Amateur-built and experimental aircraft - Australian Transport Safety ...

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THE AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is an operationally independent multi-modal bureau within the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. ATSB investigations are independent of regulatory, operator or other external organisations. The ATSB is responsible for investigating accidents and other transport safety matters involving civil aviation, marine and rail operations in Australia that fall within Commonwealth jurisdiction, as well as participating in overseas investigations involving Australian registered aircraft and ships. A primary concern is the safety of commercial transport, with particular regard to fare-paying passenger operations. The ATSB performs its functions in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 and Regulations and, where applicable, relevant international agreements. Purpose of safety investigations The object of a safety investigation is to enhance safety. To reduce safety-related risk, ATSB investigations determine and communicate the safety factors related to the transport safety matter being investigated. It is not the object of an investigation to determine blame or liability. However, an investigation report must include factual material of sufficient weight to support the analysis and findings. At all times the ATSB endeavours to balance the use of material that could imply adverse comment with the need to properly explain what happened, and why, in a fair and unbiased manner. Developing safety action Central to the ATSB’s investigation of transport safety matters is the early identification of safety issues in the transport environment. The ATSB prefers to encourage the relevant organisation(s) to proactively initiate safety action rather than release formal recommendations. However, depending on the level of risk associated with a safety issue and the extent of corrective action undertaken by the relevant organisation, a recommendation may be issued either during or at the end of an investigation. The ATSB has decided that when safety recommendations are issued, they will focus on clearly describing the safety issue of concern, rather than providing instructions or opinions on the method of corrective action. As with equivalent overseas organisations, the ATSB has no power to implement its recommendations. It is a matter for the body to which an ATSB recommendation is directed (for example the relevant regulator in consultation with industry) to assess the costs and benefits of any particular means of addressing a safety issue. About ATSB investigation reports: How investigation reports are organised and definitions of terms used in ATSB reports, such as safety factor, contributing safety factor and safety issue, are provided on the ATSB web site www.atsb.gov.au - vi -
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the last three decades, both in Australia and overseas, there has been significant growth in the number of amateur-built and experimental (ABE) aircraft. In general, ABE aircraft refer to aircraft that are built for personal use from an original design, established plans or kit, and which are not built in a factory. There are a wide variety of ABE aircraft from single to twin-engine, piston to jet-powered, and single-seat up to six-seat aircraft. While these aircraft continue to increase in popularity, there has been little formal study of them in Australia and worldwide. Operational and demographic data on ABE aircraft are largely incomplete in comparison to data held for other types of aircraft. This report examines non-factory amateur-built and experimental aircraft in Australia. It looks at the ABE community, including pilots and their aircraft, regulatory changes, and growth and development of aircraft associations over time. Data for this report was gathered using a survey sent to owners and builders of flying VH-registered ABE aircraft. This survey focused on the choice of aircraft, construction, and modifications, test flights, transition training, and maintenance. The intent of the survey was to gain a picture of ABE aircraft activities in Australia, and in doing so increase awareness of issues affecting the purchase, construction, and continued safe operation of these aircraft among builders, owners and pilots, manufacturers and government. Key results from this survey are: • ABE owners were primarily of retirement age, and private pilots; • on average, thirty per cent of their total flying hours were flown in ABE aircraft; • on average, ABE aircraft accumulated forty-two airframe hours in the previous year; • build challenge, personal satisfaction, aircraft performance, price, operational costs, and ability to perform maintenance were important reasons for purchasing an ABE aircraft. Ability to customise was less important as a reason for purchase; • thirty-three percent of builders made major modifications during the build process; • seventy per cent of ABE owners undertook transition training, and this was more likely among private pilots, and those with fewer total hours; • for eighty-five percent of respondents, one person performed all maintenance on the aircraft; and, • automotive engines and avionics were associated with the greatest build challenge. This report has presented an interesting picture of VH- registered ABE aviation in Australia. While many of these facts have been known anecdotally, this report places greater specificity on different aspects of ABE aircraft building and operation. It provides a valuable reference point for aircraft operators, those considering ABE aircraft, aviation regulators, and aircraft associations. In developing a better understanding of this sector of aviation, relevant parties are in a better position to plan, build, and operate ABE aircraft into the future. - vii -
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Page 12 and 13: GAS General Aviation Survey GAAS Ge
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Page 44 and 45: 3.2 Respondents 3.2.1 Age The ABE a
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Figure 34: Aircraft flight rules Ci
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the wing loading. In this instance,
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Figure 38: Aircraft airframe hours
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Figure 39: Build and operating cert
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Figure 41: Rating of personal satis
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In relation to ability to customise
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Figure 46: Rating of the ability to
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Figure 48: Number of aircraft built
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According to build hours data for a
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Table 6: Aircraft modifications wit
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engine, fuel system, avionics, hydr
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challenging (χ 2 = 2.89, p = 0.09,
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associated with building an aircraf
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people built aircraft by 41 differe
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Figure 68: Rating of other aircraft
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Figure 71: Rating of regulator as a
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flew more or much more than usual.
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Figure 75: Mean rating of test flig
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LAMEs as a test flight resource Fig
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another pilot, 46 of 268 used a qua
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Emergency procedures. Two people ma
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3.7 Aircraft building cost Total ai
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Figure 87: Nice-to-have documents o
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Where people undertook transition t
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Table 8: Private versus all other s
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Table 13: Transition training by se
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must be endorsed under CAO 40.1.0 t
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3.9.5 When transition training was
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As pointed out in An Overview of Hu
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Amateur-built and experimental airc
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Figure 98: Engine maintenance multi
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About half the respondents spent be
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Cessna Aircraft Company. (2009). Sk
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National Transport Safety Bureau. (
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APPENDIX B: SURVEY - 118 -
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APPENDIX C: TABLES OF RESPONSES Bui
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Table 27: Maiden flight by transiti
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Amateur-built and experimental airc
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