I spoke with Bob Pastusek at the Oshkosh this week about taking the survey that EAA and the NTSB are currently conducting.  He agreed that my comments sent via email were very appropriate, so thought I would share them (at the bottom of the email) and the response from the NTSB, just below.  I encourage others to take the time to complete the survey and comment as well.

Tom Sullivan

1999 Fast build IVP in (obviously) slow build mode

 

Dear Homebuilder –

Thank you for sharing with us your comments about the EAA’s survey of builders and owners of experimental amateur built aircraft.  The NTSB is extremely pleased that the Experimental Aircraft Association has agreed to share the results of this survey with us, to strengthen our ongoing study of E-AB safety.  The information that the survey will provide about the population of owners and builders of E-ABs, in relation to the much smaller population of accident involved E-AB aircraft, is extremely important to the safety study.  Detailed data on all E-AB accidents during 2011 are being collected by NTSB Air Safety Investigators, assisted by FAA inspectors to further support the study.

 

In addition to evaluation the survey and accident data, the study is also gathering important information from manufacturers, organizations like the EAA and type clubs, as well as the FAA’s inspectors and DARs.  Your comments are also valuable to the study.

 

Again, thank you for your observations and comments.

 

NTSB Safety Study Team

 

 

From: Tom & Beth Sullivan [mailto:toms1@chartermi.net]
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2011 8:47 AM
To: eabsafetystudy
Subject: EAB Safety Study

 

   I appreciate the effort to improve the safety record of experimental aircraft through the survey and compiled data it will generate, but the opportunity to learn where we can improve that safety record is greatly inhibited when the survey allows no area to add comments.

 

   I am building a Lancair IVP Turbine, and have valid concerns about the safety record of the Lancair fleet.  Unfortunately, it appears a lot of the accidents are pilot related, and the very root of that issue is the limited ability we have to receive training due to the current FAA regulations, specifically the limitations on these aircraft to provide training for hire and/or during the phase one testing period.

 

   If there is a genuine desire to improve the safety record of these high performance aircraft, then the FAA must make it easier to receive training, in these very same aircraft, before turning a new builder loose in their own plane. 

 

Tom Sullivan

2800 hours building

2600 hours of high performance / complex time

2750 hours total time as pilot in command