Risk Management is something that each KR pilot has had to resolve before his first flight in his KR, be he the builder or a purchaser. Each time something unfortunate happens, each one of us examines his own Risk Management program, to look for holes. I had a few in mine, else my engine would not have quit on the way home from Mt Vernon. True enough Steve Jones paid the ultimate price operating his toy. However, unless I missed something, we really don't know why. There have been KR's built of $1500. and I'm sure some are close to $20K. Putting a band aid the size of a BRS on the KR is over kill for something that should not happen. Granted if another plane clips your wing and you can't possibly fly, the band aid would be great to have. Speculating that BRS.s are a great addition to the KR is beyond the concept that Ken dreamed and passed on to us. Build it light; learn to fly it well ( including stalls ); keep away from the things Ken cautioned us about; use good quality parts.
Experimental aircraft were being produced at about the same rate as certified aircraft, until the advent of Light Sport. Now that may change the numbers a bit. I don't think so because manufactures want just too much for their craft. The point here is that if you look at all fatalities in the KR and even other Experimental, if you take out the human factors and pilot errors, the true numbers aren't that alarming, compared to other aircraft and way far less then other hobbies. An example of which is surfing. In the 21 years that I have been flying my KR, including engine problems three times, I never wished for a magic canopy to lower me to the ground. If I had one when I was 155 miles north of Mt Vernon, I still would not have used it. My concern is that finding a cure for Steve's fatality before we know why it happened, puts un-necessary fear into the KR family, especially those who are new. Ken's creation has been changed and modified in some very beneficial ways, and most of the changes have come slowly and not as a quick reaction. Orma Southfield, MI KR-2 N110LR 1984 See Tweety at http://www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com See other KR spces at www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com/krinfo.htm
