Wing Strike on low pass at airshow in RV-7A

Tech Support required in Argentina!

RV-7 stunt in Argentina

Yes, if's FB, and for that my apologies, but my CFI just posted this in the students group and it's as eye-opening as the pilot was lucky. As I said in our school FB group, the **** fool nearly wrote off quite a nice-looking RV-7.

A shame Van's no longer do the RVator - I'd love to hear what they'd consider a reasonable inspection and repair regieme given the potential for aft bending of the spar after such a stunt!

Wheels on the wing tips?

Yikes!.....

That was very nearly a disaster and he's very fortunate to have walked away from it. If the ground had been softer we'd be reading about a fatality.

is this a touch & go, or merely a low pass

Lost a tip

There’s a Video from Argentina , looks like RV7 doing a low flyby turn and hits the wingtip in the dirt ….

Lucky.......

g zero said:

There’s a Video from Argentina , looks like RV7 doing a low flyby turn and hits the wingtip in the dirt ….

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It's a wonder it didn't drag him into a cartwheel!

Maybe he had an antisplat device installed.
lucky hombre.

You can only tie the record for flying low, it’s never been broken!

That plane is most likely totaled. Spar certainly (and possibly) fuse bent. I'd imagine the Aregentine authorities will want to talk to the owner.

Lucky to be alive ...and a potential Darwin Award finalist.

Geez.

KRviator said:

[… the **** fool nearly wrote off quite a nice-looking RV-7.

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As far as we’re concerned he’ll have to write it off. Either that or produce his own parts. What an idiot.

The sad thing is that someone somewhere will see this video, think it’s cool, and start hot dogging low to the ground and putting passengers/people in danger. Some people just shouldn’t be flying airplanes.

greghughespdx said:

As far as we’re concerned he’ll have to write it off. Either that or produce his own parts. What an idiot.

The sad thing is that someone somewhere will see this video, think it’s cool, and start hot dogging low to the ground and putting passengers/people in danger. Some people just shouldn’t be flying airplanes.

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Yep....there goes another one of those RV pilots.......<sigh>

As far as we’re concerned he’ll have to write it off. Either that or produce his own parts

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Pretty interesting times ahead for Vans then… skimming all present and potential customers off your list on the grounds of mistakes, or dumb flying acts?
Take me 2nd in line for I have done some stupid flying as well, I do hereby confess. Yes, I’m a human being too

Argentinian's last words (almost)

Sostenga mi cerveza

Dan 57 said:

Pretty interesting times ahead for Vans then… skimming all present and potential customers off your list on the grounds of mistakes, or dumb flying acts?
Take me 2nd in line for I have done some stupid flying as well, I do hereby confess. Yes, I’m a human being too

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Sorry, dragging a wingtip on the ground is far outside the realm of an accidental "mistake" or "dumb flying act"...

I was doing some work on my nosewheel last week and stripped the threads out of my welded aluminum nosewheel fork. After saying most of the words, I got online to buy a replacement and it said "Call to order", which I did, and when I asked about that I was told that it was a "critical aircraft part" and they would not sell to someone other than a builder. Vans has already realized and set precedent there, trying to protect their own, and it's their prerogative (some would say responsibility) to do so.

Blocking people who demonstrate misuse and expose the kit manufacturer to possible litigation is not just a smart idea, it's a requirement in todays business world. Next week or next month when this guy does something stupid with his plane, kills himself and maybe others, and a lawsuit gets filed including Vans as a defendant, it's defensible in court for them to stand up and show the documentation that they recognized the dangerous behavior and blocked this owner to further business. It's the smart play. Vans can't physically force the guy to stop flying or take the plane away from him - that's for local law enforcement - but it's entirely within their purview to refuse to do further business with him.

To help Vans in their screening, I suggest typing «Vans RV low pass» or the like in their search machine, that will weed some candidates out. And «idiots» by the same token…

Bob, no need to apologize, really
But once more, that was not the point, please go back to my post and read, thanks.
Now talking about the stunt:

dragging a wingtip on the ground is far outside the realm of an accidental "mistake" or "dumb flying act"

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So if that wasn’t mistake nor dumb, was the wingtip dragging deliberate? An awesomely precise flying act?

this guy does something stupid with his plane, kills himself and maybe others, and a lawsuit gets filed including Vans as a defendant, it's defensible in court for them to stand up and show the documentation that they recognized the dangerous behavior and blocked this owner to further business.

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Greg, with all due respect, reading your signature puts at risk, hope Vans not reading…

Built an off-plan RV9A with too much fuel and too much HP. Should drop dead any minute now.

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Dan 57 said:

Greg, with all due respect, reading your signature puts at risk, hope Vans not reading…

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Big difference between an IO360 with extended fuel, and putting lives in danger with a stupid pilot trick.

And Vans is still selling parts to me, at least as of yesterday.

Thread closed because it is headed for the weeds.

A Van's RV-7A was performing a low pass at the Aeroclub Allen Air Show, Río Negro, when the right hand wing tip scraped the ground. The pilot managed to climb away and safely landed with a damaged right hand wingtip. May 6, 2023, Aeroclub Allen, RN - Argentina,
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature: Demo/Airshow/Display

Sources:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/312197
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VWrstzgxZJU
https://twitter.com/OnAviation?ref_...l=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/312197

https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/20...cos-metros-de-un-festival-aereo-en-rio-negro/
https://www.rionegro.com.ar/socieda...festival-aereo-del-aeroclub-de-allen-2895585/
https://twitter.com/JSTsucesos/status/1655002770699694083

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/93417_1659925902.jpg (photo)