according to avweb the Epic LT is the experimental version.
The LT is the forerunner of Epic’s Dynasty certified model that will be built in Bend. It’s a high-performance single that was built as a factory assist experimental in Bend until recently.
bookworm wrote:
What are the regulatory requirements for flying a foreign experimental in Germany?
I can’t answer that with any degree of certainty so I won’t but I have a distinct feeling that this will be part of the investigation in this accident.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Charted base leg 0.7 NM from the threshold for turboprops. Ouch. Even with a 30° base-to-final turn you will not have more than 0.5 NM of straight final.
Looking at the figures of the Epic, this does not sound as unfeasible. The question is how it reacts to relatively steep turns.
But does anyone actually have the correct position of the crash site? Is it really at the point where the turn to final happens? From the first reports I understood it was southwest of the field.
German media report the crash site to be in Erzhausen bei Darmstadt, which is south of the field. Pretty much exactly in the downwind, but could also be in the turn to base area (I don’t have plates for Germany, so cannot check the charts).
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Looking at the figures of the Epic, this does not sound as unfeasible. The question is how it reacts to relatively steep turns.
Certainly not unfeasible but maybe something that can’t be done safely by an average pilot who is not used to it?
If I get it right, the passenger was part owner of S7 airlines which in turn owns part of Epic.
So I suppose the pilot must have been someone who was very familiar with this airplane.
172driver wrote:
German media report the crash site to be in Erzhausen bei Darmstadt, which is south of the field. Pretty much exactly in the downwind, but could also be in the turn to base area (I don’t have plates for Germany, so cannot check the charts).
You don’t join on downwind. You either join on base for 08/26 (from D or K) or straight in on 26 if a high performance aircraft ie jet (from Y).
Interesting, thanks Jason. On another forum it is claimed that they were high on the approach and did (or tried to do….) a low-level 360 to lose altitude. In that airplane sounds pretty crazy, if true.
172driver wrote:
Interesting, thanks Jason. On another forum it is claimed that they were high on the approach and did (or tried to do….) a low-level 360 to lose altitude. In that airplane sounds pretty crazy, if true.
You must be below 1500ft coming in and the power lines are at 700 so hard to be too high. At that point it is a steep approach ie London City, Sion etc but on those approaches you are not banking at very low level! In my aircraft you need idle thrust and speedbrakes out with all other drag. It is safe but not pleasant being in that configuration while in a banking turn to short final. And if you are off profile you simply have to go around.
An orbit in a turboprop if you perhaps forget to add power could end very badly. Remember the turboprops have a massive brake at idle thrust.
JasonC wrote:
An orbit in a turboprop if you perhaps forget to add power could end very badly. Remember the turboprops have a massive brake at idle thrust.
And if, seeing those power lines, you do add power rather brutally in a single engine turboprop…
bookworm wrote:
What are the regulatory requirements for flying a foreign experimental in Germany?
Since it was russian (thus not ECAC) registered, an application to the Luftfahrtbundesamt was necessary in order to enter german airspace. However the Luftfahrtbundesamt won’t impose limitations other than the operational limitations of the state of registration in its approval, which is usually granted for 180 days per year (same goes for many N-registrated Experimentals flying in german airspace). I don’t know, whether limitation to VFR is common for Experimentals in Russia, but I doubt it (mind you the Epic is equipped with a 1200 hp turbine, ice protection, glass cockpit, pressurized cabin…).
Anyway I cannot imagine, that the flight rules or technical issues played any role in this kind of accident.
I agree, but the insurer might be quite interested…
However, most or all of these operations are done by people who probably won’t need insurance cover.
