G-ZAPS accident.
From Dennis Kenyon,
First a reply to Hovernut, (aren't we all) I'm not sure that as a non Hughes driver there is much you can do practically. But if my words and the letters above are taken on board AND you help publicise my son's accident - that will perhaps allow the CAA to appreciate the strength of feeling ot here, and bring the matter to the public's attention and perhaps put pressure on the CAA.
BHH pilot's are not flying the affected type. (early Hughes models, 1970's serial nos 0-570.) If all pilots in the country act similarly - we will have effectlively grounded the type and bring this dangerous situation under control.
I am having e mail correspondence on the matter from many countries in the world and requests for more detail. On Friday 7th March, the south counties paper, Evening Argus are running a longsh piece. Being only interested in the dispute aspects of the story, the article is not that objective, but at least gets to the bones of the problem of the CAA's refusal to accept AAIB's recommendations.
But once again a CAA press office spokesman trotted out the familiar, "the accident to G-ZAPS was due to the illegal actions of an engineer." When asked what they had to say about the other eight accidents where there had been no welding to the critical clevis cluster, the reply was "we have no 'significant' knowledge of the other accidents. Presumably they don't believe the AAIB report which list them all, by serial number, registration, date, location and description of failure.
It just goes on and on. So just to confirm, a writ was served on the CAA today.
I can think of no logical reason why the AAIB recommendations are not accepted, except perhaps the legal liability aspect - I'm sure our flying lawyer will know more of that and may have something to say perhaps. At the time of the G-ZAPS failure, the cost of modification by cluster modification/replacement to the Dash 3 item was in the £10,000 - £15,000 area, (the change required engine pylon removal, with attendant M/R hub/blades off, tail boom and gear box split. However, I am advised by a well respected Hughes engineer (ML at Sywell) that the work can now be done for well under £5,000. Not much to ensure a safe helicopter I would have thought.
Please keep your words coming.
Dennis Kenyon