FAA studies air 'trikes' to elevate their safety
The toll of ‘trikes’Six people who died in three crashes of weight-shift control aircraft in Hawaii in a 14-month period: Kathryn Grace Moran, 37, of Kailua-Kona, an employee of a helicopter tour company, died April 21, 2010, in a crash at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island while celebrating her birthday with a friend. Kimberly Lynn Buergel, 49, of Spokane, Wash., a former volunteer firefighter, died Feb. 15 in a crash at Hanapepe, Kauai, while visiting with a friend.
Ray Foreman, 53, of Vista, Calif., died May 17 in a crash in north Kauai while celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary. Survived by a wife and 10-year-old son.
Tedd Robert Hecklin, 38, pilot and owner of Tedd’s Flying Adventures in Kailua-Kona died with Moran.
Jim Gaither, 55, pilot and owner of Big Sky Kauai at Port Allen, Kauai, died with Buergel. Steven C. Sprague, 49, of Kalaheo, pilot and owner of Kauai Aerosports at Port Allen, died with Foreman.
"We are evaluating a variety of recommendations," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "It is premature to discuss any potential changes at this time."
Gregor said the FAA held an internal meeting a couple of weeks ago about operations in Hawaii of weight-shift control aircraft, the type of light sport aircraft involved in the three fatal crashes. A fourth craft crashed in August 2009, resulting in nonfatal injuries.
Families of passengers killed in trike crashes said they support changes that would improve safety and disclosure.
Washington state resident Patty Hanson, whose life partner, Kim Buergel, died in a crash Feb. 15 on Kauai, said the FAA should be working toward that goal.
"I think it's a good thing," Hanson said. "I would hope they would make stricter rules and regulations so that these tragedies can diminish."
A Star-Advertiser investigation published on May 21 found that in at least two of the fatal crashes here recently, passengers flying in the trikes did so to take tours.
Under Federal Aviation Administration rules developed in 2004, trike operators are banned from conducting commercial tours but may sell the flights as introductory pilot training.
Helicopter Crash Hawaii - News
Six people who died in three crashes of weight-shift control aircraft in Hawaii in a 14-month period: Kathryn Grace Moran, 37, of Kailua-Kona, an employee of a helicopter tour company, died April 21, 2010, in a crash at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island
The community needs to rally behind them on this particular day as well," said Maj. Alan Crouch, Marine Corps Base Hawaii Spokesman. The other three Marines that were onboard the helicopter when it crashed are all recovering. The pilot and copilot have
Arnie “Dusty” Holm, a Waterford native, confirmed Friday that she and the families of Holm's helicopter crew, have agreed to a “joint identification” of the remains found in the excavation of the June 1972 helicopter crash site in the Central Highlands
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette TORONTO - The sign says "Welcome to Kandahar Airfield," and it sure looks like a sandswept army medical base: there's the forest-green Hummer and UH-1 helicopter ready for duty, a makeshift chapel housed in a trailer
She had only been deployed to the region for a few days when she was killed in the crash of two CH-53 helicopter into the Gulf of Aden off Djibouti. Eight Marines and one other airman were killed in the crash. Army 1st Lieutenant Forrest Ewens hailed
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