Hi David;

I think you've got a heck of a good idea there, I just hope that the organization never has anything to do. While the FAA or Transport Canada may not want outsiders doing their investigations, it is clear that they have little interest in fully investigating an accident cause and are satisfied with filling in the blanks. While I don't feel I may be fully qualified for this task, I realize that at least in this part of Canada, I may be a contender for the job, which I hope to be never called upon to do. So how would we go about setting up an organization with official status that would be taken seriously by the bureaucrats?

Another thought that I'd like to add; If this ever happened to me, I'd like to have some legal statement in place instructing Transport Canada to allow one of our community to participate in the investigation or at the very least (if nobody is able to travel this far north:-), release any data from the long-hoped-for and much-begged-for, EM2 datalogger if it ever becomes a reality. That would probably carry more weight than any quasi-official organization and is something that we can each take care of now. We don't want to think of it happening to us, but it's much the same as the organ donor card, can't deal with it when were dead. I'd like to think that if my number was up, at least some good could come from it.

I believe there was a lawyer in the group? Any opinion on the legal aspect of this. Would this simply be ignored by the feds until the investigation had concluded? In any case, I'm going down to tell the wife right now what my wishes are, so at least there is a verbal statement from me that I'd want you guys involved. Not that I'm planning on giving you something to do :-)

Todd Bartrim

RV9Endurance

13B Turbo Rotary

C-FSTB

http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm

"The world will always have a place for those that bring hard work and determination to the things they do."

My suggestion is that WE.. the rotary community.. need to incorporate and establish ourselves.. just like any other type-club. We need to establish ourselves as a bonafide entity, with qualified individuals who are 1) intelligent 2) educated 3) detail oriented 4) OBJECTIVE and 5) able to drop what they are doing for 3 or 4 days and travel on their own nickel to perform a role similar to what Paul did. Hell.. even INCLUDE him.. but make sure the "go team" aspect of this organization is able to focus on the FACTS of the situation and not draw premature conclusions. We would need to petition the NTSB and FAA to make them acutely aware at the regional level in EACH region that we have representatives on hand to assist with investigations of rotary powered aircraft. WE would be the experts on wether something was acceptable or not (oil premix, for instance) in the rotary community, and would be able to render input to the board reps/investigators but we would have to be able to BACK IT UP WITH FACTS in any case.
 