Well said Mike,
Trev Pond
Kit 598
In a message dated 01/08/2006 09:12:44 GMT Daylight Time,
m.j.gregory@talk21.com writes:
In the week or so that has elapsed since the tragic loss of Cliff and Betty
Shaw in their Europa at Oshkosh, in addition to the many expressions of gri
ef
and sympathy which we all share, there have been many postings on this list
regarding the handling characteristics of the aircraft and their possible
contribution to the crash. Some of the posts might be regarded as
scaremongering, and the Europa Club Committee feels it is appropriate to ex
amine the
aspects that might have a bearing on flight safety so that we all may learn
something from the collective thoughts that have followed this tragedy.
we know
that the aircraft stalled on final approach and appeared to hit the ground
inverted. We do not wish to speculate as to the possibility of pilot
incapacitation or mechanical failure =94 this is properly left to the
NTSB investigation
and their final report =94 but we have reviewed the design, build and
operation of Europa in the context of a stall/spin accident and would like
to share
the following thoughts with the aim of helping others to think in a way tha
t
may help to prevent future accidents.
The handling of the Europa in flight is general regarded as being superior
to many other light aircraft, including certified GA aircraft, and we would
not wish people to gain the impression that its response near and at the st
all
was particularly dangerous. Many aircraft will drop a wing at the stall,
especially if the slip ball is not in the centre, and some homebuilt aircra
ft
may exaggerate this tendency if there is a significant inaccuracy in build.
When referring to measures used in preventing accidents, airline people use
the analogy of =98layers=99. All these =98layers
=99 are like slices of cheese with
holes in them. The potential accident is trying to find its way through and
occasionally it finds a hole in a layer of cheese. Provided the layers of
cheese have few enough holes and there are enough layers and the holes don
=99t
line up, the potential accident should not become a reality. Layers can be
anything from pilot training and aircraft design right through engineering
practices and construction skills to pilot skill and coping with workload.
This
helps us move away from scape-goating and looking at ways of either adding
extra
layers or reducing the holes in layers. In the present situation the
following layers come to mind:
Design =93 We believe this was both professional and sound. We were l
ucky to
have someone as knowledgeable as Don Dykins. If there had been a fundamenta
l
design problem it would have been identified before now.
Construction =93 Without doubt there are bigger differences in constr
uction of
Classics rather than XS Europas. In both cases accurately setting up
identical angles of incidence and identical flap positions between wings is
every
bit as important as aiming for the specified numbers. To ensure the washout
is
at least as much as that intended aileron droop should be avoided. If
necessary both ailerons should be a little raised in straight and level fli
ght. This
is generally easier to arrange as the balance weight clearances from the to
p
wing surface can be a problem if there is any droop.
Pilot training =93 Whilst monowheels need specific skills for take-o
ff and
landing, stalls and the handling skills required should be no more demandin
g
than any other aircraft type.
Test Flying =93 Where possible this should be done by someone with
significant Europa experience on many different aircraft. Also to avoid con
flict of
interest at least some test flying should be done by someone with experienc
e who
is not the owner. Where any unusual stall handling is observed this should
be addressed before the aircraft receives its permit. Whether stalls trips
and/or stall warners are used there should be no problem identifying the
impending stall at least 5 to 7kts above the stall. As parts can move sligh
tly (for
instance due to wear) any changes of stall handling during annual flight
tests should be addressed without delay.
Pilot skills =93 Practice identifying the approaching stall and carr
ying out
the stall recovery with minimum height loss regularly. Be sure to include
stalls with gear and flap down as well as clean and practice identifying st
alls
in the turn. Obviously this should be done at a safe height. Always fly the
aircraft in balanced flight (ie not cross controlled) unless you have
significant excess speed above the stall. When flying in a high workload en
vironment
keep to as standard a pattern as possible. Outside distractions such as man
y
other aircraft at an airshow or landing at a difficult strip or landing in
bad weather must not prevent accurate control of speed and flightpath. We k
now
this has led to landing with gear retracted in monowheels so stalling on bas
e
leg or on finals is just as possible in these situations. As they say Aviat
e
=93 Navigate =93 Communicate. Another adage we use in the airli
ne world is
Plane - Path - People. These help you prioritise your tasks. Do not feel
pressurised to continue an approach if things are not right.
Finally, whilst on the topic of adages, there are two more which come to
mind:
The superior pilot uses his superior knowledge to avoid using his superior
skill.
There are old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots.
We hope this very sad event has helped the rest of us take on board how
suddenly things can change when we are least expecting it.
Fly safely
Mike Gregory
Europa Club Safety Officer
_safety@europaclub.org.uk_ (mailto:safety@europaclub.org.uk)
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