Single-Seat Accident Records (Was BD-5B)

Looking at the 1990-2003 period, we find 22 accidents where "Subaru" is
mentioned (we'll assume they all refer to an engine installed in the
aircraft, and not the type of car they hit on a forced landing). We'll use
the number of Subaru-powered airplanes in 2003 (429) to compare the results
to the overall homebuilt fleet, the Fly Babies, the BD-5s, and the RV-3s.
Again, this table divides the number of aircraft of accident aircraft
during the 1990-2003 period and divides it by the number of aircraft of
that type registered in January 2003. It's useful for relative
comparisons, but, of course, isn't accurate in an absolute sense.

Accident Rate (total over 14 years)
All Homebuilts 11.1%
Fly Baby 5.7%
BD-5 27.2%
RV-3 8.2%
Subaru-powered 5.1%

By these results, Subaru-powered aircraft had an accident rate less than
half that of the total fleet. But this doesn't include those accidents
where the NTSB online report does not mention the use of a Subaru engine.

Ron Wanttaja
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For me...
Without knowing the number of flight hours involved,
accurate safety details and analysis are destined
to remain shrouded in much fog, mystery and hype.

However, I can see those with an agenda abusing
the incomplete data to bolster a particular point of view.

Including me.

Fer instance -
I picture an average RV3 flying mega-more hours a year than
any BD-5 whizzing around in little circles because of reliability
issues and no x-country capability. Ditto for my trusty Fly Baby.

My open cockpit Fly Baby flew very little compared to my RV3.
Conditions too damn harsh much of the New England year.
Which makes me believe that damn few Fly Babies or BD-5s
have much potential to crash due to adverse weather or even
less likely....doing sport aerobatics. g

I've flown in light snow with my RV-3 wearing nothing more than
a hawaiian short sleeved shirt and a smile. The speed, comfort
and economy makes it a helluva practical x-country machine...
and exposed greatly to the hazards of flying missions that the
BD-5 and Fly Baby are unlikely to be subjected to very often,
if at all.

YMMV.


Barnyard BOb -- garbage in = garbage out

"- Barnyard BOb -" wrote in message
...

I've flown in light snow with my RV-3 wearing nothing more than
a hawaiian short sleeved shirt and a smile.

Now thats an ugly picture g!!!

"George Eberhardt" wrote:

"- Barnyard BOb -" wrote in message
.. .

I've flown in light snow with my RV-3 wearing nothing more than
a hawaiian short sleeved shirt and a smile.

Now thats an ugly picture g!!!

There should be a law against things like that... (at least if he's
flying under a clear canopy).

Mark "careful when practicing loops like that..." Hickey

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 06:41:58 -0600, - Barnyard BOb - wrote:

Without knowing the number of flight hours involved,
accurate safety details and analysis are destined
to remain shrouded in much fog, mystery and hype.

Certainly. But of course, we'll probably never have that sort of data,
unless the EAA does a membership survey. We can't fully rely on the online
NTSB accident reports, either, because they only mention the engine type
when engine-related problems were a factor in the accident. Unless we pay
for and analyze the hard-copy reports, we don't know how many of the other
2200+ homebuilt accidents since 1990 involved auto-engine homebuilts.

However, I can see those with an agenda abusing
the incomplete data to bolster a particular point of view.

Yep...that's why I couched the information in cautious terms, in some
cases...there just isn't enough depth to the statistics.

For instance, during the 1990-2003 time period, three Fly Babies and three
RV-3s suffered in-flight wing failures. One out of every five Fly Baby or
RV-3 crash. What's important is the root causes; in the Fly Baby case, two
out of the three crashes were errors in maintenance, and the other involved
the builder deviating from the plans. But the raw data certainly looks
bad.

The RV-3 problems are similarly well known... NTSB accident report
FTW98FA145 offers great insight. But those who want to slam either
aircraft have plenty of ammunition.

I picture an average RV3 flying mega-more hours a year than
any BD-5 whizzing around in little circles because of reliability
issues and no x-country capability. Ditto for my trusty Fly Baby.

The question is, what is the average annual flight time for the entire
homebuilt fleet? Again, we'll never know unless EAA mounts some sort of
effort. I put about 40 hours a year on my Fly Baby, but I live in
mild-weather country. Then again, I had a buddy with an IFR ticket and a
Bonanza, and he only flew 60 hours a year.

It's a matter of averages, not the few stand-outs (or, in the case of Fly
Babies, stand-unders :-).

It's great you're able to fly your RV-3 so much, Bob, but what about the
previous owner? When did he make the first flight, how many years did he
own it, and how many hours did he put on the plane until he sold it do you?
What's the average annual flight time on the airplane since it made its
first flight?

In my case, the plane first flew in 1982 and the plane has ~350 hours.
That's only about 17 hours/year average.

Ron Wanttaja

It's great you're able to fly your RV-3 so much, Bob, but what about the
previous owner? When did he make the first flight, how many years did he
own it, and how many hours did he put on the plane until he sold it do you?
What's the average annual flight time on the airplane since it made its
first flight?

In my case, the plane first flew in 1982 and the plane has ~350 hours.
That's only about 17 hours/year average.

Ron Wanttaja
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I won't bull**** you....
since you probably know the builder personally.
He lived only a stone's throw from you in WA. g

My RV-3 was built in 1986 and flew a TT of 180 hours
through 1985 or so. It sat for about 5 years after that.
I dunno why fer sure, but I suspect age was creeping up
on the builder and he may have frightened himself severely
at some point. In conversing, there were things said that
told me I would never the get the unvarnished whole truth.

Average annual flight time since first flight = 42.94 hours


Barnyard BOb -- RVator

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 11:00:39 -0600, - Barnyard BOb - wrote:


I won't bull**** you....
since you probably know the builder personally.
He lived only a stone's throw from you in WA. g

"Never ask a question on that you don't already know the answer." :-)

BTW, Bob, I can give you some insight as to the lack of activity on that
aircraft in that time period. I don't have your email, drop me a message
offline.

Average annual flight time since first flight = 42.94 hours

Well done, BOb...if my fingers and toes don't deceive me, you must be
flying about 90-95 hours per year.

How about it? Any other homebuilt owners want to chime in with their
approximate average annual flight time?

Ron W/Fly Baby 40 hours
BOb U/RV-3 95 hours


Ron Wanttaja

"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...

How about it? Any other homebuilt owners want to chime in with their
approximate average annual flight time?

Ron W/Fly Baby 40 hours
BOb U/RV-3 95 hours
Rich S/Emeraude 75 hours

Rich S.

"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...

How about it? Any other homebuilt owners want to chime in with their
approximate average annual flight time?

Ron W/Fly Baby 40 hours
BOb U/RV-3 95 hours
Rich S/Emeraude 75 hours
Jerry S/RV-6 75 hours

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 04:17:26 GMT, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 11:00:39 -0600, - Barnyard BOb - wrote:


I won't bull**** you....
since you probably know the builder personally.
He lived only a stone's throw from you in WA. g

"Never ask a question on that you don't already know the answer." :-)

BTW, Bob, I can give you some insight as to the lack of activity on that
aircraft in that time period. I don't have your email, drop me a message
offline.

Average annual flight time since first flight = 42.94 hours

Well done, BOb...if my fingers and toes don't deceive me, you must be
flying about 90-95 hours per year.

How about it? Any other homebuilt owners want to chime in with their
approximate average annual flight time?

Ron W/Fly Baby 40 hours
BOb U/RV-3 95 hours


Ron Wanttaja

315 hours in 16 years = 20 hours per year.
diabolical arguments with part owner who didnt fly and believed 16
hours per year was plenty so it didnt wear out.(hadnt heard of rust)
sat for a year on the ground in argument. (my having the prop off for
balancing while we argued may have had some bearing on that I have to
admit :-) )
bought out part owner.
corrected tailwheel overgearing which made landing a nightmare.
now do 50 to 75 hrs per year. have almost doubled the engine time in
just a few years.
Stealth Pilot

Average annual flight time since first flight = 42.94 hours

Well done, BOb...if my fingers and toes don't deceive me, you must be
flying about 90-95 hours per year.

How about it? Any other homebuilt owners want to chime in with their
approximate average annual flight time?

Ron W/Fly Baby 40 hours
BOb U/RV-3 95 hours


Ron Wanttaja
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I've flown my RV3 over 530 hours since
picking it up in Washington in July of 2000...
Including 9 months disabled with a cracked
engine mount landing gear cluster from a
poor weld job repair before my ownership.

530/40 = 13.25 hr/mo x 12 = 159 hr/year


Barnyard BOb -- over 50 years of successful flight