1. Safety Engineering and Analysis Applied to Reducing Experimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) Aircraft Accident Rates By L. D. Stevenson January 21, 2012 1/21/20121 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

2. 1/21/2012 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson2 A Little History George W and Aviation Soloflights.com

3. Experimental Amateur-Built Aircraft  Introduction  Early Experimental Amateur- Built (E-AB) Aircraft  Certification  Construction and Testing  Safety  Conclusions 1/21/20123 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

4. Early Amateur-Built Aircraft History – In the Beginning…,. 1903  First US amateur-built aircraft to fly - 1903  No government regulation or oversight – Far “cry” from today  Many aircraft built as one of a kind aircraft  Built by individuals or small teams The Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk (National Air and Space Museum website, 2009) 1908 – First major aircraft accident Ft. Meyer, Va Killed 2Lt Thomas E. Selfridge Buried at Arlington Selfridge Air Force Base (check-six.com, 2009) 1/21/20124 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

5. Post World War II 1941 – 1947 – No amateur-built aircraft allowed 1947 - CAA designates all amateur-built aircraft before WWII in category “X” – must recertify every 6 months 1952 – first experimental amateur-built category 1953 – Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) founded 1964 – Granted authorization for aerobatics 1966 – Granted first IFR operations ~1970 – First kits offered 1/21/20125 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

6. Certification Builder certifies the aircraft through the FAA at the end of the building process…..Basically a paperwork process No detailed stringent requirements as in Part 23 certification process for manufactured aircraft similar to C-172, Beechcraft, etc. E-AB aircraft can not be used for commercial or fly for hire activities Builder free to make adjustments, design changes, modifications Builder SHOULD consult knowledgeable sources to ensure safety That’s – Should - but there is no requirement 1/21/20126 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

7. Certification – Continued Advisory Circular 20-27G – Builder takes on the risk to ensure changes are prudent and safe Responsibility for final outcome rests with the builder Many sources available to help the builder with building process Internet, EAA, classes, schools 1/21/20127 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

8. Construction and Testing Information comes from many sources – Generally not the FAA First stop - kit/plans manufacturer Other builders & EAA Technical Counselors Internet Kit Airplanes Buy the whole enchilada Buy in stages – Tail, wings, fuselage, etc. QuickBuild Kits Plans ( Vansaircraft.com, 2009) 1/21/20128 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

9. Construction and Testing - Continued Design, building, and mods have become much more standardized Must have detailed records or logs of your work 51% rule – the builder must build 51% of the airplane FAA likes to see records of EAA technical counselor visits Flight testing Occurs after FAA certifies aircraft airworthiness Must fly up to 40 hours in the flight test program No passengers allowed Flight test must show: Aircraft controllable at normal speeds & during all expected flight maneuvers No hazardous operating characteristics 1/21/20129 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

10. Safety If built and operated within design limits Safety generally not a problem 5% of all accidents attributed to builder error 22% of first flight accidents linked to builder error 42.7% of first flight accidents linked to pilot error Overall accident rate comparable to Part 23 aircraft in similar operations Auto engines and two stoke engines Significantly higher accident rates More complicated cooling, and ignition systems (no redundancy), power transfer units (www.kitplanes.com,2009) Article by Ron Wanttaja 1/21/201210GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

11. SAFETY - Continued   Statistically – – –1 in 115 amateur-built aircraft will crash in any given year (2007) – –1 in 149 certificated aircraft will crash in any given year (2007)   Accident rates are comparable – –Even though amateur-built aircraft are:   Designed and built by amateurs   Generally maintained by amateurs   Many powered by amateur auto engine conversions – –Major cause of accidents – still pilot error with no relationship to the building process   This shows how well overall most amateur-built aircraft are constructed and flown 1/21/201211GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

12. E-AB Fatal Accidents 2000 - 2009  Capstone Paper –Study of Fixed Wing Experimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) Aircraft Fatal Accidents in the US for Calendar Years 2000-2009 –Looking for a correlation between pilot’s total flight time and flight time in make & model of fatal accident airplane  Very low correlation found between the two times  Focused on Make and Model flight time 1/21/201212GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

13. E-AB Fatal accidents – 2000 through 2009 Total Hours in Make and Model Number of Fatal Accidents that Occurred Within the Make and Model Hour Range Indicated Percentage of Fatal Accidents Within the Make and Model Hour Range Indicated 0 to 5011449.3506% 51 to 1003916.8831% 101 to 1502711.6883% 151 to 20062.5974% 201 to 250208.6580% 251 to 30062.5974% 301 to 35000.0000% 351 to 40020.8658% 401 to 45031.2987% 451 to 50010.4329% 501 to 55041.7316% 551 to 60020.8658% 650 to 200073.0303% E-AB aircraft fatal Accidents for Each Fifty (50) Hours of Make and Model Flight Time Years 2000-2009 1/21/201213GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

14. Lower the Accident Rate!  FAA to EAA – Lower E-AB accident rates –EAA currently focusing on a web based survey of E-AB builders & pilots – Results in 2012  EAA better to do this than FAA  Pilots/builders are more open to giving feedback to EAA  Most pilots perceive the FAA might use your inputs against you –A multi year trend of more accidents per year needs to be reversed 1/21/201214GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

15. Changing Accident Trends  How do we change the E-AB accident trends?  From Bahr Textbook –  “The primary method of preventing accidents is through a comprehensive & systematic approach to safety management. The most cost effective way to control risks is to implement a comprehensive system safety program throughout the product or system life cycle – Cradle to Grave.” –Cooperation and coordinated implementation between: FAA, EAA, AOPA, NTSB, and kit/plans manufactures 1/21/201215GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

16. Safety Change Examples  Ellington Field (EFD) Aero Club, Houston, Tx –Towered airport with very diverse aircraft population  Problem – low time non-proficient pilots in ground and tower operations  Frequent disregard for taxi and takeoff procedures – tower personnel aren’t happy  Club mgt, pilots, and twr personnel met to discuss problems  Results –Ground school classes on towered airport procedures taught by tower controller –Pilots required to visit tower to observe operations –Infraction dropped to almost zero – Much improved safety environment 1/21/2012GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson16

17. Safety Change Examples  Two club aircraft accidents due to crosswinds –Both pilots not proficient in crosswind landings –Neither pilot had ever demonstrated cross wind proficiency even on their check rides –No requirement for proficiency during a/c checkout –Check out in higher performance a/c allows pilot to fly lower performance a/c without add’l checkout –Now What?  Implemented crosswind proficiency for checkout  Higher performance checkout OK for more experienced pilots, but not for inexperienced pilots –Results  Much better accident/incident statistics 1/21/2012GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson17

18. Safety Change Examples  Where I work –Many minor accidents with minor injuries  What can we do to reverse the trend? –GM backs into wife’s car - and think’s  “Wish I had those five seconds back” –Think 5 is born – “Think 5 (ahead)”  Implemented by management team  Fully embraced by employees –Result – Zero accidents – Safety focused culture –Think 5 upgraded : Think 5…There is no rewind 1/21/2012GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson18

19. Conclusions  To improve E-AB safety –Education – get the information “out there”  Seminars, online information, classes  Review of accident reports –Increased flight proficiency –Apply common sense –Additional dual instruction –Attitude upset training 1/21/2012 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson19

20. Conclusions  FAA is involved as it wants to be –Currently the FARs with Advisory Circulars provide adequate guidance  This is my conclusion (from this research)  Builders to whom I talked agree  Sufficient resources are available (not necessarily through the FAA) to build a very safe aircraft –Examples  http://www.vansairforce.net http://www.vansairforce.net –One stop shop for RV’s  http://www.eaa.org/homebuilt http://www.eaa.org/homebuilt  Magazines – Kitplanes  FAA is more involved in overall enforcement and safety –Kit 51% rule as an example  Overall the FAA/EAA “partnership” and other sources are more than adequate to ensure the final product is a safe airplane –  In the end…..the builder/pilot is the key 1/21/201220 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson

21. http://rts-services.com/Schaefer/LancAir/ adamsrv8.com/RV-8_Gallery.html http://www.ultralightnews.com/ulbg2/images/kitfox-4.jpg Dyke Delta JD-2 Lancair IV-P 1/21/201221 GHAFI Presentation - L D Stevenson Questions??