by G Farris IFR@[EMAIL PROTECTED] Nov 15, 2005 at 01:19 AM


In article
9df32ce06cd276804d2ad5ee13daf3ce@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
,
live-ski-or-die@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
says...


Not all of the press was positive!
http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/news/story_801.asp


Well, it's not all that bad. Puts the FAA in a rather bad light for not
doing their job, but otherwise :

Had he been driving a car, instead of flying a light plane, the danger he

presents to others would have been much greater. It's a fact : light
aviation accidents very rarely cause any injuries or deaths to people on
the ground. The only significant danger is to those directly involved,
who

are supposed to be aware and consenting.

Second fact : as a pilot, in the execsise of aviation activities, your
chances of being killed by another, negligent operator are close to nil.
It
"can" happen, and has happened of course, but it is safe to say you are
master of your own destiny, and if you do right, avitaion will do right
by

you. In car accidents it always seems it's the drunken kids who just held

up a drugstore who walk away from the accident, while the schoolteacher
and
family of five perish. In aviation, you get out of it what you put into
it

- that should satisfy those "Live Free or Die" zealots.

Third fact (artifact) - Aviaiton is a great ambassador for sobriety! All
of
the pilots I know are careful about the amount they drink, and many do
not

drink at all, BECAUSE of their aviation activity. Flying is a lot more
fun

than drinking anyway. Medical qualifications in a more general sense
follow
the same rule (look at Jay and his diet). Fact : The attitude of being a
pilot is good for your health, and reduces dangers to others and to
society.

GF

I happen to agree with (just about) everything you said. Just pointing
out that the press coverage was not overwhelmingly positive, as the
headline indicated.

About the second point though, concern about mid-airs is definitely high
on many pilots worry lists: See and avoid MEANs that others actions can
definitely have an "impact" on your own safety in the air. Read the
just-released transcript of the tower's communications with the ill-fated
150 that had a mid-air in Washington.