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Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:21:59 -0500
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Subject: FAA, Inusrance and the Future of Lancairs
Thread-Topic: FAA, Inusrance and the Future of Lancairs
Thread-Index: AclltvJtmKV5IDgTRBiFastEFtVvegAI2Ayo
References: <list-3394936@logan.com>
From: "Halle, John" <JJHALLE@stoel.com>

There has recently been considerable discussion about the fact that both =
the FAA and the insurance industry may, if we don't do something about =
our safety record, take steps that would make flying Lancairs difficult =
or impossible.  I know that Joe and Tim have taken this very seriously =
and have worked hard to create a scenario designed to address the =
problem.  That effort is commendable and everyone in the Lancair =
community owes them a debt of gratitude.
=20
What we all need to do now is try to figure out where we go from here.  =
We have focused on two things -- aircraft inspection and training.  The =
actual accident record would suggest that the latter is far more =
important than the former but there is no question that we need to =
satisfy the regulators and insureres on both scores.  Lancair has =
offered itself as a performer of inspections and, according to Joe's =
post, will have Tim Wilson do the actual inspections.  I can attest =
personally that Tim is more than qualified.  On the training side, Joe =
has proposed HPAT, a respected and highly qualified organization.
=20
While my praise of the foregoing is unqualified, that does not mean that =
I think there is nothing left for the rest of us to do.  There may be =
more than a thousand flying Lancairs out there.  If I understand the new =
requirement, every single one of them would have to be inspected before =
the next annual renewal date.  With all due respect to Tim, he already =
has a day job and, even if he didn't there is no way that he could get =
all those inspections done within the next year.  There are also =
questions of geographical convenience.  If Tim is going to do even a =
small fraction of the inspections, he can't be spending all his time on =
airplanes going around the country.  And then there is the question of =
cost, not an irrelevant issue in today's economy.  There are many people =
around the country who are or could easily become qualified to perform =
these inspections and a credible program will demand that we find a way =
to use them.
=20
The same goes for training.  HPAT is a wonderful organization but there =
are all kinds of reasons why neither they nor any other single =
organization should have a monopoly on training.  Again, a program that =
is credible and that has a chance of actually workng to lower accident =
rates is going to need more diversity (of ideas, geography, ease of =
access etc.) than any one organization can provide, especially on the =
short timeline that we apparently have.
=20
In the short term, the Lancair community needs to propose a credible =
program to the regulators and insurers.  A program that provides a =
single inspector and a handful of instructors is a great start but more =
is needed.  LOBO is working hard on a program to address these needs and =
encourages others to contribute as well.  We should all be working =
together to solve this serious problem.  Everyone's effort is a plus, =
which is why I am disturbed when I hear views that suggest that anyone =
who wants to work outside the Lancair system is an advocate of sedition.
=20
In the long term, the program is going to have to work to reduce =
accidents.  Whatever program or programs are established, that is going =
to be a tall order.  All the available evidence indicates that the =
problem is not in the airplanes but in the judgments that we make flying =
them.  As far as I am concerned, if anyone thinks he has an idea how to =
improve the collective judgment of our community, he should be =
encouraged to try.  We need all the help we can get!