From: earlb@ssd.intel.com (Earl Brabandt)
Subject: Re: A conversation with an FAA accident inspector
Keywords: homebuilts, RV-4
Organization: Supercomputer Systems Division, Intel Corp.
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 16:37:43 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.021027.27170@selway.umt.edu> cap@selway.umt.edu (Charles A. Smith) writes:
>I went to a GPS demo, and ended up talking to an FAA accident inspector
>for an hour or so.  He said a few things that might be of general interest.
>
> He was really down on homebuilts.  He said something like, "most
> accidents occur in homebuilts," or "most fatalities occur in homebuilts."

accident story involving a Van's Aircraft RV-4 followed......

Some inspectors ARE really down on homebuilts.  They aren't accepting the
fact that their future jobs largely depend on the success of the homebuilt
industry.  I believe homebuilt registrations are outnumbering factory
registrations by an order of magnitude these days, and the FAA really
needs to help improve the industry rather than knock it if the agency
is to continue to exist at its current level.  Yeah, there's some hope
on the horizon with new certification rules, but the projected prices
of these new factory builts is still staggeringly high--comparable
to current factory offerings in many cases.  Don't look for an improvement
in the near future; just yesterday, our US Senate refused to consider
tort law reform again!

On the other hand, talk to the inspectors at aviation events that draw
homebuilders.  At Oshkosh, I was impressed with the acceptance level
and general consensus of the FAA inspectors.  It appears to me that
there is a high accident rate in homebuilts during the first few hours
of flight.  The pilot's skills are usually rusty from years of building
and the aircraft is likely to have a few bugs like the fatal one described
in the previous posting.  That's why we have a test period!  Afterward,
the record improves to "normal" levels with the exception of a few
models.

I read an NTSB summary of homebuilt accidents at Oshkosh.  In the case
of the Van's RV series of aircraft (a Van's RV-4 was the subject of
the previous posting), most of the accidents were either related to
unsafe low-level flying, or improper aerobatics--often also at low
altitude.  Very few of the accidents were related to poor workmanship
or aircraft construction.  Of the FAA inspectors embracing homebuilding
that I've talked to, most have good words to say for the Van's Aircraft
RVs and some are even considering RV projects themselves.  It is easy to
show that this inspector is way off the mark in his claim that "most
accidents occur in homebuilts."

But there IS need for concern based on the growing number of homebuilt
registrations.  Homebuilt accident totals will continue to grow as
operations increase.  Those of us building, flying, and promoting
homebuilts need to be particularly cautious if we wish to continue
doing so.  All it takes is one El Cerritos type accident and this may
all end.  I can see it on TV now, "WHAT??, you let an EXPERIMENTAL
airplane fly over our schoolyard and crash into all our innocent
children???"  Public pressure could shut us down in an instant.  I
fear it's only a matter of probability.

Earl Brabandt, CFI S & M airplane
					RV-6 (wings almost done) builder