AC5 M safety?

Does anyone have any thoughts regarding the safety of the Russia AC5M self launcher?

The propeller is inches from the pilots head with the engine in the stowed position. How much of a hazard would this be in a hard landing or crash?

How safe is the cockpit? I dont much like the location of the fuel tank The 2.5 gallon fuel tank is directly behind the pilots head.

I haven't found much data on the AC5M so any info would be appreciated.

Nick

On Sunday, January 19, 2014 1:34:05 PM UTC-6, Nicholas L wrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts regarding the safety of the Russia AC5M self launcher?



The propeller is inches from the pilots head with the engine in the stowed position. How much of a hazard would this be in a hard landing or crash?



How safe is the cockpit? I dont much like the location of the fuel tank The 2.5 gallon fuel tank is directly behind the pilots head.



I haven't found much data on the AC5M so any info would be appreciated.



Nick

If I understand you correctly, the propeller is stowed inside the fuel tank?

yes, that is true..............the designers felt storing the prop inside the fuel tank promoted better mixing of the 2-stroke mixture.

Brad

Gives a whole new meaning to propping your head up.

Boggs

I would be more concerned with the what the prop might do when it comes off the engine...............tragic accident not long ago, where the ship was seen in a hard left turn at about 500', then the pilot tried to bailout, but was too low. Prop was found stick in the left wing!
JJ

JJ Sinclair wrote, On 1/20/2014 6:33 AM:
I would be more concerned with the what the prop might do when it
comes off the engine...............tragic accident not long ago,
where the ship was seen in a hard left turn at about 500', then the
pilot tried to bailout, but was too low. Prop was found stick in the
left wing! JJ

Propellers have come off DG400 and PIK 20, so it's not specific to the
AC-5M. Who was pilot in the AC-5M accident you mentioned?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

On Monday, January 20, 2014 3:52:54 PM UTC-8, Eric Greenwell wrote:
JJ Sinclair wrote, On 1/20/2014 6:33 AM:

I would be more concerned with the what the prop might do when it

comes off the engine...............tragic accident not long ago,

where the ship was seen in a hard left turn at about 500', then the

pilot tried to bailout, but was too low. Prop was found stick in the

left wing! JJ



Propellers have come off DG400 and PIK 20, so it's not specific to the

AC-5M. Who was pilot in the AC-5M accident you mentioned?



--

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to

email me)

The fatal AC-5M accident I referred to happened on 19 May, 2012 at Kingston, NV. Preliminary accident report stated the prop was found imbedded in a wing, however the final report contains no such statement. The engine was displaced from its normal position and I suppose the prop may have been sticking into the left wing, but the finding was that no malfunctions were found in the airframe. Guess that's why preliminary reports are just that. The final report makes no attempt to explain what appears to be an uncontrollable turn or why the pilot attempted to bailout of a properly operating aircraft at very low altitude.
JJ

On Sunday, January 19, 2014 12:34:05 PM UTC-7, Nicholas L wrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts regarding the safety of the Russia AC5M self launcher?



The propeller is inches from the pilots head with the engine in the stowed position. How much of a hazard would this be in a hard landing or crash?



How safe is the cockpit? I dont much like the location of the fuel tank The 2.5 gallon fuel tank is directly behind the pilots head.



I haven't found much data on the AC5M so any info would be appreciated.



Nick

groups.yahoo.com and join ac4

There is as much or more discussion among ac5m owners as anything else. There have been some prop shaft failures, but there is some discussion of a replacement part.

The ac5m listed on barnstormers.com is not listed in the group, but others there may be able to comment.

Frank W

On Sunday, January 19, 2014 11:34:05 AM UTC-8, Nicholas L wrote:
Does anyone have any thoughts regarding the safety of the Russia AC5M self launcher?



The propeller is inches from the pilots head with the engine in the stowed position. How much of a hazard would this be in a hard landing or crash?



How safe is the cockpit? I dont much like the location of the fuel tank The 2.5 gallon fuel tank is directly behind the pilots head.



I haven't found much data on the AC5M so any info would be appreciated.



Nick

I don't think anyone can argue about the AK-47 - Throw it in the mud, drive over it with a jeep, chamber a round and it still throws lots of lead downrange. But one of the reasons it works so well is exactly because it is built with loose tolerance machining and metal stamping.

just for the record:

I built a kit version of the Russia AC4-C and found it to be a very delightful sailplane to fly and never has any doubts as to it's structural integrity.

The aircraft employed many clever design features and while a lightweight machine, seemed very capable for what it was designed to do.

Brad

N199RK