November 11, 2012
As has been well established and accepted, aviation safety is the result of a combination of factors that all must be in place including such key items as:
0 State-of-the-art aircraft design & engineering
o Benign flight characteristics – easy for the pilot to control and always forgiving
o Strong structural integrity with ample load margins throughout the flight envelope
o Designed for maximum occupant protection and crash-worthiness in the event of an accident
0 Well trained, proficient and capable pilot
0 Sound decision-making by the pilot
0 Professional, quality aircraft maintenance complying with manufacturers’ procedures and standards
Based on the above, we are pleased that the just-released Aviation Consumer report (attached) covering LSA accidents, fatalities and safety in the USA over the last 7 years has shown Flight Design’s aircraft and pilots to be among the safest in the industry. Of significance, the report shows even though Flight Design has by far the most aircraft flying with the highest number of accumulated fleet hours, Flight Design has never had a fatal accident or fatality of any sort in the US.
We are confident this achievement is not simply good luck or circumstance but rather a result of Flight Design’s vigilance and focus on all of the above mentioned safety factors. Flight Design aircraft are designed to fly easily and with forgiving flight characteristics for both student and more experienced pilots; Flight Design aircraft are engineered and constructed using cutting-edge technology employing 90% carbon-fiber and aramid (Kevlar®) to be ultra-strong, with generous safety margins in all flight regimes; and should an impact occur, Flight Design employs technology developed and proven in the automobile industry to mitigate cockpit damage and disburse and redistribute energy in a manner that provides maximum occupant protection; and of course, all Flight Design aircraft come standard-equipped with an airframe parachute recovery system.
Flight Design has also invested heavily and wisely in the areas of flight, transition and maintenance training to help make sure owners and pilots of Flight Design aircraft are familiar, proficient and comfortable flying their aircraft and are secure in knowing their aircraft are supported and maintained by a network of authorized and approved Flight Design Service Centers throughout the world.
It is also worthwhile to note that while Flight Design’s record is certainly laudable over the entire 7 year analysis period, it was in 2008 that Flight Design upgraded our main landing gear design to incorporate the energy-absorbing and strength advantages of composite, making landings an easy and natural transition from flight to ground; during this same time we also substantially upgraded our transition and pilot training programs.
While it was not detailed to this extent in the published report, additional NTSB data that shows Flight Design’s safety performance is at the top of our market segment over the last 4 years. Furthermore, it is Flight Design’s goal that continuous safety improvement be a top priority in everything we do.
We should all take pride in our safety record and the benefit it brings to our Flight Design customers…..now and in the future. Please be sure to emphasize the importance of safety and Flight Design’s excellent record in this regard to your owners, customers and prospects.
Fly safe!
Your Flight Design Team
Click on the link below to view the article.