Hans Conser wrote:

Begin forwarded message:

     From: "Aircraft Designs, Inc." <aircraft@mbay.net>
     Date: Thu Dec 19, 2002 11:48:46 US/Mountain
     To: List Member <conser@mcn.net>
     Subject: Accidents
     Reply-To: Stallion-feedback-18@lb.bcentral.com

                                       NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS

     Martin Hollmann

     Beside designing new aircraft, I investigate accidents in the hope that I can learn
     something that will help me design better aircraft in the future and reduce the number
     of new and repeat accidents.

     On the 5th of December the prototype FOUR WINDS 192 crashed. What is not stated in the
     news is that Jeff Rahm ownes AIRPLANE SPECIALTY INC. (ASI), in New Symrna Beach,
     Florida, a shop to build kit aircraft and the FOUR WINDS 192. He is building two
     Stallion kits and about 10 Lancair kits in addition to others. Many people I have talked
     to state that he has not finished a single of these aircraft except for the FOUR WINDS
     192. The two Stallion builders have filed lawsuits against him for breach of contract.
     Most of the Lancair owners are discouraged and some have removed their aircraft from his
     shop. The Lancair Company people that know him and have visited his shop claim he is the
     worst builder of all of the kit aircraft assemblers that they know. According to them
     and others, his workmanship is poor and unsafe.

     Working close with Jeff is his father Jim Rahm. Jim Rahm and Al Doniec founded a company
     to build and produced the Engineair V8 engine. This is an automotive engine conversion
     for aircraft. He sold over 23 engines and only a few have been delivered. The engine
     only has one spark plug per cylinder. The spark is controlled by two computers. If the
     electric system fails the engine will stop. One of the first of these engines to be
     delivered was installed in a Lancair IV owned by Tom Zedaker in Las Vegas. Tom has had
     several cases were the engine failed. In one case the engine failed on final and Tom was
     lucky to make a safe landing. In another case, during run-up, just prior to take-off,
     the transmission failed. Had he taken off and the transmission failed in flight, it
     would have most likely killed him and his wife. Tom has removed the engine and replaced
     it with a gas turbine engine which has given him trouble free operation. His Engineair
     V8 sits in his garage and he is thinking of junking it or maybe putting into a car.
     Because of the failure to deliver engines, a number of customers have taken Jim Rahm to
     court and with over 51% ownership, have taken control of the company, calling it
     Engineair Power Systems.

     Two of the V8 engines were installed into a Duke. The Duke crashed because of an engine
     failure, killing both occupants. About two month ago, Engineair Power Systems went belly
     up but they still promise to deliver engines. In the meantime, two Stallion builders and
     many others are still waiting for their Engineair V8 engines. Most likely they are
     waiting in vain.

     There have been a high number of other aircraft accidents and mishaps with experimental
     aircraft this year. Most of these accidents could have been avoided. For example, in the
     Four Winds accident, no fire extinguisher was aboard, plywood flooring should not have
     been used, if it had a fuel leak as surmised, it should have been fixed.

     This and with the economy, being what it is, many aviation companies have been sold or
     even gone under. These are turbulent times and I can imagine that they can only get
     better.

     Best of luck to you and if you have any questions, give me a call at 831-649-6212.

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