FAA issues safety warning for kit- made planes
Federal officials issued a warning this week regarding “high-performance homemade planes like the one that killed a beach jogger last week in South Carolina are likely to stall at higher speeds and have been involved in a disproportionately large number of fatal accidents.” (J. Lowry, Washington AP, 3/25).
The FAA warning this week cautioned pilots that the Lancair, “which is built from kits, and others like it are apt to stall at speeds higher that 61 mph.” The agency also noted that the fact that amateurs build the planes increases the risk for fatal mistakes.
As a personal injury lawyer, I am weary of kit-made planes as the risk of error in assembly or operation by amateur is astronomical. I strongly encourage consumers not to take on such a grave risk without the proper knowledge for safely undertaking flight.