If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
The following, from _Sails in the Sky_, caught my attention:
"Is sailplaning safer than power flying?" someone asked. "We think so," said Jones. "You're not moving as fast, there is no danger of an engine conking out, no chance of fire. And when you soar, you have to keep your mind on what you're doing. In power flying some pilots count on the throttle to get them home, and they get into trouble. In soaring you know you have to keep mentally sharp to work yourself back to the airport." True? False? Johan Larson |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
True to some degree, but since you are comparing oranges and apples,
it's not that easy to answer. But gliders tend to fly in good weather only, and the number one cause of accidents in GA airplanes is flying VFR in IMC conditions. Running out of fuel comes fairly often too , which you won't see in gliders obviously. Are gliders safer? Perhaps, but I take them just as seriously as when I am flying a jet, for example.... Richard ASW19 Phoenix, AZ |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
I think this is a case of asking the wrong question. 99% of accidents in
both gliders and GA airplanes are caused by pilot error. To quote Pogo, "we have met the enemy and he is us". Airplane pilot tend to fly more and, critically, make more landings than glider pilots. Many glider pilots make fewer than 20 flights per year. The relative lack of currency by glider pilots leads to a higher accident rate than would otherwise be the case. If you compared pilots with equal experience and currency, I think you would find glider flying would be safer. Although there are differences in the machines we fly and the conditions under which we fly them, mechanical contributions to the accident rate are swamped by pilot error. Bill Daniels wrote in message oups.com... The following, from _Sails in the Sky_, caught my attention: "Is sailplaning safer than power flying?" someone asked. "We think so," said Jones. "You're not moving as fast, there is no danger of an engine conking out, no chance of fire. And when you soar, you have to keep your mind on what you're doing. In power flying some pilots count on the throttle to get them home, and they get into trouble. In soaring you know you have to keep mentally sharp to work yourself back to the airport." True? False? Johan Larson |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
Sailplane flying should be safer than power flying--but it is not. There are
many ways to do yourself in with a glider. There are many ways to do it in a powered plane also. There is some overlap, and there are some ways unique to each. Some pilots are creative enough to do it in ways we haven't thought of yet. The answer is flying attitude---"Your next flight could kill or maim you--what are you going to do about it?" -- Hartley Falbaum wrote in message oups.com... The following, from _Sails in the Sky_, caught my attention: "Is sailplaning safer than power flying?" someone asked. "We think so," said Jones. "You're not moving as fast, there is no danger of an engine conking out, no chance of fire. And when you soar, you have to keep your mind on what you're doing. In power flying some pilots count on the throttle to get them home, and they get into trouble. In soaring you know you have to keep mentally sharp to work yourself back to the airport." True? False? Johan Larson |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
Part of the safety problem with soaring vs power flying (and which ties
in with the "currency" issue) is that while power flying usually is about staying as far from the edges of the envelope (skill and equipment) as possible and still accomplishing the mission (be it training, cross-country, or just sightseeing), soaring often requires pushing the capabilities of both the pilot and glider to accomplish the desired goal, be it XC, racing, or even staying up on a marginal day. If you want to go faster or farther in power, you pretty much have to buy more airplane. In a glider, you can go faster and farther by trying harder, flying better & smarter, or by taking more chances. You can take chances and still be safe, but the opportunity and temptation is there to push too hard, to fast, too soon....(been there done that!) Just buying more glider won't make you go faster or farther than the guy who has more skill or experience (not the same thing!) in his lower performance glider. And that in itself may cause dangerous flying by rich but unskilled glider guiders! So fly a lot, train all the time, set realistic goals, question everything, have fun. Kirk 66 |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
I am surprised by this statement.=20
Do you have any evidence to support this? Are you including commercial flying within power flying, or just recreational power flying? =20 Rory =20 Author: Bob Kuykendall mailto:Bob Kuykendall =20 Date/Time: 15:00 14 November 2006 ________________________________ In terms of fatalities per participant hour, the statistics are pretty clear that soaring is more dangerous than power flying. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
Rory O'Conor wrote:
I am surprised by this statement.=20 Do you have any evidence to support this? Are you including commercial flying within power flying, or just recreational power flying? Official US statistics for 2001 can be had he http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2006/ARG0601.pdf It's for general aviation, so obviously big jets are out, but I don't know exactly where the line is drawn. The fatal accident rate for gliders in that year was 4.17 per 100,000 hours, over three times the rate for all aircraft at 1.29. The total rate (fatal and non-fatal) is similarly elevated. -- Michael Ash Rogue Amoeba Software |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
"Is sailplaning safer than power flying?" someone asked. "We think so," said Jones. "You're not moving as fast, there is no danger of an engine conking out, no chance of fire. And when you soar, you have to keep your mind on what you're doing. In power flying some pilots count on the throttle to get them home, and they get into trouble. In soaring you know you have to keep mentally sharp to work yourself back to the airport." Some interesting perspective so far.And here (Hopefully) is some more.Power pilots dont have to endure the aerotow or winch launch.I can still remember the words of my old hang gliding instructor (In regards to towing) "Just one more thing to go wrong".Someone pointed out the statistical rate was worse for sailplanes.I wonder how much closer it would be if one excluded the towing accidents.IMHO probably a little more apples to apples. K Urban Johan Larson |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
safer than power flying?
|
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
I want to build the most EVIL plane EVER !!! | Eliot Coweye | Home Built | 237 | February 13th 06 03:55 AM |
Piper Pathfinder Article | john smith | Piloting | 24 | March 14th 04 01:04 AM |
the thrill of flying interview is here! | Dudley Henriques | Piloting | 0 | October 21st 03 07:41 PM |
Wife agrees to go flying | Corky Scott | Piloting | 29 | October 2nd 03 06:55 PM |
#1 Jet of World War II | Christopher | Military Aviation | 203 | September 1st 03 03:04 AM |