On Tue, 5 Jul 2005 21:52:24 -0400, "Richard Kaplan"
wrote:

That puts things into a bit of perspective but let us clarify this a bit
more.

First of all, let us talk about high performance piston singles. No doubt
there are pilots with poor judgment there. But there is no way you can tell
me it is not possible for a businessman who takes piloting very seriously to

Yes, I am a light aircraft instructor. I also fly a high performance piston
single for personal trips. I fly over 400 hours per year. It so happens I
am also a physician. Yes, I believe I fly to professional standards. And
I know lots of my students who are entrepreneurs or partners in various
professional practices and fly 100-150 hours per year and whom I would
entrust to fly my children. And I know such pilots whom I would prefer not
to fly with. Each case is different -- let us not generalize.


Love this forum for the conversation it stimulates.

I have two physician friends that are pilots.

#1 - Great pilot. Owns a homebuilt Glassair and a glider. No ego.
You have to ask him what he does for a living to find out. Flys maybe
150 hours a year. I'd go to the moon with him. Takes flying very
seriously.

#2 - Scares the hell out of me. Owns a Bonanza and will probably
partner with another on an Eclipse if he lives long enough to get it.
Flys about 250 hours a year commuting to his other house and boat.
Eat up with the god syndrom and makes stupid decisions in most
everything he does except when he's cutting on someone.

#1 and possibly guys like you don't worry me a bit. My concern is
until the VLJ's come out, all the #2's killing themselves in light
aircraft have been off the public radar screen. As soon as that
starts happening in jets things will not be the same.

Think we have beat this to death. Good luck and keep the blue side
up.

P.S. Sometimes there is truth in humor. One of my favorites -

The three most dangerous things in aviation are -

1. A doctor in a Bonanza
2. A baseball player in a Citation
3. Two flight instructors in a Cessna 150

Have a good one.