Sport Pilot Talk

Well, I feel like a broken record: two years ago I posted about a fatal accident that occurred the day before my check ride at the airport I fly out of and right in front of me. This time I was not there, it was a plane I flew regularly and folks I know involved. A link below is included for the initial Katheryn's Report. Both pilot and passenger survived with minor injuries, but the plane is most likely a total and judging by the results it muist have been a scary ride to the ground. I assume an investigation will be forthcoming and I don't want to speculate at this point. However, I found out when my phone started ringing and text alerting almost constantly after the news broke. Since it was a plane I fly, I was off of work, and have quite a few pictures of the plane on my Facebook page everyone was concerned it was me. I don't know weather to take that as a compliment they care or wonder if they think I'm that bad of a pilot So here is my current situation: Everyone I know is urging me to re-evaluate my risk tolerance, which is a nice way of saying questioning my sanity. My wife, who flies with me occasionally and is generally pretty supportive asked if my life insurance was paid up and if it had an aviation exemption in my policy. That was her passive way of saying what everyone else is without sounding overbearing. I have to say it has once again made me question if it is worth it: my insurance has gone up substantially, there is now one less aircraft to rent at the FBO and schedules were already tight with student pilots, rental rates are going up. I can't help but hear the little devil on my shoulder going "do you really think it's a good idea to be taking this risk and burning through this money?"

So all that said, how do you folks who have done this a much longer time than I have face this and manage to convince yourself and/or your loved ones and spouses that this is an acceptable risk for a hobby (yes I know it's statistically less risky than riding a motorcycle, no that argument will not work on my wife)?


http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2019/12/c ... ed_25.html

Right there ... literally first entry in Google search...

https://abc30.com/traffic/3-teens-kille ... s/5788051/

There are risks to everything ... if I were to start contemplating every possible scenario that could end with my death ( aka Final Destination ) I wouldn’t leave my bed.

Condolences to all those involved, directly or indirectly (which includes emotionally.)

1) Wait for the facts of this accident, and encourage others to calm their emotions. There is no report yet, and undoubtedly there will be rumors.

2) Ask people who are questioning your flying if they evaluate their life insurance and use of their car when there is an auto accident near home?

3) Your decision to fly is yours alone. Evaluate your risks, skills, personal limits and aeronautical decision making.

One thing I found helpful in a number of potentially “dangerous activities” that I’ve participated in (sports cars, motorcycles, boats, horses, flying and beyond) is to study HOW any WHY people get hurt or killed in those activities; by doing that, I reduce my risks substantially.

After the emotions calm, I recommend the book, The Killing Zone: How and Why Pilots Die, by Paul Craig.

4) Follow logic, reason, facts, statistics and truth... and be honest in evaluating your flying in accordance with the same.

Again, wishing comfort to all those effected by this accident.

As a former Funeral Director/Embalmer (4th Generation) I can 100% GUARANTEE you that death IS coming for you. Death will also 100% ALWAYS find you regardless of where you are or what you are doing. Safe activity, activity with hazards, downright freakin' dangerous activity or in a state of inertia in your bed at home.

THAT is the reality of mortality, but not the emotion surrounding it all. If your loved one is important to you, only YOU can decide the weight and value of their concern vs your choices in discretionary, non-vital amusements and pass-time activities. Aviation is right up there with many of the quite pricey, optional and potentially life threatening hobbies.

Do I scuba dive? Yes. Do I own & ride a motorcycle? Yes. Would I climb a mountain, spelunk or cave dive? Oh hell no!

It's your life to live and you get to have a say in who gets to share it with you……. as do they. But indeed, life itself IS an ultimately fatal situation.

Well said... I very much agree.

Pete

The problem with motorcycles is that so much risk is out of the riders control. If someone rear-ends you at a red light, you’re gone!

The thing about about flying is that most of the risk is under the pilot’s control. I like that!

I rode a Harley for 9 years, but I was very cautious as to when and where I would ride to minimize risk. I even purchased a trailer to transport the bike to fun and safer riding areas.

Here’s my “Midnight Angel.” She was literally half Harley and half Porsche:

The thing about extraordinary activities is that they lead to other extraordinary activities. It was riding my motorcycle around the local airport that got me interested in aviation. There is always risk, but the ride (or flight) and life itself should be worth it!

Better photos. Semi-pro model. Photos by me:

I want one, Richard! (No, not the motorcycle)

Well as a follow-up, I got the real story from the pilot involved and from a mechanic who saw the whole thing: The pilot was attempting to land on runway 36, wind was a direct crosswind @15 gusting 25. He managed to get the mains down and a crosswind hit the plane, he lost directional control and ended up traveling across the runway, proceeded into the grass, across a taxiway, and through two parked planes. He managed to get it back off the ground and cleared the airport fence, unfortunately, he stalled it at 45' AGL and nose dived it to the point of impact. The pilot had just gotten his license 2 weeks prior and was with his wife. He needed stitches from where his sunglasses cut his head when he hit the dash and his wife was unhurt. The plane is a total and probably will not be replaced anytime soon from what I have been told. While all this was wrapping up a plane in Lafeyette (just south of my house) crashed and killed folks heading to the LSU game, with them was a prominent media personality and of course that was all over the news for a few more days. No report on what caused that yet.

I'm going up this afternoon if the weather breaks with a CFI to get current in the Piper Arrow at our FBO. It has been down for a few months due to maintenance and 100 hour so I have not flown it in 4 months, just the Tecnam. I figure it's best to get a refresher and get used to it again with a separate set of eyes and hands rather than just dump myself into the seat and hope for the best. There also might be the opportunity to get a tail wheel endorsement which I think I'll probably take advantage of. So I'm still flying, but I have greatly tightened my personal minimums and most likely will continue to acquire ratings/endorsements with occasional flights for a hamburger. As a bonus my wife has agreed to let me buy a motorcycle, how that happened I nor my friends have quite figured out...

designrs wrote:The problem with motorcycles is that so much risk is out of the riders control. If someone rear-ends you at a red light, you’re gone!

Funny you should mention this. My first bike, a Honda 750 Spirit, I was stopped at a light and got rear-ended by a pickup. I was not thrown. Bike got pinned under the bumper. Driver was apparently "pre-medicated" and got arrested.

foresterpoole wrote:I'm going up this afternoon if the weather breaks with a CFI to get current in the Piper Arrow at our FBO. It has been down for a few months due to maintenance and 100 hour so I have not flown it in 4 months, just the Tecnam.

Not to be a killjoy, but I’d be asking a lot of questions about why a Piper is down for a few months for maintence and a 100 hour. Perhaps you already know. Maybe waiting for an ADS-B installation?

designrs wrote:

foresterpoole wrote:I'm going up this afternoon if the weather breaks with a CFI to get current in the Piper Arrow at our FBO. It has been down for a few months due to maintenance and 100 hour so I have not flown it in 4 months, just the Tecnam.

Not to be a killjoy, but I’d be asking a lot of questions about why a Piper is down for a few months for maintenance and a 100 hour. Perhaps you already know. Maybe waiting for an ADS-B installation?

You hit the nail on the head: new transponder/ADS-B was the main reason, there is also not a demand for the plane. It's mainly used for charters and weekend/overnight rentals by the FBO operator but since they put a Cirrus on leaseback, everyone wants the shiny/flashy Cirrus not the old Piper. The other issue popped up with the revised qualifications for commercial pilots being able to substitute a technically advanced aircraft instead of the mandatory complex time; a glass panel with a moving map and autopilot is all you need or if you've got the money people have elected to simply fly the Cirrus. It's my opinion, but the Arrow might be on it's last gasp at the FBO, at the rate it's renting it's not paying for itself and costs more to maintain. On the upside, it has an almost brand new engine. To be honest I almost did not expect them to upgrade the transponder and just simply sell it, but the owner obviously feels it's still worth having around and I'm willing to pay to rent it intermittently so he's got one customer I guess....

One rental customer won’t justify keeping the plane. They probably had to install the ADS-B before they could even think about selling it. Perhaps there’s a rental market for those who can’t afford the Cirrus.