Microlighters

What is the absolute safest LSA on the South African market today ?

Lets take into account ALL flight statistics ( yaw, crosswinds, stall speeds, landing gear, visibility, rate of climb, realistic load, glide ratio ..........)

There are allot of new mpl/ppl training pilots out there like me that are constantly trying to get this answered I wan't to know what LSA is the most forgiving of all available on the current S.A market.

Not very scientific - just browsed the models I can think of on the NTSB accident database. The Zodiac 601 HD looks pretty good. One fatal accident in 10 years in the NTSB database. None other (that I checked) comes close.

Simple answer
Anything with a Chute...

Complex answer
In my bias opinion it not yet available, but when the RV12 becomes available it will be near the top of the list....

Soldier wrote:What is the absolute safest LSA on the South African market today ?

Lets take into account ALL flight statistics ( yaw, crosswinds, stall speeds, landing gear, visibility, rate of climb, realistic load, glide ratio ..........)

There are allot of new mpl/ppl training pilots out there like me that are constantly trying to get this answered I wan't to know what LSA is the most forgiving of all available on the current S.A market.

Hi,

The Foxbat is certainly high on the list.

http://www.dreamwings.co.za/

Regards
John ZU-sEXY

The Foxbat is an awesome plane - I only have a few hours in it but it is SOLID. The safest LSA plane is the one that stays in the hangar.......... Honestly, structural failures are quite rare and bad designs simply don't sell (and then go out of business). Your safety in any of these will depend on how good/cautious a pilot you are rather that the plane itself. October showed us all that no matter your experience level your'e only as good a pilot as your last call.

I think Demon once said something about the air being terribly onforgiving of a Pilot's mistakes........

Yeah way too many varibales and few too actual facts to make a call on that one. It's not the air that is unforgiving of your mistakes - it's the ground at the bottom of it....

The bushbaby is amazing!! http://www.saplanes.co.za

You see Ross, you didn't even have to ask for photos this time.....

Thanks for the vote of confidence Ross but, to determine the answer to this question you can not not look at accident statistics allone. The only statistic usefull will be if you know how many accidents were structural failures and also if the pilots were flying within the design load limits. So in the end there will be more questions than answers and a whole bunch of confused or misinformed readers.

John is right about the Foxbat, I could'nt afford one so I built what I guess is tougher (all allie), safer in the stall, but not as fast in the cruise (although the new VG wing may compare.. I dont know).

Been 1 Savannah fatal prang world wide that I know of, the guy left it tied down from the struts outside in a Northern country in wind/snow for many months, then apparently noticed the strut bracket crack but still flew... You can Google it.. I think there are > 600 flying.

I can land the Sav almost anywhere, has a really low stall speed (no wing drop in the stall either) and it climbs like crazy.. No adverse aeliron yaw and handles cross winds / turbulence very well. I have the larger tyre (tundra) which cost you 5 MPH but you can land on real rough strips or sand etc..

Done 110 hours in her now this last year, just like new..

But.... enjoy whatever you fly, I guess just about all the aeries you see on this web site are safe, its the pilot's attitude that contributes plenty...

No matter what you fly - it's being up there that really counts

Cheers ian

There are so many LSA to choose from that you are actually quite spoilt.

I personally have a soft spot for the Rally 105 http://www.catoaerotech.co.za/ which is for me a beautiful looking plane, very good flying characteristics and most of all locally supported.

Good luck in your search; at the end of the day it is a personal choice.

RV4ker wrote:Simple answer
Anything with a Chute...

Complex answer
In my bias opinion it not yet available, but when the RV12 becomes available it will be near the top of the list....

The Vans Aircraft RV12 is available, in my garage it is just in pieces still
Seriously Van's is huge almost 6,000 kits flying, so he knows his stuff. Hence for me a kit builder it is a safe choice.
http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37050

In safety the type of craft comes last in this order, Pilot Attitude, Pilot Training, Maintenance, then TYPE.

PS: Same question was asked on avcom, same answer.

Groete,
Rudi

Come on guys, let's be realistic!

I don't think we can brand anyone of the aircraft that we see in our skies as unsafe. Each aircraft has it's own characteristics which might suite the style of one pilot better than the other. These range from stall speed to cruise speed, safe minimum landing speed to take off speed... the list is endless. In the end it is each pilots pocket (bang for buck) & application that ultimately decides what he or she shall buy or fly!

It is us... the pilots that have to apply the safety rules to make an aircraft SAFE! Some poor test pilot has already gone through the paces. I know in the testing of the JK05 - there were fatalities!

Mission and Budget will dictate more than anything else...

RV4ker wrote:Mission and Budget will dictate more than anything else...

I would agree. I would hope that there are no unsafe aeries on the market though I would also guess that pilot skills need to some into the equation as well.