Thu, Nov 27, 2003
What Goes Up Can Oft Come Down Long Before We Want It
To...
The much-promoted Ken
Hyde/EAA Wright Flyer project has had yet another setback... just a
few weeks before the 'BIG DAY,' much like the 'gravitational
setbacks' suffered by the Wright Brothers in the last heady days
before they flew in 1903.
The 1903 Wright Flyer replica, coming off a short but successful
test flight a few days ago, went down on another flight piloted by
American Airlines Pilot Terry Queijo (pictured below). What looks
suspiciously like a stall occurred as the crew was trying to gain a
little more operational experience for the cantankerous bird that
is becoming well-known for it's less than forgiving flight
characteristics.
The Tuesday accident damaged the canard and other forward
portions of the aircraft though Primary aircraft builder Ken Hyde
claims the bird will be fixed and ready to fly next month as part
of the 100th Anniversary Wright Brothers celebration.
Hyde(pictured right)
notes that, "What we experienced today is simply what the
Wright brothers experienced during their first flight... This is
not a major setback."
This particular exercise was a short one, the aircraft had
barely broken ground when it apparently pitched down and impacted
the ground hard enough to crack a number of wing struts, perforate
the fabric covering in a number of areas, trash the landing skids
and do a real nose job on the canard. The accident took place in
the shadow of the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
There is no word as to whether the NTSB has dispatched an
investigator (grin), but believe it or not there is a rudimentary
data recorder installed on the aircraft.
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