I can certainly understand why insurance companies are squirming, scrambling
and dropping out or charging high rates to cover IVP aircraft given the
safety record demonstrated.  The idea of having an agent they trust tell
them the airplane meets construction standards doesn't seem to me to be
illogical.

What has me perplexed is the appearance that they've created a monopolistic
monster by teaming up with Lancair - giving them an exclusive that they are
not equipped to handle and that they are not exclusively qualified to do.
It seems intelligent to assume that folks like Dave Morss and Charlie
Kohler, who not only have thousands of hours in hundreds of these airplanes,
but at least in some cases are qualified as DAR's could do as good or better
work of this than the folks at Lancair.  

I know that Dave inspects these aircraft all the time - for sake of his own
backside and for FAA experimental class certification - and then gets in
them and flies them.  Wouldn't an insurance company with its self interest
at heart choose people like this to provide this service?  In the case of
new aircraft, wouldn't it make sense to pay the DAR to file a report on
quality of construction for the benefit of insurance companies?

Regards,

John Barrett, CEO
Leading Edge Composites
PO Box 428
Port Hadlock, WA 98339
www.carbinge.com