Savvy Aviation Execs Discuss E-AB Safety at AirVenture

By Gene Yarbrough

Mike Busch of Savvy Aviation gave a forum discussion at OSH on Friday on the topic of safety aspects of certified aircraft vs experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft with some surprising and unexpected results. Mike stated the safety statistics of general aviation have an accident rate of 4.89 incidents per 100000 flight hours with a fatality rate of .89 fatalities per 100000 flight hours. In 2011, E-AB aircraft comprised 10% of the general aviation fleet and accounted for 15% of all accidents, with 21% of those accidents resulting in fatalities.

After removing the unique airframes from the data, which are defined as those units that are one-offs or have not had very many units produced, the incidents resolve to being on par with certified accident rates. Mike stated that popular E-AB aircraft such as the Vans RV series have an accident rate approximately half of the entire E-AB fleet, considering data from 1998-2017. This safety rating is supportive of the idea that E-AB aircraft, even being built to a varying degree of uniqueness, have proven to be a safe avenue for flight.

Mike proposes a new class of aircraft called Experimental-Commercially Built (E-CB) whereby these aircraft would be serially built from kits by competent persons, resulting in a more uniform and standardized product when compared to the traditional E-AB aircraft, effectively skirting the 51% rule currently limiting aircraft build centers or other serial manufacturing operations.

Despite the exemplary safety record of E-AB aircraft, there is an argument to be had that building aircraft by experienced, qualified people enhances the safety aspect of aircraft construction and could be a welcome option for those interested in the benefits of modern designs and the cost savings of kit-built offerings. FAA has yet to realize the impact on personal aircraft ownership vs the costs of certified aircraft. Few can afford the half-million-dollar price tag of a new 172 or 182 aircraft. Not to mention 50,000-dollar price ranges for modern certified avionics packages.

GAMA production numbers for 2022-2023 show only 1,682 light piston aircraft delivered from all certified manufacturers. This is not nearly enough to realize economies of scale sufficient to lower prices. The products are too expensive for the average person wanting an aircraft for personal use only. This is where kit planes like the Vans RV line come into a desirable market offering. 

For a basic price tag of around $200-300,000, a person can get into a very nicely appointed RV-10, which by all accounts is on par with a Cirrus SR-22, and get glass panel avionics, a well-dressed interior, and an attractive paint scheme in an airplane capable of truly useful performance.

In light of MOSAIC now being set upon the masses, no doubt bringing droves of previously excluded pilots back into the fold, it is time for the FAA to rethink the 51% rule of E-AB and consider the possibility that Mike (and those similarly minded) is on the right track. That “Amateur Built”, although being a disparaging title, does imply an unsafe product, and that transitioning to the “Commercially Built” concept may prove extremely beneficial to the market while maintaining an appropriate and reasonable level of safety.

FMI: www.savvyaviation.com