Pilot-34
Well-Known Member
Is it possible to do sufficient economical testing on a small plane
(Under 3000 lb )
To be reasonably sure it’s safe ?
To give you a idea of what I mean reasonable tests vary with the cost of failure.
I can deal with testing a wing rib to failure .
And I might handle a 80 %
chance of a wing spar failing in testing.
I think I could stand to destroy a wing while building wings. So a test with a 30% chance of destructive failure might be acceptable
But maybe not after the plane was completed. And certainly not if the test was likely to destroy the finished plane.
A 10% chance is about the max I’d be willing to take there.
Would it be possible to do that testing under $10,000? , $50,000?
In other words is it realistic to trade engineering for testing ?
(Under 3000 lb )
To be reasonably sure it’s safe ?
To give you a idea of what I mean reasonable tests vary with the cost of failure.
I can deal with testing a wing rib to failure .
And I might handle a 80 %
chance of a wing spar failing in testing.
I think I could stand to destroy a wing while building wings. So a test with a 30% chance of destructive failure might be acceptable
But maybe not after the plane was completed. And certainly not if the test was likely to destroy the finished plane.
A 10% chance is about the max I’d be willing to take there.
Would it be possible to do that testing under $10,000? , $50,000?
In other words is it realistic to trade engineering for testing ?