FROM the PRESIDENT in This Issue
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Carolina. Don’t miss it! FEB 2013 FROM THE PRESIDENT VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 The LOBO board continues to meet jeff edwards with FAA leadership in our continuing quest to improve Lancair safety and reduce the accident rate. We are Happy New Year as discussing several initiatives, including LOBO moves into mandatory transition training for new its fifth year of Lancair pilots; bifurcating Phase I into a in this issue operations! A new Phase IA and Phase IB. IA would be year is a good time aimed at establishing the flight safety for self-evaluation, of the aircraft and IB would permit for both individuals from the president flight training of the new pilot. We are 1 and organizations. also discussing the pros and cons of a This past year has seen many successes second qualified pilot onboard during and some setbacks. to stall or not Phase I under certain circumstances. 3 On the positive side, LOBO events The FAA is seriously considering all of continue to excel. Our annual fly-in these options. how slick is your plane? held this year at Sedona, Arizona was 8 very well attended by members and Accident Review guests. Bob Jeffrey and Ernie Sutter’s On a more somber note we remember training event was packed with Lancair emergency landing! Lancair pilots who flew west this year. 13 pilots and builders. Thank you also to Longtime friend, mentor, fellow Art Jensen for his presentation on builder/owner and LOBO member Mr. engine operation and Don Gunn for from the secretary Harry League along with Mr. Pat 14 sharing his experience in successfully Franzen were lost on April 30, 2012 handling an inflight engine failure (read when N66HL broke up in flight near his story later in this newsletter if you Sisters, Oregon during a local training social occasions 15 missed his presentation). A tip of the flight. The NTSB has yet to identify a hat also to Claudette, Lisa, Jennifer, definitive cause for this accident. Jim Hergert and all of our volunteers continental training who helped to 16 make this a great gathering. Finally, a from the editor very special thank 19 you goes to past EAA President Mr. Rod Hightower for a please help us! 20 great keynote add- ress. All in all, our annual association event was a tre- editor: mark sletten mendous success, which we hope to LOBO better this year a bit 3127 creve couer mill rd, h-n5 to the east in saint louis, missouri 63146 Greenville, South www.lancairowners.com Feb 2013 Also, Mr. Steve Appleton, CEO of staining inside the battery box. The the landing zone of the 3,000 ft runway Micron, perished in his newly NTSB reported the battery was and attempted a go around. The pilot purchased IVPT on February 3, 2012 recharged prior to the accident flight. had been advised by two LOBO following a loss of engine power on members to use at least a 5000 ft On June 26, 2012, Mr. Thomas takeoff at Boise, Idaho. Mr. Appleton runway for Phase I testing. He had also Plodzien of Monee, Illinois crashed attempted a takeoff only to reject it been advised to obtain model-specific near Monroe Center, Illinois following a after the engine “rolled back” shortly training, but he declined. report of smoke in the cockpit. Mr. after liftoff. He set the aircraft down on Scott Kreuger assisted the NTSB and Witnesses at the airport reported an the remaining runway. He then taxied FAA in their investigation of this increase in engine noise consistent back and attempted a second takeoff accident. with a go around. They observed the during which the engine again rolled landing gear of the accident airplane back, this time after liftoff. Tragically, On September 6, 2012, a kit-built retracting followed by what sounded he stalled the aircraft while attempting Lancair IV, N1126V, was destroyed like a loss of engine power. They to turn back to the runway. LOBO when it impacted terrain during a go- further observed the nose of the assisted the NTSB and FAA with these around at the Winnsboro Municipal airplane go up, then down. The two investigations. Airport (KF89), Winnsboro, Louisiana. airplane impacted grass approximately Mr. Fairley Gooch, a retired Delta Mr. Donald E. Klein, Jr., died Saturday, 800 feet from the departure end of captain and former Army aviator (pilot) April 14, 2012 when his Lancair 235 runway 18. was fatally injured. N235MW went down near Hudson, Prior to the mishap flight the pilot had Kentucky. A post-crash examination of The aircraft was on a Phase I test flight. asserted to an insurance broker he had the wreckage revealed evidence of Discussion with the FAA inspector received Lancair flight training—he had battery outgassing, and chemical/soot assigned indicated the pilot overshot Volume 5 Issue 1 Feb 2013 not. LOBO assisted authorities in this Some Lancairs may not recover What the Data Says crash investigation. from a spin even under the control of an experienced test pilot I am privileged to have spent the last On December 30, 2012 a IVPT crashed The stall itself can be disorienting, two years serving on the General killing owner William Stern, his wife Aviation Joint Steering Committee and daughter, and on July 3, 2012 a IVP with rolls of 90 degrees or more Just because your friend's Lancair working group investigating and crashed near Concepcion, Argentina researching loss of control accidents. I with two fatalities. stalls straight ahead with the ball centered does not mean yours am representing a couple of This brings 2012 totals to seven serious does—even minor differences organizations, including LOBO, as a accidents, with eleven fatalities. between the left and right wings subject matter expert (SME). So far it’s been a terrific experience! I urge you to examine your skills, can cause one to stall before the practices and mindset this New Year, other A sub-group I participated with and make a pledge to help reduce the Those advocating stall practice were Lancair accident rate. A good starting not Lancair model specific, nor did they point is the LOBO website, which offer any reason beyond the Those advocating stall contains great information on flight “machismo” argument—the one that safety and aviation risk management. says a “real pilot” should be able to practice [didn’t] offer a In summary: recover from any stall. This, despite the fact that the primary purpose of stall reason beyond the 1. Fly responsibly. Make certain you awareness training is to learn to avoid and your Lancair are ready to fly. stalling in the first place! “machismo” argument— The FAA’s IMSAFE checklist is a the one that says a “real good place to start. No Old, Bold Pilots 2. Ensure you are current and One individual advocating stall practice pilot” should be able to proficient for the flight operations in Lancairs is relatively new to the planned. Annual recurrent training recover from any stall. aircraft, with two years’ experience in a is strongly recommended. If you Legacy FG (this is the only background have an instrument rating an data I have about this person). Another examined experimental amateur-built Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) individual preferred not to discuss his (EA-B) accidents over the last ten is in order. aeronautical experience, including the years—the data is not encouraging. 3. Address any aircraft airworthiness extent (if any) of his Lancair We read hundreds of accident reports. issues prior to flight. experience. A typical report involving loss of Among those opposed to stall practice control reads like this: in Lancair aircraft are several former Mishap pilot recently finished TO STALL OR NOT military pilots (thank a veteran!) building including former Director of the U.S. Mishap pilot was practicing stalls jeff edwards Navy Test Pilot School, Col. Pete Field, Witnesses saw the aircraft rotating USMC (ret.); Jon Addison, one of Pete’s prior to ground impact classmates; Skip Slater (ex-naval There has been much buzz recently aviator); and Lynn Farnsworth (USAF). You get the picture. regarding the “to stall or not to stall” debate within the Lancair community. I’ve found it’s important when judging Our committee made several recom- Let me address those thoughts here. the value of advice to consider the mendations to government and indus- Some argue strongly pilots should be source. On the “do it” side of the stall try to mitigate the risks of a loss of encouraged to practice stalls as a practice debate are two complete control and this article addresses most matter of routine in Lancair aircraft. unknowns, while the “don’t do it” side of those recommendations. Some, including myself and LOBO’s has decades of the best aviation As a matter of course, I would encour- cadre of instructors, urge a more training and experience in the world. age all pilots (not just Lancair pilots) to cautious approach because: Which side do you value more? obtain upset and recovery training, including stall/spin recovery, from a qualified professional (although for a variety of reasons I do not recommend Volume 5 Issue 1 Feb 2013 receiving such training in a Lancair). Spin training is only necessary for the membership data) Here’s why: CFI certificate, which requires the There have been too many Lancairs candidate to demonstrate only two From my experience as a flight in- lost with "qualified" instructors and spins; one right and one left. Most CFI’s structor and FAA designated pilot pilots aboard “practicing” stalls. This is are not spin experts. If asked, most examiner, the average private pilot one of the primary reasons I do not pilots could not tell you what is applicant has accomplished less than recommend stall practice in a Lancair: required to spin an aircraft (think 40 stalls before attempting the The risk versus reward equation aerodynamics).