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Dear colleagues!
The first points on the agenda (overall line loads 14g, protector, rescue) were no problem: we immediately found a consensus.
Regarding the folding lines, we agreed to limit them to C and D class and defined geometry and location.
-see minutes.
The conformity of tests issue was not sorted out properly.
Air Turquoise was asking for a technical limitation (A/R, number of lines, B-stall ability): see minutes.
As reaction for this proposal, I was showing a picture of the famous ITV Saphir Must on the beamer.
-who remembers that wing?
It was the final capitulation of the AFNOR test system in 1990.
As a high aspect ratio high perf wing it got all A rating (school wing)! AFNOR lost every credibility.
Now it looks like the actual certifications system is not any more able to split the classes, as the test centres themselves are asking for technical limitations.
Finally we agreed, that these technical limitations have to be done by the manufacturers (PMA), not by the test houses.
Test houses have just to tell if a wing is fulfilling the test norm or not.
To look into future it's a question, if flight tests area anyway necessary, when technical limitations (A/R, etc) will do the job.
Coming back to the open class in comp flying will not solve the problem, as off course this will reduce the actual pressure on the certification system, but it will not solve the principal problem. The actual pressure is a kind of "proof scenario" of the certification system. In the case it fails, it has to be questioned as a whole. EAPR just asked to stop EN tests, cause nobody is supervising them as long as the accreditation system is not established (this will audit the test centres). Till then only the LTF tests are supervised by the German LBA (as rumours tell a possible reason why the ENZO will may be not get LTF).
In the meeting I asked: Who is responsible for the material selection, the production accuracy and the maintenance?
-right: the manufacturer.
So it's only logical for me that the manufacturer is as well as responsible for the safety and we stop the test flight, as they are getting an eyewash more and more.
Regarding the folding line issue it became clear why these are used so often by EN oriented test houses. The EN has the 50% trailing edge limitation. So the kink angle is getting quite small on high A/R wings. Hard collapsing profiles are showing kink angles around 45 degrees: too much for this definition. Remember: folding lines are only allowed in the case the collapse according the norm is not possible. The requirement for the EN is anyway very hard to reach (a very small triangle). So it's nearly impossible to reach that target: folding lines are more and more common. And: even more important it needs lots of attempts to reach the target (collapse in the requested size). So they seem to spend a whole afternoon to try around to get a "right" collapse. The evaluation is quite subjective, and maybe as well influenced by the result.
In contrast to that the LTF tolerance field is huge (+/-5%): allowing a lot of variations. It's easy to get into it. So nearly never folding lines should be needed.
The new EN will solve that problem by having a +/- 2.5% tolerance field. Till then it's quite a difference between Air Turquoise (EN oriented) and the German test centres (LTF oriented).
Because of these situation the serial class is actually still open for many hot constructions. It's too late to establish technical limitations (A/R, etc) for the 2012 season.
The advantage for the comp. (former open class) scene is, that they are getting safer wings for 2012 with only little limitations (less max speed).
The disadvantage is, that we have to tell the former serial pilots, that the new hot EN D wings have nothing to do with the old, well known EN D class.
What does this mean for the TRITON 2?
The name TRITON 2 is already defining the way to go: it has to stay a "classical" EN D wing for the classical serial class targets group.
You might not be able to win against the hot EN D wings, but you might very likely have more fun.
Regards!
H,,,,,