Slight fenderbender involving Evektor Eurostar.

[Phil Perry]

Silly incident where the pilot immediately admitted that he got it too slow on the approach,. . . stalled it briefly, and left wing dropped, . . . but he managed to regain control again, but too late to go around nor prevent a hard landing off to the left of the grass runway,. . . picture shows the moment of impact. . . . .with bits of grass and earth flying into the air. . . No injuries, but substantial damage to the undercarriage, the airframe and a shockload to the engine. . . . a couple of seconds after this frame was taken,. . .the aircraft settled in a level atttitude, and the pilot / passenger evacuated with nil injuries. ( I think this aircraft is similar to the Evektor 'Sportstar' machine marketed in OZ )

 

 

Oft repeated mistake with all sorts of aeroplanes, but this time,. . .no injuries.

 

"Extremely lightly built aircraft will 'Bend' equally easily when misused. . " ( Quote from Mike Whittaker, designer of the MW series of basic aeroplanes. . . )

 

 

[Oscar]

The passenger appears to be a Jack Russell terrier! (though it's a bit hard to tell). The Evektor has one of the worst fatality rates/100k hours of anything, in the USA, and a most concerningly high overall accident rate: http://jabiru.net.au/images/The%20Aviation%20Consumer%20-%20LSA%20Accidents.pdf.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

The passenger appears to be a Jack Russell terrier! (though it's a bit hard to tell). The Evektor has one of the worst fatality rates/100k hours of anything, in the USA, and a most concerningly high overall accident rate: http://jabiru.net.au/images/The Aviation Consumer - LSA Accidents.pdf.

Thank you for your input Oscar,. . . Melanie ( The wife of the Pilot) would be quite happy with your post, as she keeps dogs too. . . . I am concerned as to why the Evektor EV97 should have such a high attrition rate, as it is the one of the most easy aircraft to fly that I have ever encountered,. . .and I cannot believe that me. . .the great Phil Perry, with less than 20,000 hours, and only responsible for the destruction of £250,000 worth of aviataion equipment over forty five years of trying. . .. . . . . . .can be counted amongst the bestest pilots in the world. . . .no,. . .surely not ? ? ? Piece off Pi$$ to drive,. . .no major issues,. . .as long as you ensure that the cockpit canopy is secure. . .. and, if flown within the book envelope,. . .what's the problem ? ? ? ?

 

Are our flying intructors / Mentors not doing their jobs properly ? ? ? I realise that we can't all be as be as brilliant as me and you but there has to be a sensible reason if a certain type of aircraft has a poor STATISTICAL accident record ? ?

 

#someflyingpeopleneedtobuyboatsorRVs

 

 

[JEM]

Glad there were no injuries Phil, Sad about the plane. Good photo tho.

 

 

[Birdseye]

Based on my experience, due to its appearance and configuration, its very easy to regard the Eurostar/Sportstar as a conventional light aircraft and try to fly it as such. However, if you try to fly it like a Cherokee or C172 you'll quickly find that it is actually a very light aircraft that lacks the inertia of heavier 'light' aircraft and requires greater finesse in handling near to the ground. Maybe that's the trap some fall into?

 

 

[facthunter]

With grass that long a Victa would be better. Nev

 

 

[PA.]

G-SHaMI about the plane, glad the pilot and Jack Russel are good.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Are our flying intructors / Mentors not doing their jobs properly ? ? ?

Yea, we have been telling people not to crash for years...keeps happening tho.. Maybe not enough time spent on the "dont crash" sequence?

 

 

[M61A1]

Based on my experience, due to its appearance and configuration, its very easy to regard the Eurostar/Sportstar as a conventional light aircraft and try to fly it as such. However, if you try to fly it like a Cherokee or C172 you'll quickly find that it is actually a very light aircraft that lacks the inertia of heavier 'light' aircraft and requires greater finesse in handling near to the ground. Maybe that's the trap some fall into?

 

Yea, we have been telling people not to crash for years...keeps happening tho.. Maybe not enough time spent on the "dont crash" sequence?

Maybe management have been telling people to stay in the middle of the sky, not to go near the edges, and refusing to allow them to be taught about what to do near the edge of the sky....

 

 

[Roundsounds]

Yea, we have been telling people not to crash for years...keeps happening tho.. Maybe not enough time spent on the "dont crash" sequence?

Maybe there needs to be a new chapter added to the op's manual banning crashing?

 

 

[Phillip King]

Hi Phil

 

Off topic but currently on holidays in your country and loving it ,just wondering if you know of any micro light airfields near Chipping Camden where we're we are staying ? love to go for a fly over this beautiful part of the country ( wife suggested seeing its fathers day tomorrow).

 

Cheers Phil

 

 

[DGL Fox]

The passenger appears to be a Jack Russell terrier! (though it's a bit hard to tell). The Evektor has one of the worst fatality rates/100k hours of anything, in the USA, and a most concerningly high overall accident rate: http://jabiru.net.au/images/The Aviation Consumer - LSA Accidents.pdf.

Oscar,

I would suspect that the Sportstar which is a different model here to the European version and the also I believe the US version would be mainly loss of control on landing issues although in this report is does state that a couple of these accidents were VFR into IMC occurrences and a stall spin which can happen to any aircraft if it is not flown right, in the report that you put up there are 2 other LSA's with a worst record, the Sports Crusier being one of these with 4 deaths, I am surprised that it is in this list. These 2 aircraft are low wing so maybe that could have something to do with it as far as loss of control on landing, they are harder to land if you have no experience in them. Like most of these reports they don't seems to go into the fine detail and that's where I think most of these reports are very misleading.

 

Well I own a Sportstar and I am more than happy with it and like I said before any aircraft can kill you if you have not had enough training in the aircraft or do stupid things, I guess in the same way a Jabiru could kill you if you don't service the engine regularly, fix all the AD's and fly it in the correct manner...

 

David

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Based on my experience, due to its appearance and configuration, its very easy to regard the Eurostar/Sportstar as a conventional light aircraft and try to fly it as such. However, if you try to fly it like a Cherokee or C172 you'll quickly find that it is actually a very light aircraft that lacks the inertia of heavier 'light' aircraft and requires greater finesse in handling near to the ground. Maybe that's the trap some fall into?

This is quite possible Birdy. . .The first thing nearly all GA pilots whom I have taken for a flip in a microlight / LSA type comment upon; is the obvious difference in kinetic energy, as you point out.

 

We have a member who has a share in a PA28 , and also a Mk 1 X'Air, of which, he says, "Nearly stops dead in the air when I throttle back - the descent angle surprises me every time".

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Hi PhilOff topic but currently on holidays in your country and loving it ,just wondering if you know of any micro light airfields near Chipping Camden where we're we are staying ? love to go for a fly over this beautiful part of the country ( wife suggested seeing its fathers day tomorrow).

Cheers Phil

Hi Phillip, I don't know much about the area Darn Sarf . . .but if you log in to the Brit microlight aircraft association website, ( BMAA.ORG ) there is bound to be information which should help, these clubs are now all over the place, loads of them in the South of England, I'd be amazed if there isn't somewhere within a half hour drive of where you're staying. You don't have to be a member to ask questions on the general Chat forum. . . In the meantime, I'll go and take a look out of curiosity.

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Hi PhilOff topic but currently on holidays in your country and loving it ,just wondering if you know of any micro light airfields near Chipping Camden where we're we are staying ? love to go for a fly over this beautiful part of the country ( wife suggested seeing its fathers day tomorrow).

Cheers Phil

Enstone isn't far away Enstone Microlights Phil Reed Quality Pilot and Instructor Training

 

 

[philipnz]

Oscar,....any aircraft can kill you if you have not had enough training in the aircraft or do stupid things......

David

I agree. I fly a Remos, in theory one of the most dangerous. But 2 of those accidents were due to the pilots failure to preflight after folding the wings/elevator. One was a stall/spin by a trainee in conditions she shouldn't have been flying in and the other was idiotic flying by an instructor trying, I suspect, to impress his female student. Remos are used a lot for training in the USA and the bulk of the accidents stem from this. So none of those accidents concern or relate to me or my aircraft.

 

 

[onetrack]

Were many of those huge numbers of prangs in the U.S. preceded by, "Hey guys! Just hold my beer, and watch this!" ?

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Enstone isn't far away Enstone Microlights Phil Reed Quality Pilot and Instructor Training

Wellesbourne Licenced airfiield is not that far away either,. . . but it's been years since I visited and have no idea if there is an SLA / Microlight operator on the site as it's been G.A. oriented for a very long time. . . quite a few private clubs in the Cotswolds though, and they are usually very friendly and accomodating to visitors.

 

( Unless they just had a bunch of Rotax engines nicked of course,. . . . .)

 

 

[Phillip King]

Thanks for the help guys, Phil Reed returns from holidys on Monday, will give him a ring then. Regarding the Evektor Eurostar as a trainer I have seen three planes with severe damage to the front nose wheel from heavy landings, one with the nose leg driven though the floor between the rudder pedals, all from training schools. But easy repaired, only lengthy time getting parts. I feel maybe a bit light in the landing gear as a trainer. I have done 1/2 an hour of circuits in one a few years back, lovely plane to fly, would be high on the list if I won tatts.

 

Cheers Phil

 

 

[Keenaviator]

I love the title of this thread...What an understatement!

 

 

[docjell]

Based on my experience, due to its appearance and configuration, its very easy to regard the Eurostar/Sportstar as a conventional light aircraft and try to fly it as such. However, if you try to fly it like a Cherokee or C172 you'll quickly find that it is actually a very light aircraft that lacks the inertia of heavier 'light' aircraft and requires greater finesse in handling near to the ground. Maybe that's the trap some fall into?

Not in my experience Birdseye- I found going from a C172 to the Sportstar incredibly easy and intuitive. The Sporty, like the 172, virtually lands herself with minimal interference . It does look and behave like a 'conventional' aircraft in every sense.

 

 

[Birdseye]

Nonsense. Try a good crosswind.

 

 

[docjell]

The prevailing wind at my strip is virtually always at 90 degrees to the strip direction. Perhaps we just have a different skill mix

 

 

[facthunter]

Boom Boom. I haven't found a plane that lands itself yet, but some will fluke it at just the right speed and conditions. Doesn't mean they will do it everytime though and I never expect them to.. Put the effort in just in case. Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

Every airplane ever invented will land itself.................once. Just don't expect it to fly again.