Just got back from Saturdays Legends, and not great news for the Classic Wings DH Rapide. A small fire caused damage to the right hand wing as he taxied out for a pleasure flight. The good news is that damage looked contained to the one wing and all on board appear to be un-harmed.
Good luck with the repairs!
By: Old Fart - 10th July 2005 at 22:56
Its not too hard to build a new wing the stumbling block will be cost.
When you think of the construction ita a fairly stright forward construction you just need to know what your doing and have deep pockets, there may even be a spare wing or two in store.
By: Bruce - 10th July 2005 at 15:52
The fact that as much of it escaped damage as is shown is testament to the fact that it cant have taken that long. A rapide can go up in a frighteningly short space of time – the dope and fabric is very flammable!
How much a fire extinguisher system would have helped in the nacelle is at present unknowable – it would depend where the fire started.
The tanks are immediately behind the engine, so this could have been a lot worse than it is!
Bruce
By: Steve 964 - 10th July 2005 at 14:23
Rapide engine fire
This was a very unfortunate incident to end for me what was another great Legends.
More worrying for me was the delay in tackling the fire.I didn’t make a point of rubbernecking or making a beeline to watch or photograph like so many others,but I was concerned that all the passengers and the pilot would evacuate safely.
I thought it was standard practice to have groundcrew standing by with an extinguisher while starting engines especially, or to have an extinguisher nearby,but the panic that i saw in trying to find an extinguisher left me really concerned.I dont know where the fuel tanks are on a Rapide,but I heard one bystander say that more Rapides have been lost in this way than any other.
In the light of that maybe onboard extinguishers should be fitted to help pilot earlier.
I couldn’t even begin to think of what might have happened if engine fire happened in flight with no way of putting it out.
Your thoughts please,and don’t slate me for criticising the putting out of the fire, because it simply took too long.We can all only be so grateful that nobody was anything more than shocked ,
Steve
By: DragonflyDH90 - 10th July 2005 at 08:48
I would imagine it is going to be very expensive….new wing would be in order I think.
Dont think I would be too happy flying it with a charred front and rear spar (glue failures etc etc) but it is hard to tell the damage from the pics, but still most probably a new wing.
By: DGH - 10th July 2005 at 08:03
😮 Well done the fire boys. I hope this hasn’t caused to much damage and the work required isn’t going to be extensive or to costly.
By: Skyraider3D - 9th July 2005 at 23:17
Hopefully, not much more than fabric recovering. Time for a colour scheme change perhaps?
What’s wrong with the silver? I like it best of all of them! 🙂
By: The Blue Max - 9th July 2005 at 23:09
Its a bit more than a fabric recovering methinks.
Me thinks your right!
By: DragonflyDH90 - 9th July 2005 at 23:07
Its a bit more than a fabric recovering methinks.
By: ALBERT ROSS - 9th July 2005 at 22:52
Hopefully, not much more than fabric recovering. Time for a colour scheme change perhaps?
By: Guzzineil - 9th July 2005 at 19:56
ouch, thats a shame… hope its not too difficult a repair..
Neil
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July 9, 2005 at 7:47 pm