Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #48403
From: Bill Maddox <reddog@smwireless.net>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: some thoughts on accidents
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:12:49 -0400
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>

 

 

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/26194004.html

 

 

N 45EL

 From Bolder, Co

 

 

My thoughts

 

 This accident was about 60 miles north - north west of me

The reports from campers in the area said their were large thunder storms in the area.

 

My thoughts

Here is another crash we could learn what not to do but seems we forget to follow up or it gets swept under the rug with delays in the Faa final reports. I personally feel we as a group of lancair Pilots and builders need to get a handle on training and what not to do according to a long list of crashes. I would suggest a stall device as the first tool of defense and calibrate it ASAP in all the Lancair planes   . Take a look at our fuel systems, contamination, Fuel selectors ect. and upgrade as needed. Check all aspects of our planes, welds, flight controls and push rods Yes I know this is on an annual inspection but do we really look at this objectively. As some of these planes are built to our own standards and we are the factory. Another pair of eyes and a brain not attached so close to the project to confirm  proper build technique would be a good idea  say partial completion inspections  and last a real training program with people Like Charley K  , why I picked Charley is he is also a builder of a 4p as well,  some of the instructors are not and don’t have a clue as to how a lancair got from a wood create to a plane on the tarmac .Some say this isn’t important but I do [ my own personal thoughts on instruction  ]  

 It really bothers me to hear a person is scared of his plane like in several post in the last lml. I feel there is a lack of some training in the Lancair and confidence in several areas of ground training in past flying as well and knowing the plane you fly. I remember the [kick the tire and light the fires] doesn’t hold true in high performance aircraft for almost all of us or any plane. I have read of weather related deaths, mechanical accidents, defective parts related accidents and just not a lot of common since flying in single engine planes. We as a group really need to clean up our act sorry to say. This accident  just north of me has no relation to any of these problems I suggested until the final report from the faa states what was the cause . Basically I would like to see we as a group take some control over our problem collectively. I have lost several friends from stupid things, like flying in a snow storm, flying with a known fuel issue and an engine problem at the same time ending up short of the runway out of fuel, running out of fuel on short final another, trying to land on a narrow runway without being experienced in the issues associated with it , hitting a dike on short final at an unfamiliar runway . These items describe a group of people in my Washington ST. lancair builders group. I also see a problem with building and flying, some pilot /builders seem to drop the proficiency of flying skills while building the plane and the opposite really needs occur. I also see a large percentage of inexperienced pilots jumping into these planes without ever flying above 10K let alone flying a complex single. Most of the weather is from 15k to 45K above and this plane without a set of radar eyes and experience needs to be on the ground during the bad weather. The plane flies fast and weather comes much faster at 20k and above. We now have several exceptional panels that have some sort of small delayed weather info but that isn’t telling the whole picture . We really need a common since button on the panel I guess.   Bill Maddox      

 

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