Gentlemen, I am new to this forum but served in the USAF as an aircraft accident investigator and the Chief of Flying Safety for 15th Air Force and am a graduate of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Program at University of Southern California. I have a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Science. I have been on the boards of several major accidents including a U-2, B-52D and an RC-135.
I urge you not to try and solve the mishap and wait till those who are charged with the task complete their research and study. Having said all that, I do believe hitting a seagull at 100 knots would result in a catastrophic failure of the windscreen and seriously injuring the pilot in command or trying to avoid the bird may have caused a rapid and full deflection of the control surfaces resulting in unknown results. Fly Safe. Robert Fullenkamp Col USAF (Ret) On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 12:10 PM, Caliendo Dan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Were there witnesses to the accident? It was "manuevering" ; but we don't > know if that was > gentle turns, acrobatics, or something in between. I'd feel a whole lot > better if I knew they > were exceeding the planes limits and my common sense. > Dan C > > > On Sep 21, 2009, at 4:50 AM, Hartmut Beil wrote: > > > > Guys. > > The Airworthiness Concern" is based of the Sebring inflight breakup. This > is a real issue and I don't want to talk this down. > > I am rather interested in more data on what unauthorized holes would > incorporate. As we know, Alons have their seat mounts drilled directly into > the upper spar cap and at the same time even allow a higher gross weight. > > Univair should have the data on this , at least drawings and one could > conclude a certain structural strength from that. > > If holes were drilled unauthorized, there should be a method to determine > whether these holes are similar to the alon spars or are a danger to the > aircraft. > > At least I would expect a dye check of the affected areas to look for > cracks. Because I belive there must have been cracks first. The main spar > does not collapse like this. > If it would then I would not recommend flying any Alon anymore. > > > More data would allow a more constructive comment. I hope we will get an > answer from the FAA, especially Mr. Roger Caldwell. > > Hartmut > > http://www.ercoupe.info > > > ------------------------------ > To: [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:39:05 -0500 > Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Improper holes in spar cap > > > Hi Ed, > ...... > > But we also must encourage responses to this "Airworthiness Concern > Sheet". I have been working on a very comprehensive one for several days. > I will send it both by email and U.S.P.S. Certified Mail, Return Receipt > requested; and then post it to Tech. That makes it harder for the FAA to > "lose" or ignore comments (claim they did not get them). Everyone is > welcome reproduce any portion of it or incorporate any of my thoughts > expressed herein in their comments with the single exception of the > following: > > Should any of us wish to engage in engineering evaluation, i will share a > letter dated 10/12/49 from ERCO's Thomas M. Mountjoy, Assistant Chief > Engineer, addressed to the British Joint Services Mission in Washington, > D.C. At that time a 415-CD was being officially evaluated in England. > > Airplane limit load factors > > CAR 04 1260 lb. +4.58 (- not available) > CAR 03 1400 lb. +3.50 -1.40 > > Limit wing load factors > > CAR 04 1260 lb. +4.64 -1.75 > CAR 03 1400 lb. +3.59 -1.32 > > Ultimate load factor = 1.5 x limit load factor > > And no, I'm not an engineer of any kind either ;<) > > Regards, > > William R. Bayne > .____|*-*(o)*-*|____. > (Copyright 2009) > > -- > > On Sep 20, 2009, at 08:43, Ed Burkhead wrote: > > One thought: It seems to me that holes in the upper spar cap would most > likely be a problem when pulling negative g’s, wouldn’t they? Or, during > extreme vibration (i.e. flutter)? I wouldn’t think normal flying loads > within the normal positive g limits would strain the upper spar cap. > > But, then, I’m not an engineer of any kind. > > Are there appropriate non-destructive diagnostic means to inspect for > cracks in the spar cap? Dye penetrant? Portable x-ray? > > Do we have any aeronautical engineers here? > > Ed > > ------------------------------ > check out the rest of the Windows Live™. More than mail–Windows Live™ goes > way beyond your inbox. More than > messages<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/> > > > >
