Wichita Falls, Texas: Monday, March 28, 2001

Edited by Rod Anderson

ABORTED TAKEOFF RESULTS IN DAMAGE

On Sunday, March 25, the CC was damaged during an aborted short field takeoff. Repairs will extend the flight-test program schedule an additional two weeks.

The abort began only 5-feet off the ground at 60 MPH. The abort technique used by the pilot caused the rotor to exceed its flapping limits and subsequently strike the ground. In so doing the rotor sliced through the tops of both vertical tails. It also permitted the propeller tip to cut the underside of the rotor airfoil.

Although it cut the airfoil, the prop caused only minor non-structural damage to the rotor spar -- basically a slight scuffmark. The damage to the prop tip was also minor and non-structural. Repairs on both the rotor and prop should be completed within 5 working days.

A recent modification to the landing gear prevented more severe damage from occurring. The modification dampened the spring-back that normally occurs after the main gear compresses to absorb the landing impact. Otherwise the aircraft would have rebounded allowing the tail and prop to hit the rotor harder. This new feature prevented the loss of the prop and rotor.

The damage to the tail surfaces was substantial -- but since it is made from composites it is easily replaced / repaired. The estimated repair time is two weeks.

Once repairs are complete, it will require another week to proof-test all components. We should be flying again in 4 weeks - the 3rd weekend in April.

CAUSE OF ACCIDENT IS UNDERSTOOD AND NOW EASILY AVOIDED

Five video cameras plus more than 60 channels of continuous data download during flight permits these occurrences to be carefully diagnosed and understood. The cause is understood and the necessary changes are being made to prevent their reoccurrence.

A well-known fact in aviation R&D is that a learning curve is involved when stretching the flight envelope of a new aircraft design. The CC is the first aircraft to combine the flight characteristics of helicopters, autogyros and fixed-wing aircraft. We have already demonstrated that the CC is easy to fly safely within a basic flight envelope. We are now attempting to carefully and safely expand the flight profile to better understand the CC dynamics involved. Breaking the Mu-1 barrier this summer continues to be our primary goal.

TWO WEEK DELAY IN FLIGHT-TEST PROGRAM

A two week hold was already built into our flight-test schedule to permit the necessary review and planning needed at this stage of the program. The repairs will delay the program only two weeks more than what was already planned.

In addition to the repairs, the extra two-weeks will be used to advance the work being done on a detailed pilot operating handbook (POH) and a full-scale 3-axis CC flight simulator. These concurrent projects are designed to support the CC flight-test program. The delay should not affect our plans to return to AirVenture this coming July.