"RapidRonnie" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 21, 8:12 am, "Wayne Paul" wrote:

My guess is that the "spinal injuries" occured on impact. The BD-5's
cockpit design offers little to no pilot protection.

Jim Bede openly felt that was unnecessary because most BD-5s would
never fly or if they did would either only fly a few hours and be
junked when the owner died or would crash so badly it would make
little difference how he built it.

I don't think Richard Van Grunsven puts a lot of crashworthiness
effort in the RVs, either. They do fly better than Bede designs
though.


It wasn't my attempt to imply the crashworthiness of the BD-5 is less then
other homebuilts. It was simply to affirm the primary spinal injury was
caused by the impact. I am sure my HP-14 sailplane isn't much better. I
too, for all practical purposes, am sitting directly on the belly skin.
(http://www.soaridaho.com/photogaller.../17900_MSL.jpg)
(http://tinyurl.com/2esvov)

I am sure a gear-up hard landing would not be good for my previousely
injured spine.

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/