The FAA has released their report on the Zodiac 601XL

If on the other hand, it was "Wings fall off under normal loads" it would be foolhardy to fly without a positive way of avoiding the situation.
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Who wants to help me develop a lightweight ejection seat?

I'm a big fan of the "beer summit". I hope you guys can have one.
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I am willing to offer to act as Switzerland on this one and host.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
WARNING: The following is an attempt at humor! I find laughter helps. And the dang prairie dog is FUNNY.

SUBTITLES: "DUMB?! You called me DUMB?! Them's fightin' words!"

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LOL Does anyone else see the irony that you are using an internet meme to laugh about a situation involving another internet meme?
 
Greebo said:
Maybe they should just agree to meet behind the playground after school so they can settle this once and for all?
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Geico266 said:
I have extended an offer to Jay to meet face to face via PM, and now publicly.
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........... and I'll extend another offer to Jay. Once you are satisfied the "fix" for the Zodiac has been tested and approved I'll come to your place and show you how to do the work yourself so you don't have to shell out the $6K.
 
Geico266 said:
........... and I'll extend another offer to Jay. Once you are satisfied the "fix" for the Zodiac has been tested and approved I'll come to your place and show you how to do the work yourself so you don't have to shell out the $6K.
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He's a certified version, isn't he? Doesn't that mean an A&P has to do the work?
 
Keane said:
He's a certified version, isn't he? Doesn't that mean an A&P has to do the work?
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That's a good point, but I beleve it is an S-LSA not certified. It is still experimental. I believe he can do the maintance and repairs, just not sign off the annual condition inspections. The FAA just changed that to include the S-LSA. If it is certified you are correct.

I think that is right anyway.
 
Geico266 said:
That's a good point, but I beleve it is an S-LSA not certified. It is still experimental. I believe he can do the maintance and repairs, just not sign off the annual condition inspections. The FAA just changed that to include the S-LSA. If it is certified you are correct.

I think that is right anyway.
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No. You are thinking ELSA, like your RV12. With an SLSA both maintenance and inspections can only be done buy a Light Sport Repairman or an A&P. The light sport repairman must have taken the 120 hour course, not the 16 hour inspection course you need for your ELSA RV12.
 
Best offer I've had! Name a time & place and I'm there with or without Jay
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About two hundred yards east of the threshold of RWY 21 at KEYE. Pretty much any day except Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. LOL
 
mcjon77 said:
No. You are thinking ELSA, like your RV12. With an SLSA both maintenance and inspections can only be done buy a Light Sport Repairman or an A&P. The light sport repairman must have taken the 120 hour course, not the 16 hour inspection course you need for your ELSA RV12.
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Ahhh!

Well then, Jay you are on your own! :eek: :rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
I mean, this is only the third experimental/homebuilt to have a grounding order go into effect- per the AOPA ASF in a recent article; if anyone knows what the other two were please let me know....I can't find the information anywhere- ...
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Bruce Landsberg of the AOPA ASF responded to an e-mail I sent him. The two aircraft were the RV-3 (as someone else said) and "a model of Sonerai". He made a good point in his reply to me that the FAA has been quite judicious in their decision making when it comes to grounding experimental aircraft with apparently serious design issues.
 
SteveinMichigan said:
Bruce Landsberg of the AOPA ASF responded to an e-mail I sent him. The two aircraft were the RV-3 (as someone else said) and "a model of Sonerai". He made a good point in his reply to me that the FAA has been quite judicious in their decision making when it comes to grounding experimental aircraft with apparently serious design issues.
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Hmmmmm. So my comparison of the RV-3 and the Zodiac 601 as aircraft being worth next to zero after being grounded coming back strong in the market after acceptable and robust repairs are made was accurate.

There I go again spewing venom. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
SteveinMichigan said:
Bruce Landsberg of the AOPA ASF responded to an e-mail I sent him. The two aircraft were the RV-3 (as someone else said) and "a model of Sonerai". He made a good point in his reply to me that the FAA has been quite judicious in their decision making when it comes to grounding experimental aircraft with apparently serious design issues.
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I knew about the RV3 grounding, but had not heard about the Sonerai. The Sonerai DID suffer several wing failures in the early 80's do to aerobatics well over limits.

I asked one of the Sonerai historians about this. This guy is probably the most knowledgable guy on Sonerais other than the designer, John Monnett. The historian (who has been involved with Sonerais since 1976) said that, to the best of his knowledge, the FAA never grounded the Sonerai. What did happen was that John Monnett introduced a mandatory service bulletin to strengthen the wings.

Still, good info, and thanks for following up with Bruce, Steve.
 
Geico266 said:
Hmmmmm. So my comparison of the RV-3 and the Zodiac 601 as aircraft being worth next to zero after being grounded coming back strong in the market after acceptable and robust repairs are made was accurate.

There I go again spewing venom. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
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The one difference between the RV3 back then and the Sonerai now is the internet. Other than RV builders, and some hardcore EAAers, how many people actually knew about the grounding? With the Zodiac 601XL, virtually everyone in GA knows about it. For heavens sake, they put it on CNN.

Also, the RV3 was Van's first design. Chris Heintz is retired now. I wonder what new aircraft the company will be producing (I'm still hoping for the Gemini). I think that the best that can be hoped for is that it will become one of those good value planes, like the MU2 turboprop. Then again, I am pretty much talking out of my backside, so my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.:D
 
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