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Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meeting
Posted by 'THR' on 05 Aug 2009 @ 18:39

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THRJoined: December 2007
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Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meeting

Re: Associated threads:

1) FKS Cadets – PFI – B-Final Red Flag Incident - 21/7/09
2) ZIP Nosecone – Let’s Do Something – 23/7/09
3) Good news on the nosecone – 24/7/09
4) Your present ‘driver’s association’ – 24/7/09

Following an incident in Formula Kart Stars at PFI in July, there was some concern expressed in UK Karting’s forums that the shape of the ZIP Storm front fairing may have been a contributing factor to my son Tom’s accident where he flipped after hitting a spun kart and sustained a broken collarbone.

Following the subsequent engagement of the MSA, a meeting was convened yesterday by John Ryan of the MSA, also attended by Tom Harris (Driver FKS Cadet 88), Martin Hines (ZIP Kart), Andrew Mellor (FIA Institute), John Symes (MSA) and myself (Ian Harris). During the meeting, CCTV footage (courtesy of TVKC) of Tom’s incident was shown to all to help assess whether the cadet front fairing of the spun kart was, in fact, a contributory factor in the incident. However due to the wet conditions and the position of the camera’s viewpoint the impact point could not be clearly determined and therefore the front fairing design could not be held solely responsible in this case. In the following debate, I asked whether a vertical surface to the front, extending to the sides of the fairing would present a reduced risk of a launch but it was suggested that the forces involved would have distorted the plastic under impact and created a similar effect. It was also suggested that it may encourage more bumping but we all know that already happens and is more of a governance issue. The issue of karts being lifted from the rear during starts was also aired and John Ryan had seen a number of examples of front fairing height differences at his recent visit to Kart Masters last weekend with the conclusion that existing regulations should be enforced regarding the minimum front fairing ride height.

The MSA have taken this, and other reported incidents, very seriously and have an opportunity to feed their findings into an ongoing project specifically looking at cadet kart bodywork for a proposed new homologation. The MSA and FIA are working together to ensure that any future bodywork is thoroughly crash tested before it is ratified and following the meeting a head-on test is proposed to be included in the crash test scenarios. In the short-term, scrutineers are being asked to check that front fairings are not excessively damaged or mounted in such a way to increase the ramp effect.

Andrew Mellor of the FIA Institute has taken Tom’s crash helmet and Leatt neck brace to further study the abrasion angles and are progressing a study on whether neck braces provide a tangible benefit. Currently the choice is down to the consumer and although we’re pretty certain that Tom’s collarbone was broken by pressure from the brace, we can’t say with any certainty that without it he would have sustained a more serious neck injury. Clearly more data needs to be collected on this subject and brace designs put through some serious testing. In jest, I suggested that Bernie Ecclestone, now associated with FKS, should be given the opportunity to contribute to the cost of that research.

Tom and I want to thank all the meeting attendees for the opportunity to discuss many of the concerns raised by Tom’s accident and although we may not see any immediate solutions, we have at least contributed to the data being used to support designs for the proposed new bodywork homologation. We also thank all those who provided their positive contribution and experience in the forum threads and these were collated and sent to the MSA prior to the meeting.

Tom has now received additional treatment from Brian Simpson at the Phisiotherapy Clinic in Ipswich and is making excellent progress. I guess it’s now time to start getting the kart rebuilt in readiness for his comeback.

Regards

Message Thread:

Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meeting by 'THR' << You are here!

Re: Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meet by 'chriskasch' (05 Aug 2009 @ 18:46)

Re: Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meet by 'John' (05 Aug 2009 @ 19:02)

Re: Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meet by 'THR' (05 Aug 2009 @ 20:19)

Re: Cadet Front Fairings Update – MSA/FIA/ZIP Meet by 'chriskasch' (05 Aug 2009 @ 21:03)

i dont understand????? THR by 'cosgrove78' (05 Aug 2009 @ 21:08)

Re: i dont understand????? THR by 'THR' (05 Aug 2009 @ 22:20)

Re: i dont understand????? THR by 'HC64' (05 Aug 2009 @ 23:51)

exactly! by 'cosgrove78' (06 Aug 2009 @ 0:14)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'richydehav' (06 Aug 2009 @ 11:32)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'HC64' (06 Aug 2009 @ 12:16)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'IamdeFastese' (06 Aug 2009 @ 12:31)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'liathach' (06 Aug 2009 @ 12:50)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'cosgrove78' (06 Aug 2009 @ 13:32)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'RoadRat' (06 Aug 2009 @ 13:59)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'richydehav' (06 Aug 2009 @ 14:19)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'dm8558' (06 Aug 2009 @ 18:36)

Let's apply rules equaly. by 'DCharity' (06 Aug 2009 @ 20:17)

Re: Let's apply rules equaly. by 'THR' (06 Aug 2009 @ 23:33)

Re: Let's apply rules equaly. by 'dm8558' (07 Aug 2009 @ 7:40)

The MSA are not allowed to browse a forum? by 'Andrewrr' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:11)

Re: The MSA are not allowed to browse a forum? by 'THR' (07 Aug 2009 @ 14:48)

Re: The MSA are not allowed to browse a forum? by 'John' (07 Aug 2009 @ 16:01)

There's a big diff between reading & posting..(nt) by 'QuickOldTimer' (07 Aug 2009 @ 17:27)

The MSA are in a no win situation! by 'SteveC' (09 Aug 2009 @ 14:46)

Re: The MSA are in a no win situation! by 'RoadRat' (09 Aug 2009 @ 15:48)

Re: richy i aggree by 'neilw60dad' (07 Aug 2009 @ 11:59)

Re: richy i aggree by 'Willsdad' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:06)

Re: richy i aggree by 'RoadRat' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:36)

The ambulance attends when a red flag is shown... by 'Andrewrr' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:37)

Re: richy i aggree by 'richydehav' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:37)

Re: richy i aggree by 'RoadRat' (07 Aug 2009 @ 12:49)

Re: richy i aggree by 'richydehav' (07 Aug 2009 @ 16:58)

Re: richy i aggree by 'RoadRat' (07 Aug 2009 @ 17:10)

When is a rule not a rule? by 'Minisueg' (07 Aug 2009 @ 22:19)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'DanTheK1RaceGearMan' (07 Aug 2009 @ 23:00)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'richydehav' (08 Aug 2009 @ 10:31)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'RoadRat' (08 Aug 2009 @ 20:00)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'richydehav' (09 Aug 2009 @ 9:04)

thats interesting......no red flags? hhmmmmm by 'cosgrove78' (09 Aug 2009 @ 11:23)

Re: thats interesting......no red flags? hhmmmmm by 'richydehav' (09 Aug 2009 @ 13:50)

Re: They need EVIDENCE! by 'RoadRat' (09 Aug 2009 @ 11:45)

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