How Bad is Products Liability Insurance Hurting General Aviation Manufacturers?
Currently so many general aviation manufacturers must burden the costs of increased liability from potential lawsuits. Even if an aircraft crash is pilot error, attorneys usually get involved with the families of the victims and this triggers a lawsuit. Lawsuits are costly and that means additional staff is needed in the legal department of the Aircraft Manufacturer and each time the products liability insurance increases. If you look at a company like Mooney in Florida consider also their dilemma, super safety record compared to the “Doctor Killer” Bonanza V-tails or the Piper Malibu, with issues of behind power curve tork when going from zero to full throttle flipping over. A company like Cessna producing 39,000 C-172s has the economies of scale advantage, but the legal costs and insurance is still a huge chuck of change and the over all cost pie of an individual produced unit you see? When I talked with an aviation Independent Commercial Insurance Agent who often calls on aviation u
