First Eclipse accident

[SoCalAprch]

My buddy and I were talking about the lax restrictions of GA in terms of security. I know they only carry a fraction of the fuel an airliner carries but, who is to say you don't put a payload (an explosive on) on board. That could do some damage. Pluss you have a fast plane that is, relativly in expensive, that a private pilot can operate. Again not trying to say it's gonna happen or that there is a likleyhood of it happening. My friend and i were just talking about it and wondering what others thought about it.

-Matt

How is it any different than a TBM or a Malibu or some faster piston single. Hell give em a 150 and if they put a big enough "payload" in it Im sure it will do damage too. Your argument is flawed in my opinion. I do believe that it is dangerous for people to be flying them around with little time but to say that they are a terrorist dream is a little out there.

 

[flyboywbl]

How is it any different than a TBM or a Malibu or some faster piston single. Hell give em a 150 and if they put a big enough "payload" in it I'm sure it will do damage too. Your argument is flawed in my opinion. I do believe that it is dangerous for people to be flying them around with little time but to say that they are a terrorist dream is a little out there.

Again, as explained before, i was not argueing anything. It was just food for thought. My friend and i were talking about it and i was qurious what others thought about it. I agree, you don't need a VLJ to do damage. A turbo prop probably would do the same thing.

-Matt

 

[OldTownPilot]

If they really wanted to do damage with GA aircraft, they would get a G550 or a Global. Not a piddily Eclipse jet.

They have the cash, they have the time to get the training. Think about it.

 

[WacoFan]

I saw an interesting analysis of the WTC penetrations and forces involved. When the buildings were concieved the biggest thing going was a 707 which they designed the building to withstand a hit from. The 767 was both bigger and hit with much greater force - exponentially more. The analysis stated that if the plane had been a 707, the buildings would have survived. I am not sure I buy this analysis because of the buring fuel and structural steel melting. It was ina interesting analysis though and I will try to find it and post it. The point that I came away with is that the buildings are exceptionally strong and it makes me think that anything less than a heavy, fast jetliner would not have destroyed the towers (of any other large building - Sears Tower, etc).

 

[dnb253]

These should be the most two often said words of anybody on a keyboard they aren't comfortable with yet:

Double
Post

rofl

 

[Number1atNumber2]

If I may be so bold!
These pilot types we're talking about have the ability to buy these airplanes, but if they can't fly then they're going to get themselves in big trouble very quickly.
They make a big deal out of fixed gear - kinda hard to land gear up, but just as easy to lose control in IMC when the wizardry quits and these planes go much faster too, so one second you're fat, dumb and happy, the next you're right in that cell that was 10 miles ahead trying to hand fly in an airplane you always flew on autopilot and looking at those funny round gauges on the panel.

I wonder if the examiners are really putting these guys through their paces too?

The Eclipse is a jet and has to be flown as such. By the numbers! Its slippery, fast and obviously doesn't like to slow down even when it meets the tarmac. Plenty of potential there for accidents involving rich owner pilots with low times.

The fact that an experienced ATP went off the end speaks volumes about the potential for this airplane to be disastrous in the hands of the less experienced. Mind you -I don't think I would have admitted to knowing I was high and fast on the approach! Kinda like shooting yourself in the foot!

We were seriously in the market for an E500, but the more I researched and got to know the airplane, the more I could see this being a bad idea. Thankfully I managed to kill that plan and we're probably going to stay with what we have. We might move to a King Air 90 but who knows.

Although I don't have a very high opinion of the Eclipse VLJs, what's going to matter more than hours, is how OFTEN VLJs are flown. If you don't stay sharp with a jet (or any airplane for that matter) it can kill you just as inexperience can. A guy that gets one that already has 10,000 hours may be more safe than the 1000 guy, but if he/she flies it once a month, I wouldn't call him safe (at least not automatically). IMO VLJs will only stay safe if they are not to be used as someone's weekend shiney toy.

Hopefully (and I can't believe I'm saying this) insurance companies will help keep these planes safe by making it harder for "Joe-I've-got-more-money-than-I-know-what-to-do-with-and-a-huge-ego-problem-and-a-small-penis" to play with them.