 11
§ 11.39 How may I participate in FAA's rulemaking process?
You may participate in FAA's rulemaking process by doing any of the following:
(a) File written comments on any rulemaking document that asks for comments, including an ANPRM, NPRM, SNPRM, a final rule with request for comments, or a direct final rule. Follow the directions for commenting found in each rulemaking document.
(b) Ask that we hold a public meeting on any rulemaking, and participate in any public meeting that we hold.
(c) File a petition for rulemaking that asks us to adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation.
This is taken from the US FAA Regulations, United States Code (USC) Chapter 14, Part 11.
Maybe the UK should have something similar?
NTSB Identification: FTW03FA028
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 01, 2002 in Fort Gibson, OK
Aircraft: Hughes 269A, registration: N8885F
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On November 01, 2002, approximately 1150 central standard time, a Hughes 269A helicopter, N8885F, impacted the terrain following a loss of control during cruise flight near Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. The helicopter was owned and operated by Tundra Resources Corporation of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The private pilot, sole occupant, received fatal injuries, and the helicopter was destroyed during the impact sequence and post-crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned cross-country flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight originated from Cookson, Oklahoma, at an unknown time, with a planned destination of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
One witness, who observed the helicopter flying to the west for about 8 seconds, reported a piece of the tail rotor separated. Subsequently, the helicopter pitched to the right, the main rotor separated, the helicopter started spinning, and descending toward the ground.
A second witness reported that he heard a "pop." Subsequently, he observed the main rotor slowing, wobbling, stop turning, break away from the helicopter and travel forward of the helicopter. The helicopter pitched "nose forward and then fell almost vertical." This witness found one tail rotor blade, the left tailboom strut (GPS latitude 35 degrees 46.50 minutes North; 095 degrees 08.19 West), the right stabilator, and the main rotor (GPS latitude 35 degrees 47.00 minutes North; longitude 095 degrees 08.20 minutes West).
Local authorities and the NTSB investigation team, who responded to the accident site, found the helicopter (GPS latitude 35 degrees 46.59 minutes North; longitude 095 degrees 08.19 minutes West) in an inverted attitude at the base of a tree in the wooded wildlife management
NTSB Identification: FTW90FA183 . The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 45513.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 17, 1990 in KINGSVILLE, TX
Aircraft: HUGHES 269A, registration: N403SD
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
THE PILOT WAS ON A CATTLE HERDING FLIGHT AND WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL, WHEN THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY SEPARATED. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT, THEN IT NOSED OVER AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FLANGE ON THE TAIL BOOM SADDLE FITTING (PN: 269A2324) HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT FLANGE ON THE TAIL BOOM SADDLE FITTING.