Comments on: World-flight Pipistrel suffers structural damage

By: Rand Vollmer

Rand Vollmer — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:28:30 +0000

Give me a break – guys. Matevz first circumnavigated the World in 2002 flying solo in his Pipistrel Sinus Motorglider. On this second attempt, he is flying farther, faster, and higher than anyone has ever done in a 700 pound aircraft. Cruise speeds over 160 knots don’t mix well with heavy turbulance in a small aircraft. More than 1,000 Pipistrel aircraft are based around the World, and are safely flying on 6 continents (now 7 that Matevz conquered Antarctica). I challenge anyone who questions Pipistrel quality to just visit the factory in Slovenia – it is a truly a World Class operation.

By: Al Marsh

Al Marsh — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:20:53 +0000

Hi, Jim,
The World Greenflight will resume Sunday. He still plans to circle Mt. Everest, and the airframe has to be in top condition for that. The Web site is here ( http://www.worldgreenflight.com/ ).

At this moment they are waiting on a sunny day to provide heat to cure the repairs of the cracks in the tail. The aircraft remains in central Australia. There have been serious problems with the Rotax engine starting in South America, and pictures show it is getting some work in Australia, too, although it was also repaired in Tahiti and New Zealand.

By: Jim Murphy

Jim Murphy — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:57:44 +0000

As of 15 March 2012, what is the status/progress of Matevz Lenarcic’s flight around the world after his aircraft’s structural/mechanical problems with his aircraft ?

By: Doug Lugthart

Doug Lugthart — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:03:42 +0000

Let’s not be premature with the negatives; it’s like racing: innovating & “stretching the envelop” are where the problems arise, to be fixed in the production models.

By: Manoj Aviatior

Manoj Aviatior — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 05:24:09 +0000

Well.. Pipistrel will have to seriously look into the quality of material used and adhere to a strict Quality Control Procedures. Pipistrel has been claiming big about its design and quality, but the very first world-tour in a Pipistrel revealed the truth behind Pipistrel’s claim and boasts. Also, Pipistrel is known to be the manufacturer of Motor-Gliders, the aerodynamics and features of which vary largely from that of an ultralight or a LSA. What Pipistrel has done is that they have squezed the wing span and made it fit into the definitions of Ultralight & LSA. I think they went wrong with this. The whole concept, design, quality and standards of manufacturing will have to be re-looked into again, before reaching out to the market.

By: Tom Thomason

Tom Thomason — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:08:47 +0000

Please leave the pictures of the Olgas, just rename it.
They are visually far more interesting from the air than from the ground. This is a view only those who fly can see for themselves.
I have named the picture the Olgas. Thanks –Al Marsh

By: nestor0

nestor0 — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:16:34 +0000

So….. would anyone want to buy an aircraft that wants to fall apart ? I think he was really lucky. Pipistrel better figure out what went wrong before someone dies.

By: Al Marsh

Al Marsh — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:59:08 +0000

Thanks, Ken. It was listed on the Greenflight Web site that way. I will remove it.

By: Ken Spencer

Ken Spencer — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:50:48 +0000

The caption on the bottom photograph says “Ayers Rock.” It is not. Ayers rock is way off in the distance. The formation in the foreground it known as “Kata Tjuta” or “The Olgas.”

By: Chip Davis

Chip Davis — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:10:41 +0000

That last photo is not of Uluru (Ayers Rock). That’s Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), a similar (but not as well-known or visited) rock formation 40 km west of Uluru. You need to correct the photo caption and possibly the text.

There is a standard VFR procedure http://tinyurl.com/7p3tg7r for the two formations which requires a triangular clockwise tour (YAYE->Uluru->Kata Tjuta->YAYE), specific altitudes, and radio call-outs.

If hMatevž got a photo of Kata Tjuta, he should have flown directly back to YAYE (which _I_ certainly would have done) when he experienced the vibration. Every time I’ve done the tour, the GA traffic was sufficient to justify having the procedure.

Of course, he could have been ignorant of the VFR procedure, but that indicates poor flight planning (which I doubt). I suppose it’s possible he was confused about which formation was “the Rock”.