[jamespearce]

I just watched this and found it a respectful and thought provoking pre NTSB commentary on the Icon Aircraft concept.

[Bobcro]

Excellent balanced, independent and thought provoking report.

[Flyin'Dutch']

This is a tragic accident

But I somehow must be on a different wavelength (very possible) but fail to see how some promotional material to flog an aeroplane can seem to be to blame for someone writing themselves off doing some inappropriate flying and showboating.

Why that should be the end of an aeroplane manufacturer as is suggested - not just in that clip is baffling.

Yet listening to people from the States they clearly blame the operator for errors (NRA etc) but when it comes to aeroplanes it is the manufacturer's fault.

[UV]

Gut reaction is that U.S. style law suit will soon follow.
Aircraft advertised as good low level, fun machine, sold to maybe inexperienced pilots...blah blah.
The American lawyers will love it...again.

[Lefty]

Agreed, an excellent well explained and balanced report.

Also, as a lifetime stammerer, it was interesting to see someone with his background as an airforce and airline pilot, still struggling just a little to control his stammer.

[Dave W]

Aside: At work, I flew with an RAF test pilot who had a stammer. Didn't hold him back.

[UV]

Yet listening to people from the States they clearly blame the operator for errors (NRA etc) but when it comes to aeroplanes it is the manufacturer's fault.

Agreed...
Where else, but in the USA, would it seriously be considered that in order to reduce mass shootings people should be given even more guns.

[neilmurg]

They are remembering that pretty much all the GA plane builders stopped because of litigation after plane crashes. You can see the way it will play in US media:
'encouraging non-pilots to do crazy stunts': Roy Halladay was not a novice PPL-only flyer
'his wife was worried by flying': isn't a predictor of anything, but plays to the "told you so" crowd
'3 crashes in 1 year, therefore very unsafe': the incidents do not seem to be related or based on a flaw in the aircraft. 1 flew up a narrow blind canyon at low level killing the test pilot and production manager, 1 was pilot error and occupants survived and now this.

It is however a very bad news story that has accompanying video and is therefore made for TV and instant analysis and emotional impact.

I hope they make it through somehow, it looks like a lot of fun with it's own special niche with real appeal to a certain group of lake dwelling Americans. All those guys that live round Lake Norman, North Carolina or Lake Conroe, Texas for instance.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Oh, I can see how it can work out, as you say.

It just amazes me that it can, especially with their views on firearms which is diametrically opposite to this.

Just my fault for being amazed about anything USA!

[PeteSpencer]

IIRC Cirruses fell from the sky with alarming regularity in the early days, but that doesn't seem to have harmed Cirrus sales in the long term.....

Peter

[skydriller]

Americans seem to do "work hard, play hard" much better than Europeans though.
This is a very well presented (marketed?) product, being an amphibian and trailerable, it should appeal to a wider market than the average aeroplane. I believe they might just be able to do for light sports aviation what Cirrus did for the go-places GA market - and more.

I wish them luck.

[patowalker]

Preliminary accident report https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20171107X60614&AKey=1&RType=HTML&IType=FA.

[skydriller]

The report seems to be saying in a technical and clinical way that the pilot was "having low level fun" over the water before the crash. I shall be surprised if the final report finds there was anything wrong with the aeroplane.

[golfcharlie]

I presume there will be a PM. Until that is done, no-one should be too firm with an opinion about the probable cause.

[akg1486]

I think the point the video was trying to make was that if an aircraft is being marketed as a toy for adrenaline junkies, the GA-community risks attracting new pilots with an attitude to the hobby that's different from the old "boring" one with safety margins left, right and center. That could increase the number of serious incidents. The product itself is certified and there's no reason to think it's inherently dangerous. The three accidents from 2017 don't seem to point to aircraft malfunction.

The idea with a Flight Data Recorder for small aircrafts is interesting, if the cost is reasonable. I remember that the car manufacturer SAAB tried that, but privacy issues stopped it: consumer groups were afraid that insurance companies would use the data as a tool to assign blame and refuse to pay.