From: "Ron Laughlin" <ronlaughlin@hotmail.com>
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Bcc: 
Subject: Re: Builder assistance/insurance
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 09:40:21 -0600
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Message-ID: <F165ncJfKHmj9n1xxWn00018c67@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com

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I think we should think very carefully before we start considering more 
"controls" on the experimental category of aircraft in the name of safety. 
It has always been obvious to me that truly "experimental" aircraft, by 
there very nature, are extremely dangerous.

I think there has been an important change in the primary objective of the 
experimental category of aircraft since it's inception years ago. When the 
FAA made allowances for the experimental category it was a very small group 
of builders were mostly builders first, pilots second. In other words, most 
of them loved the design, innovation and building of aircraft as much or 
perhaps even more piloting them (E.g. Burt Rutan). Now days I believe it is 
the reverse. Without an affordable source of new certified aircraft, people 
who are primarily pilots are being forced into the experimental category if 
they want to own and fly a new, state of the art aircraft. So now we have 
primarily a group of pilots looking for a source of safe but affordable high 
performance aircraft.

Maybe we need a whole new category of aircraft rather than more controls 
placed on the "Experimental" category. I like the term s "Custom built". I 
think it better to describes this group than the term "Experimental".

I don't think we would have so many wonderful new designs to choose today if 
the FAA had stifled the experimental group with more restrictive "controls". 
We shouldn't upset the apple cart for those among us who are designers and 
innovators at the forefront of the aviation technology today. As I recall 
it, Lance did spend years building his first airplane from rolls of material 
and gallons of resin in his garage. Where would we be today if he had not 
been allowed to do that in the name of saftey?

Ron Laughlin
ronlaughlin@hotmail.com


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