Light Airplane Down in Barton

Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 2
From: north of barlu
englishal
Would you like to expand on that statement?
I know that GRP construction has come long way but in the video the cockpit area looked very disrupted and I have insufficient data to say one way or the other if a Cessna 152 would have been a "better" aircraft to crash in or may be the statistics say that the Cessna would not have been less likely to have the engine failure in the first place because the numbers say it is more reliable?
I don't know the answers, do you? or do you know some one who can enlighten us?
I know that GRP construction has come long way but in the video the cockpit area looked very disrupted and I have insufficient data to say one way or the other if a Cessna 152 would have been a "better" aircraft to crash in or may be the statistics say that the Cessna would not have been less likely to have the engine failure in the first place because the numbers say it is more reliable?
I don't know the answers, do you? or do you know some one who can enlighten us?
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,729
Likes: 0
From: 75N 16E
No I don't....
But I believe that GRP aircraft are better designed for survivability - though maybe not better to repair. Look at a C152 and there is nothing in the way of crumple zones or impact absorbing areas, just thin sheets of aluminium, whereas GRP tends to be a stronger stucture, and breaks absorbing much of the impact (hence F1 cars can hit the wall at 180 MPH and the drivers walk away). Looks pretty wrecked to me which means that much of the shock has been absorbed by the structure. You could well be right about the engine though...
Yes Microlight, GINFO the tail number and it'll tell you all you need to know
But I believe that GRP aircraft are better designed for survivability - though maybe not better to repair. Look at a C152 and there is nothing in the way of crumple zones or impact absorbing areas, just thin sheets of aluminium, whereas GRP tends to be a stronger stucture, and breaks absorbing much of the impact (hence F1 cars can hit the wall at 180 MPH and the drivers walk away). Looks pretty wrecked to me which means that much of the shock has been absorbed by the structure. You could well be right about the engine though...
Yes Microlight, GINFO the tail number and it'll tell you all you need to know
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Manchester
Talking to pilot on MSN at the moment. He is incredibly lucky, got a black eye, stitches in his knee, sore arm and forehead. Him and his passenger are incredibly lucky. His passenger suffered a broken foot, but apart from that he's ok.
Life's too short for ironing
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 0
From: Scotland, & Maryland, USA
You did a fantastic job. And thank you for sharing your experience with all of us. Everytime someone decides to share as you have done, we all learn a little more.




