Last month the "Better Than New 172" was completed, and since my wife and I own the same model 172, I was anxious to see just how this upgraded Skyhawk looked and flew.
Early on a Saturday morning we headed out to take a spin around the pattern. It was probably a big mistake to get the keys for this one-of-a-kind airplane from Tom Haines, Pilot magazine's new editor-in-chief, and the person most responsible for overseeing all the enhancements. From the pristine paint job, to the leather interior and state-of- the-art panel, I was convinced we would never be happy with our own airplane again. On the other hand, some new or renewing AOPA member is going to be a mighty proud owner at the end of the year when this sweepstakes ends and the aircraft is awarded to the winner.
As soon as I buckled the modern "inertia-reel" shoulder harness, as opposed to the standard seat belt and awkward shoulder strap in our own airplane, I realized that this instrument panel bore no resemblance to our 172's, yet they were both 172N models, and only a year apart! All the switches were modern toggles, not the white plastic rocker type, the instrumentation was all digital, from the oil temperature/pressure gauge through the tachometer. Climbing out with full fuel, and extra tanks carrying an additional 24 gallons, we were still able to register 1,000 fpm on a 90-degree day. It was the 180-hp Lycoming up front that gave "Better Than New" the kind of performance you would expect from an airplane in this class. This airplane has it all: Stormscope, Eventide Argus moving map, S-Tec autopilot, and annunciators galore. In addition, N172B is one of the first to be equipped and certified for nonprecision GPS instrument approaches using the new Garmin receiver.
Back on the ground, my attention turned to another project that is also close to completion.
Loud and clear, in survey after survey, members have stated that product liability is the single greatest issue facing G.A. today. As we all know, in many cases nuisance lawsuits have crippled the piston-aircraft manufacturing industry. A recent survey showed that 50 percent of these lawsuits are brought by only 16 trial law firms in this country, utilizing the same nine expert witnesses time and time again. Imagine, an entire industry held hostage by 16 legal firms. And with so few airplanes are being built, there is a halt to critical and important research and development work on engines, airframes, and systems (like those described in "Better Than New").
However, I'm pleased to openly tell Russ Meyer, chairman and CEO of Cessna Aircraft, to dust off that tooling, begin hiring the workers, and start R&D on the next generation of piston airplanes. He is very close to making good on his promise to build 2,000 airplanes in the first production year, if the statute of repose bill becomes a reality. For over eight years we have watched key Senators block a floor vote and the House Judiciary Committee hold the original product liability bill hostage. That's why AOPA suggested a simpler solution in 1992: A 15-year statute of repose to place a reasonable time limit on the perpetual liability of manufacturers.
As a quick review, during 1993 Senator Nancy L. Kassebaum (R-KS) introduced this legislation (S.1458) in the Senate, and Congressmen Dan Glickman (D-KS) and James V. Hansen (R- UT) cosponsored a similar bill (H.R.3087) in the House of Representatives. Critical to freeing up the bill from the Judiciary Committee was the very important petition for discharge legislation that Representative James M. Inhofe (R-OK) succeeded in getting passed late last summer.
" Landing Liability Reform" ("President's Position," May Pilot) outlined the process in the Senate's reaching a 91 to 8 vote passing an 18-year statute of repose.
During the past three months, your organization, along with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), has worked countless hours getting this bill to a floor vote in the House. First, we sent an AOPA Legislative Action Pilot Alert to every member, asking you to write your federal representatives. To date, over 30,000 letters have been received. Next, we testified at a hearing of the Judiciary Committee, indicating that as consumers we felt this bill held the proper balance for our ability to sue when an aircraft or part was newer than 15 years, but also recognized the need to provide relief to the manufacturers after a reasonable length of time. Alongside me was Meyer of Cessna, and a representative from the machinists union, whose membership has been hard hit by unemployment due to curtailed piston production.
Equally effective, however, were the opponents: an aviation trial lawyer, one of those nine expert witnesses, and a representative of a consumer organization.
Armed with the petition for discharge, which was filed and began collecting signatures in late May, and due to negotiations between cosponsor Glickman and Jack Brooks (D- TX), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the bill was marked up and sent to the House floor at the end of June. Contrary to our concern about a compromise that the manufacturers and pilots could not accept, the bill outlined 15-year statute of repose for piston aircraft, 18 years for turboprops, and 22 years for jets. Most important, and due in large part to your letter writing, on June 27, by voice vote, the House passed this important legislation. I cannot emphasize enough the importance that the AOPA Political Action Committee has played in this overall effort. Member contributions to PAC have allowed us access to a host of politicians, and during a very busy year.
At this writing, we're waiting for a quick vote in the Senate to approve the changes made by the House. That vote will probably occur prior to your reading this column. The bill would go automatically to the President's desk, where he has 10 business days to sign it or veto it. With the landslide Senate vote, and the speed with which this was dispatched in the House, it is doubtful this legislation will be vetoed by the White House.
That Senate vote will be the "flare," and the Presidential signature the "landing," but we are over the threshold right now after an eight-year cross-country to obtain much needed tort reform for general aviation. Very soon, the one-of-a- kind "Better Than New 172" could be the prototype of a production aircraft off the line at Cessna.
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