AFTER YEARS OF 'POKING THE BEAR' (VANS IN THE RVATOR NO 4-2007) IT SEEMS THAT IT IS STARTING TO FEEL TRAPPED AND THAT IT HAD ENOUGH.
The accident statistics are telling stories and NTSB has acted. It began with a Safety Forum and the issue of 16 recommendations. Some can be contested, but the rest are to be (or shall be) adopted by the amateur built planes community.
Why should be that done? Again: the accident statistics are telling the story. The analisys of Amateur Built Planes accidents show that the actual practice is in the wrong direction.
The possibility of building and flying your own plane, is not to be taken for granted. It implies also obligations. These planes are operated in public spaces, using public resources for this operation. And finally, at any time there is an accident, the public is exposed.
It is in the best interest of the amateur built planes community -not only kit manufacturers- to begin an active work toward improving safety. Which neccesarily pass thru the erection or 'mise en place' of rules oriented to assure a safe construction, inspection, testing and operation of Amateur Built Aeroplanes.
