Oshkosh saw a group of Rocketeers getting together for a Safety Seminar. The purpose was to try to solicit ideas on improving safety in the Rocket types. The rocket is one of the greatest sport aircraft on the planet, but recently there have been some seemingly very preventable accidents/incidents crop up. The goal of the seminar was to try to come together as a group and help each other. Several people expressed an interest, but could not attend, and wanted a summary of what transpired...so here it is: a quick (?) summary from our meeting at Oshkosh. We welcome any comments, corrections or suggestions.
The safety seminar was well attended. More than 25 people took time out of their AirVenture experience to participate. It was a diverse group: builders and flyers with F1s, Harmons, and ?hybrids?, geographically varied, experienced and not so. We had a wealth of knowledge and breadth of experience not often see in a flying group. It was a great opportunity to put faces with names and get to know other Rocketeers.
We started with a short review of Rocket accidents. Most plaguing were several accidents that occurred ?maneuvering? close to the ground and/or while performing aerobatics, with no aircraft anomalies found. There were also two forced landings. Compared to RV-type aircraft, we evidently have a greater chance of falling prey to the temptations of low level aerobatics.
We then passed on lessons learned and experiences. Some of the topics were:
?Spins and aerobatics
o Differences with a passenger/aft CG
o Hammerheads, and the risks of inadvertent spin entry
o Differences between upright and inverted spin recoveries
o Differences between learning aerobatics in a Decathlon or Pitts and flying them in a rocket
?Engine failure glide ratios: counter weighted propellers vs. non counter weighted, different props and rpm settings and their affect on glide performance
?Low altitude engine failures: when not to turn back to the runway
?Inverted oil systems: risks and maintenance requirements
We stand much better odds of improving personal safety as a group than as a bunch of individuals. Learning from each other?s experiences, and using our varied talents and resources will reap benefits for everyone. Overall, communication is the key in identifying and solving problems. To this end, Mark Frederick volunteered to help set up a private forum for Rocket owners only, aimed at sharing useful and positive information (in contrast to the open, and often misused Matronics forum).
Several suggestions were made by the group in the interest of safety. Suggestions that fell into the area of flying and operating the aircraft:
?Identify high risk practices and develop a list of procedures and maneuvers to avoid. For instance:
o Low-level aerobatics
o Showing off or performing maneuvers at the spur of the moment without forethought, proper training or practice
o Performing high pitch angle/low airspeed maneuvers (for instance, hammerheads) without understanding the risks of inadvertent spin/inverted spin entries and recovery procedures
o Over-the-top aerobatics or spins with an aft CG/heavy weight passenger
o Engine hot starts with high throttle settings and/or locked brakes resulting in nose-overs
?Encourage owners to fly with one another (with ego?s checked at the door) to observe each other?s good and bad habits
o Highlights differences between airframes and helps start an exchange of information
?Develop a personal safety creed to make a conscious decision on the ground to avoid high risk situations and actions. Help support others in adhering to their safety creed. For instance:
o I will not perform low level aerobatics or aggressive maneuvers below XXXX? AGL
o I will not fly VFR with ceilings less than XXXX?, XXXX? in mountainous terrain
o I will identify and fix known aircraft malfunctions promptly
o I will always take X minutes to perform a proper preflight inspection
o I will not fly when impaired physically in any way
o Etc?
From the Maintenance and Airworthiness side of the equation:
?Identify maintenance areas to pay closer attention to
o Re-torque gear legs at oil changes
o Engine baffling
o Tailwheel spring attach bracket
o Control linkages, rod-ends and use of washers
o Engine mounts
o Empennage and spar attach points
?Realize the additional strain placed on aircraft used regularly for aerobatics and increase inspection requirements
?Have an experienced and concerned independent person look over your aircraft
o the builder may have a prejudiced eye when it comes to inspecting and maintaining their own aircraft
o a non-builder may not have the experience or know how to maintain their own aircraft
o It may be hard on the pride, but having a critical but considerate individual inspect our airplanes may help point out deficiencies. In any case, it helps start an exchange of information.
o Put together a ?for fun? fly-in competition where we all look at each other?s planes to see who can find the most items that could be improved??
Conclusion: It was worthwhile time spent with other Rocketeers. The session was well received and most came away feeling positive and better informed. Many expressed an interest in continuing with similar gatherings and new measures focused on Rocket safety. We fly, or are building to fly one of the best sport aircraft on the planet. To be able to maximize the thrill of flying this great aircraft safely, and be able to encourage others to do the same would be a great goal!
The safety seminar was well attended. More than 25 people took time out of their AirVenture experience to participate. It was a diverse group: builders and flyers with F1s, Harmons, and ?hybrids?, geographically varied, experienced and not so. We had a wealth of knowledge and breadth of experience not often see in a flying group. It was a great opportunity to put faces with names and get to know other Rocketeers.
We started with a short review of Rocket accidents. Most plaguing were several accidents that occurred ?maneuvering? close to the ground and/or while performing aerobatics, with no aircraft anomalies found. There were also two forced landings. Compared to RV-type aircraft, we evidently have a greater chance of falling prey to the temptations of low level aerobatics.
We then passed on lessons learned and experiences. Some of the topics were:
?Spins and aerobatics
o Differences with a passenger/aft CG
o Hammerheads, and the risks of inadvertent spin entry
o Differences between upright and inverted spin recoveries
o Differences between learning aerobatics in a Decathlon or Pitts and flying them in a rocket
?Engine failure glide ratios: counter weighted propellers vs. non counter weighted, different props and rpm settings and their affect on glide performance
?Low altitude engine failures: when not to turn back to the runway
?Inverted oil systems: risks and maintenance requirements
We stand much better odds of improving personal safety as a group than as a bunch of individuals. Learning from each other?s experiences, and using our varied talents and resources will reap benefits for everyone. Overall, communication is the key in identifying and solving problems. To this end, Mark Frederick volunteered to help set up a private forum for Rocket owners only, aimed at sharing useful and positive information (in contrast to the open, and often misused Matronics forum).
Several suggestions were made by the group in the interest of safety. Suggestions that fell into the area of flying and operating the aircraft:
?Identify high risk practices and develop a list of procedures and maneuvers to avoid. For instance:
o Low-level aerobatics
o Showing off or performing maneuvers at the spur of the moment without forethought, proper training or practice
o Performing high pitch angle/low airspeed maneuvers (for instance, hammerheads) without understanding the risks of inadvertent spin/inverted spin entries and recovery procedures
o Over-the-top aerobatics or spins with an aft CG/heavy weight passenger
o Engine hot starts with high throttle settings and/or locked brakes resulting in nose-overs
?Encourage owners to fly with one another (with ego?s checked at the door) to observe each other?s good and bad habits
o Highlights differences between airframes and helps start an exchange of information
?Develop a personal safety creed to make a conscious decision on the ground to avoid high risk situations and actions. Help support others in adhering to their safety creed. For instance:
o I will not perform low level aerobatics or aggressive maneuvers below XXXX? AGL
o I will not fly VFR with ceilings less than XXXX?, XXXX? in mountainous terrain
o I will identify and fix known aircraft malfunctions promptly
o I will always take X minutes to perform a proper preflight inspection
o I will not fly when impaired physically in any way
o Etc?
From the Maintenance and Airworthiness side of the equation:
?Identify maintenance areas to pay closer attention to
o Re-torque gear legs at oil changes
o Engine baffling
o Tailwheel spring attach bracket
o Control linkages, rod-ends and use of washers
o Engine mounts
o Empennage and spar attach points
?Realize the additional strain placed on aircraft used regularly for aerobatics and increase inspection requirements
?Have an experienced and concerned independent person look over your aircraft
o the builder may have a prejudiced eye when it comes to inspecting and maintaining their own aircraft
o a non-builder may not have the experience or know how to maintain their own aircraft
o It may be hard on the pride, but having a critical but considerate individual inspect our airplanes may help point out deficiencies. In any case, it helps start an exchange of information.
o Put together a ?for fun? fly-in competition where we all look at each other?s planes to see who can find the most items that could be improved??
Conclusion: It was worthwhile time spent with other Rocketeers. The session was well received and most came away feeling positive and better informed. Many expressed an interest in continuing with similar gatherings and new measures focused on Rocket safety. We fly, or are building to fly one of the best sport aircraft on the planet. To be able to maximize the thrill of flying this great aircraft safely, and be able to encourage others to do the same would be a great goal!
