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As someone concerned by what often seem like excessive legal obstacles to doing business in the US, I thought the author made a good point here: Although lawye

by nkurz 8y ago

As someone concerned by what often seem like excessive legal obstacles to doing business in the US, I thought the author made a good point here: Although lawyers get blamed for a lot in U.S. aviation, I am going to make the case that you don’t get to see the good that they actually do. Putting emotion aside, think about this: Every year, countless people from outside of aviation refuse to sell products to, or work with, aircraft builders, citing the reason, “I don’t want to get sued.” Some of these people make good stuff that could be well used in experimental aviation. But a number of them make trash, or things that are not appropriate for planes, many of them have no idea of how aircraft work, and most of them have never even flown in a light plane. If those people make stuff for planes, and claim that their stuff is airworthy, they would get sued.

FlyMoreRockets 8y ago
And sometimes, good aviation companies get sued for the actions of their customers. Vans Aircraft is a large, successful kit plane manufacturer. More new home built Vans airplanes fly each year than new Cessnas (or probably any other current aviation company, for that matter). Prior to Vans amazing success, it was common for kitplane companies to run very lean and turn the whole company over (or liquidate the assets and turn them over) in the event of a lawsuit, thus avoiding an expensive legal fight. A Vans airplane was involved in a double fatality. Even though the NTSB determined the pilot to be doubly at fault, a $35 million lawsuit was allowed to proceed in the US. Vans had to provide a legal defense. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed, but doubtless Vans was out a lot of money, both the years of legal defense and bad PR. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued-for-35-million-over-rv-10-crash/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-vans-aircraft-dismissed/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-va...
- jcoby 8y ago
  The discussion over at the VAF is enlightening as well [1]. The guy basically ignored everyone around him and decided to do things his way or incompletely (he was flying with clecos in the fuselage). That combined with get-there-itis and inexperience with the plane led to his death. I've flown an RV10 and and seriously looking into building one. Nothing about his accident has any influence on my decision process. The Vans kits are probably the best in the industry and section 5.27 of the plans clearly says not to use any sealant, including RTV, on fluid fittings. (Section 5 is a common chapter to all of the RV series and even comes with the practice kit.) 1. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 PS your first link is about lions.
  - mcguire 8y ago
    "PS your first link is about lions." That may be my fault. That story (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-...) seems to be following me around today.
- FlyMoreRockets 8y ago
  That first link, instead of being about lions, should point here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-family-sues-airplane-kit-maker-after-fatal-crash-kills-girl-four-idUSKCN0SE30B20151020 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-famil... Sorry about the lion link, not sure how it got in there.

by nkurz 8y ago

FlyMoreRockets 8y ago

And sometimes, good aviation companies get sued for the actions of their customers. Vans Aircraft is a large, successful kit plane manufacturer. More new home built Vans airplanes fly each year than new Cessnas (or probably any other current aviation company, for that matter). Prior to Vans amazing success, it was common for kitplane companies to run very lean and turn the whole company over (or liquidate the assets and turn them over) in the event of a lawsuit, thus avoiding an expensive legal fight. A Vans airplane was involved in a double fatality. Even though the NTSB determined the pilot to be doubly at fault, a $35 million lawsuit was allowed to proceed in the US. Vans had to provide a legal defense. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed, but doubtless Vans was out a lot of money, both the years of legal defense and bad PR. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued-for-35-million-over-rv-10-crash/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2015/10/20/vans-aircraft-sued... https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-vans-aircraft-dismissed/ https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2017/02/22/lawsuit-against-va...

jcoby 8y ago
The discussion over at the VAF is enlightening as well [1]. The guy basically ignored everyone around him and decided to do things his way or incompletely (he was flying with clecos in the fuselage). That combined with get-there-itis and inexperience with the plane led to his death. I've flown an RV10 and and seriously looking into building one. Nothing about his accident has any influence on my decision process. The Vans kits are probably the best in the industry and section 5.27 of the plans clearly says not to use any sealant, including RTV, on fluid fittings. (Section 5 is a common chapter to all of the RV series and even comes with the practice kit.) 1. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44934 PS your first link is about lions.
- mcguire 8y ago
  "PS your first link is about lions." That may be my fault. That story (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-kills-young-worker-at-north-carolina-wildlife-sanctuary-idUSKCN1OU00I https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-lion/lion-...) seems to be following me around today.
FlyMoreRockets 8y ago
That first link, instead of being about lions, should point here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-family-sues-airplane-kit-maker-after-fatal-crash-kills-girl-four-idUSKCN0SE30B20151020 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-crash/oregon-famil... Sorry about the lion link, not sure how it got in there.