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Experimental aircraft (all amateur-built planes are registered with the FAA as "experimental") fall under an entirely different set of laws and regulations spec
by jeffcoat 17y ago
Experimental aircraft (all amateur-built planes are registered with the FAA as "experimental") fall under an entirely different set of laws and regulations specifically designed to avoid that sort of of problem.
That's not to say that experimental designers are completely immune lawsuits, but I've never heard of it happening, and doubt such a thing would survive long in court.
The net result is that home-built aircraft tend to have dramatically better performance numbers than comparable certified aircraft.
- spitfire 17y agoQuickie aircraft corporation - the guys who made the quickie Q2 (based on a Rutan design) were sued out of existence back in the 80's. They had a fantastic plane, fast, fuel efficient and affordable. Then someone died and their widow sued. They won the suit but the debt from defending crushed them.
- towndrunk 17y agoDo you have a link to that?
- lutorm 17y agoI looked around and found http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/N82X-Jewett.htm http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/N82X-Jewett.htm
- jeffcoat 17y agoThanks for the reference -- I hadn't heard that story. Definitely the nightmare of the small company selling kit planes or plans. (Edit: Aside from the nightmare of someone getting hurt and it actually being your fault. (I've written too many defects recently.))