Missing flight plans

"The Visitor" wrote in message
...


Gig 601XL Builder wrote:

And do you have some data to back this up?
As much as you do to refute it.


It is based on my personal observations. And the people I refer to really
don't know much of what they are screwing up.

I see people worried because someone is thought to be over-due and they
know he doesn't have a flight plan. (grow up, don't leave that kind of
burden hanging around for your wife or friends, leaving them wondering and
unsure.)

You wanted to lure Michelle into the argument that, no flight plan causes
accidents, but that is a joke.

What is in-escapable is the correlation between the two.

And the correlation between flight planning and fewer accidents.

Why?

Complete flight planning is one of the earmarks of a conscientious pilot.
And conscientious pilots are generally going to be safer in their flying
and more likely to keep honing or truly maintaining their skills, rather
than thinking idle flying makes them a good pilot. That's just how it is.

I have met many an ego, err I mean "eagle" who is very weak at flight
planning. Could barely even file a flight plan as it has been 10 plus
years. Weather, nope. So they use the weather channel or phone the
destination. I see some of them land hot, porpoise and smoke the brakes.
They know how to get flight following and talking to atc makes them think
they are good pilots. I see them cut others off, and it is okay to them
because they have been doing it for years. But they really do enjoy the
ride.

They mean well and in their mind they are working hard at it, so feel they
must be good at it. It is easy to give yourself good marks. Especially
when you are in an environment where there is no real yardstick beside
you.

Sure it is possible to be an excellent pilot and choose to not to file a
flight plan or itinerary. But that is pretty irresponsible, so I withdraw
the use of the word excellent.

There is never 'one' cockroach.



Filing a flight plan and planning a flight are two different things. A VFR
flight plan is little more than a 'Come find the body request'. While you
make an excellent argument for that I have better ways of letting my wife
know I'm late than having the FSS call her and ask her if I'm home. In fact,
I've had them call when I had changed a flight plan and I can guarantee that
that scared the little women more than any other thing to do with my flying
ever has.