JoJo Wings safety notice

[paul2289]

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE - The accident investigation report has been published regarding a fatal incident at Pilling last year. The report details 3 key contributing factors, one of the major factors was the JoJo wing the pilot was flying. If anyone reading this owns or knows someone that owns a JoJo instinct wing for your safety stop using it immediately! 
The report has found that the 2005 design wing although rated as an EN A had been modified by JoJo to fit power risers. This modification (in the opinion of the inquest) has made the wing the equivalent of a EN D thus making it unstable and unable to recover from a collapse without major pilot input (beyond the ability of a beginner / intermediate pilot).
These wings have been sold to beginners who are literally risking their lives with each flight.
Please, Please share this with anyone you know that owns one. The BHPA will be issuing a safety notice in Skywings but this only goes to its members of with the majority of JoJo owners are not a member.
The pilot suffered a collapse below 200ft which likely became unrecoverable due to the design of the wing.
http://www.bhpa.co.uk/documents/safety/formal_investigations/index.php?doc=2016_10_23_ppg-pilling-lancs.pdf

Edited May 12, 2017 by paul2289

[alan_k]

That is really rather worrying that wings can be modified and end up as totally unsuitable for the apparent skill level for that wing.

Thanks for posting. 

[norbertflyer]

Such a shame. Especially with Mick's death in February/March this year. My 21 years of of flying these chair-o-planes have seen lots of reports of unnecessary UK deaths, either via acro manoeuvres, or not fully trained. Perhaps we should start an active campaign to save all current and future flappers?

RIP, so sad.

Richard

[andre_74]

Hmmm... 'Power Risers'? I am wondering if this is similar to the Dudek Power Attack system? I have a Nucleon XX and it has a Power Attack system that can be attached to the risers. The Power Attack system links the speed-bar to the trimmers, resulting in automatic smooth trimmer release on pressing the speed bar. 

The basic idea is: pressing the speed bar simultaneously releases the trimmers and engages the speed system. Then vice versa... releasing the speed bar closes the trimmers and disengages the speed system. This doesn't change the EN rating of the wing though because you can do all of this without the Power Attack system - you can still release the trimmers and engage the speed system, just separately.

I am curious what 'Power Risers' are? Anyone have a JoJo manual covering this?

[andre_74]

Disregard... I've just read the report... The certification label on the wing was for an old version of the wing that does not have trimmers, but the wing in question did have trimmers. So basically, someone put trimmers on a wing that has not been tested/certified with trimmers?? 

[nforster]

No it's just risers with trimmers, the inquest said the jojo wing was afnor standard, with the free flying risers it was certified with. It was never certified with trimmer risers. Despite this they had been fitted and it sold as a paramotor wing. The inquest tested it at full trims and it would be EN D. Bhpa recommend pilots be advanced and 200+ hrs per year to fly EN D glider.

[AndyB]

The accident report says the wing was rated B with no speed system and at lower loading ie for pg. The design was then modified for PPG, speed system added and higher weight loadings stated. With the speed system engaged the wing became D rated. BUT.....they never bothered to get the wing rated in the new configuration and weights!!!!!!!

Also, the guy was carrying a GPS which showed nice smooth turns and climbs/decents right to the point where he fell out of the sky vertically from 150 feet. A drop of 9 seconds and no reserve deployment. They suggest a wing collapse occurred, that was not self-righting because it was D rated, and hence the guy didn't know what hit him.

[andre_74]

The wing was not rated at all. It was a test pilot who conducted tests on the actual wing from the accident who concluded that if JoJo wings had submitted the Instinct to them for certification, then it would be an EN-D. I wonder if it came from the factory like that or whether it was modified?

Anyhoo... He flew over the field making a pass for landing with the trims all the way out, and he then made a R/H turn, probably under power, and a R/H turn is against the torque-steer of a FlyMecc. Recipe for disaster.  

 

[paul2289]

My understanding is they are added at the factory but still have the en a badge on the wing even though it makes it technically un  certified

[andre_74]

2 minutes ago, paul2289 said:

My understanding is they are added at the factory but still have the en a badge on the wing even though it makes it technically un  certified

If that is true, then the family of Pilot A have very strong grounds for a law suit!

[paul2289]

5 minutes ago, andre_74 said:

If that is true, then the family of Pilot A have very strong grounds for a law suit!

Without a doubt. What I want to do is make sure the same does not happen to someone else. BTW I was friends with the deceased pilot.

[andre_74]

Absolutely! I have been in the parachute/rigging world for nearly 20 years now, so I am very interested in this stuff and always keen to help others learn. I have had a few friends die and seen others have NDEs from bad rigging. It seems with this accident though that there are things to be learnt from bad rigging and understanding how wings react under power. But either way, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. 

[kiwi k]

12 hours ago, andre_74 said:

If that is true, then the family of Pilot A have very strong grounds for a law suit!

If it's the way i Go then be it but my wife will know at least i died doing something i love, and if she chooses to gain  money from my accident i will frown at her from above, to many people try to gain financial gain from this type of incident.

Its never easy but it ain't bringing me back end of.

[savage]

14 hours ago, andre_74 said:

.This doesn't change the EN rating of the wing though because you can do all of this without the Power Attack system - you can still release the trimmers and engage the speed system, just separately.

I may be being pedantic here, but there is no EN rating for the Nuc XX, it is effectively an uncertified glider, but then it's not a beginner wing or, sold as such, either.

Edited May 12, 2017 by savage

[andre_74]

2 hours ago, kiwi k said:

If it's the way i Go then be it but my wife will know at least i died doing something i love, and if she chooses to gain  money from my accident i will frown at her from above, to many people try to gain financial gain from this type of incident.

Its never easy but it ain't bringing me back end of.

It's a completely different story if someone diliberately sold you a dangerous wing that resulted in your death. The law-suit could save other people's lives if it gets the dealer shut-down.

Edited May 12, 2017 by andre_74

[kiwi k]

andre most of us are going on the BHPA report findings as thats all we can, how do we know if "someone deliberately" has gone out to sell dangerous goods ?,and your saying lawsuits and shutting people down, but we the individual do Not know all the facts, as to why an inexperienced pilot was flying overweight on a certain wing (dubious certification).

IMO possibly Jojo are currently having kittens as to said report and findings, and hopefully more precautionary methods are being taken to prevent further accidents of this nature happening, plus hopefully any other makers of wings rated for dual purpose will be checking their certifications to guarantee ratings are as stated. 

[andre_74]

33 minutes ago, kiwi k said:

andre most of us are going on the BHPA report findings as thats all we can, how do we know if "someone deliberately" has gone out to sell dangerous goods ?,and your saying lawsuits and shutting people down, but we the individual do Not know all the facts, as to why an inexperienced pilot was flying overweight on a certain wing (dubious certification).

IMO possibly Jojo are currently having kittens as to said report and findings, and hopefully more precautionary methods are being taken to prevent further accidents of this nature happening, plus hopefully any other makers of wings rated for dual purpose will be checking their certifications to guarantee ratings are as stated. 

Of course we do not know if someone has deliberately gone out to sell dangerous goods. Did you not notice the word 'if' in my sentence? I was replying to your earlier comment in which you stated that all legal action is about making money out of someone and that you would frown at someone seeking legal action in the event of your death.

Nowhere in my original comment did I mention that taking legal action would be about making money, and nowhere did I state that my opinion is gospel. This is a forum where people are free to discuss things, and that is exactly what I am doing. I am also going on the BHPA report, so I am included in your group of "most of us", so please do not pull-out your shotgun at the earliest opportunity! The point I was simply making is that IF a manufacturer is deliberately selling dangerous goods, then someone really should be taking action to find out IF they are. And that IF they are, then shutting them down would be a good thing, for all our sakes. 

Again - opinion, and i believe this forum is about the freedom to express exactly that??? 

 

Edited May 12, 2017 by andre_74

[kiwi k]

andre did you notice the IF word , and yes i would frown upon financial gains from my death  (i have insurance for said problem) all i would want as previously posted , is prevention or cure to hopefully stop another serious mistake from occurring again.

Thats all i'm saying on this 1 now as i'm putting away my fishing rod and getting out my Popcorn .

[kiwi k]

24 minutes ago, andre_74 said:

do not pull-out your shotgun at the earliest opportunity! 

 

[admin (Simon W)]

That's clearly a rocket launcher (or some type of RPG) not a shot gun. 

SW

[kiwi k]

31 minutes ago, admin (Simon W) said:

That's clearly a rocket launcher (or some type of RPG) not a shot gun. 

SW

 

[kiwi k]

Unless somebody else confirms my findings on this but noticed another wing elsewhere for sale, but also offered as ppg usage when marketed. 

I know this wing is no longer dealer sold but having noticed a Dudek Nemo 2 Moto on another auction site, curiosity got me and after a little tinternet digging found this out    

Originally a PG wing " All sizes have already been certified as EN/LTF A paragliders "

but they provided a Moto package also which basically changed " standard risers for 'moto' version with trimmers "

And this info also provided

" On leaving the factory all moto risers are blocked with a special buckle. When it is present, you can't use the trimmers and the paraglider conforms to EN norm. However, if you want to get that additional angle of attack regulation, all you have to do is move the buckle toward black loop which pulls the trimmer in.  
Be aware though, the paraglider was not certified in any other configuration than "fully closed" position " 

So looks like the above situation might not be a one off finding.

 

please NOTE if my post is proved misleading or incorrect i'll delete at a later time. with an apology 

[admin (Simon W)]

As far as I am aware, This has been like this since the birth of the reflex wing and is nothing new. 

I am fairly sure nothing has changed. The gliders are ALL certified with trimmers in (NOT OUT) 

SW

[kiwi k]

Si how good or bad is the Nemo 2 Moto's please ??

 

[AndyB]

2 hours ago, admin (Simon W) said:

As far as I am aware, This has been like this since the birth of the reflex wing and is nothing new. 

I am fairly sure nothing has changed. The gliders are ALL certified with trimmers in (NOT OUT) 

SW

Si,

In that case then does that mean the JoJo wing WAS ok for Paramotor use. If they had had the cert re-done it would have come back as OK (with trimmers in)

Andy