Original Posted By: "John Ford"
please contact the helpdesk.> I don't want to add fuel to the raging BRS fire, but I can't help but mentiona >thing or two on the subject. And sorry if this falls under "moral high ground"I'm a hillbilly, and not quite sure what that means.> I am torn on building the Piet...I've got 3 Corvair engines sitting in the> garage with the plans on building> a Corvair powered Pietenpol, but 3 years ago I lost my brother to a crash> (certified aircraft). I don't know that> I'll ever get to build and fly a Piet, and it's not because I'm afraid, it's> because I know the feeling of> getting that phone call in the middle of the night...the sick feeling of> knowing a loved one is laying in> mangled wreckage for hours while investigators are poking around taking> pictures. I don't want anyone> to go through that. To trust your life, or more importantly, a passengers> life, to your abilities and the> assumption that problems are going to occur at an optimum time is> risky...and I'm not talking about major structural> failures, I mean any failure. Wasn't it Poplar Piet that went down after the> passenger pulled the throttle linkage off?> I know that could have been avoided by better construction, but the bottom> line is, stuff breaks, and not always at the best time.> It's true that a BRS would be ineffective at low altitudes, but from what> I've seen on NTSB reports, quite a few> Piet crashes under 100 ft have been survived. If I was going down, even that> low, I would give that handle a yank.> Might slow you down a split second before impact and be the difference> between life or death, or getting banged> up a little vs. spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair.> I know a BRS takes a little weight, are expensive, and I'm sorry to waste morebandwidth> on the subject, but I would take> all the cussings in the world for being a BRS advocate, and give up> everything I own to have my brother back...I wouldn't> bat an eye at $4000. Imagine several years from now...one of the Piets that> is just photos of wood and hardware on a website> now, is flying. The pilot is confident enough he can take up a 5 year old> for their first airplane ride...his parents watch,> sure that this aircraft must be safe. They have to pass inspections, don't> they? At 250 ft AGL the crank on the> engine breaks, the prop comes back, mangling the tail feathers...How much> would you give for a BRS now?> I don't mean to be melodramatic, but when you hit the ground, you> die...forever. If you want to ride it to the ground,> that's your prerogative...just don't take anyone with you, and don't slam> those too hard considering a BRS if they have the $.> If I build, you can bet I'll have one. If my rambling helps pursuade on personto incorporate one, and it saves one life..it will be worth it.> > Jon Jones> Mo.________________________________________________________________________________Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 11:22:58 -0500