Alex429595
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2006
- Posts
- 105
This from Avweb:
" The design of the Mitsubishi MU-2B twin turboprop is not inherently unsafe, the FAA said in a safety report released last week. The airplane has been involved in 11 accidents in the last two years, in which 12 people died. The FAA's analysis found that compared to similar twin-turboprop airplanes, the MU-2B accident rate is about twice as high. The fatal rate is about 2.5 times higher, while fatal accident rates in icing conditions are four times higher. An MU-2B pilot is seven times more likely to lose control and have a fatal accident during an emergency compared to pilots flying similar airplanes in similar situations. The airplane is complex and high-performance, the FAA said, and pilots and maintenance workers need better training to properly handle and fly it. The safety review was undertaken after several members of Congress from Colorado asked for the airplane to be grounded, following two fatal crashes at Centennial Airport."
"The FAA found that the use of MU-2B airplanes has changed. Originally marketed as a corporate aircraft in the 1960s, it is used more today for cargo hauling and private operations. This switch means the aircraft is now "in the hands of pilots and maintenance providers who, in general, have less experience in high-performance airplanes than when it was used primarily as corporate transportation," the FAA said. Those pilots aren't getting the kind of training and proficiency checks that corporate pilots would, and they may operate a variety of aircraft, not just the MU-2B. Further, this shift in usage exposes the airplanes to more frequent night flight operations. Mitsubishi spokesman Scott Sobel told The Associated Press the company stands behind the aircraft's safety record when used properly. "MU-2 aircraft operators need to be trained according to the manufacturer's flight manual procedures, which have been in place for decades to maintain safety standards," Sobel said."
"AOPA said it was satisfied with the FAA's report. "The FAA heeded our recommendation and will likely issue a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to require specific MU-2B training," said Luis Gutierrez, AOPA director of regulatory and certification policy. "We think this is the right result and a much better solution than issuing an airworthiness directive." But AOPA did have a nitpick with the report, which says that for single-pilot IFR operations using an autopilot, compliance with the AD requiring the installation of trim-in-motion and autopilot disconnect systems is recommended. "The report doesn't mention the alternate means of compliance (AMOC) to this AD, which we believe offers an equivalent level of safety," said Gutierrez. "The FAA should make it clear that the AMOC is also acceptable."
" The design of the Mitsubishi MU-2B twin turboprop is not inherently unsafe, the FAA said in a safety report released last week. The airplane has been involved in 11 accidents in the last two years, in which 12 people died. The FAA's analysis found that compared to similar twin-turboprop airplanes, the MU-2B accident rate is about twice as high. The fatal rate is about 2.5 times higher, while fatal accident rates in icing conditions are four times higher. An MU-2B pilot is seven times more likely to lose control and have a fatal accident during an emergency compared to pilots flying similar airplanes in similar situations. The airplane is complex and high-performance, the FAA said, and pilots and maintenance workers need better training to properly handle and fly it. The safety review was undertaken after several members of Congress from Colorado asked for the airplane to be grounded, following two fatal crashes at Centennial Airport."
"The FAA found that the use of MU-2B airplanes has changed. Originally marketed as a corporate aircraft in the 1960s, it is used more today for cargo hauling and private operations. This switch means the aircraft is now "in the hands of pilots and maintenance providers who, in general, have less experience in high-performance airplanes than when it was used primarily as corporate transportation," the FAA said. Those pilots aren't getting the kind of training and proficiency checks that corporate pilots would, and they may operate a variety of aircraft, not just the MU-2B. Further, this shift in usage exposes the airplanes to more frequent night flight operations. Mitsubishi spokesman Scott Sobel told The Associated Press the company stands behind the aircraft's safety record when used properly. "MU-2 aircraft operators need to be trained according to the manufacturer's flight manual procedures, which have been in place for decades to maintain safety standards," Sobel said."
"AOPA said it was satisfied with the FAA's report. "The FAA heeded our recommendation and will likely issue a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to require specific MU-2B training," said Luis Gutierrez, AOPA director of regulatory and certification policy. "We think this is the right result and a much better solution than issuing an airworthiness directive." But AOPA did have a nitpick with the report, which says that for single-pilot IFR operations using an autopilot, compliance with the AD requiring the installation of trim-in-motion and autopilot disconnect systems is recommended. "The report doesn't mention the alternate means of compliance (AMOC) to this AD, which we believe offers an equivalent level of safety," said Gutierrez. "The FAA should make it clear that the AMOC is also acceptable."
uke:
