FOR THE LOVE OF FLIGHT
For some of us, the sky beckons and we are compelled to satisfy a desire to experience the miracle of flight. For many, it is an experience that is spiritual in nature; for it is from the vantage point of the heavens that we surely can witness the “hand of God.” As Buzz Aldrin and other astronauts described it; how can you stand on the Moon and not be overwhelmed with a spiritual awareness? Our vantage point is from a lower altitude and while the effect may be less it is still there. As with our health, we seem to take our mortality for granted; that is until it is threatened or we are painfully reminded of it by the loss of a friend or loved one. Family and friends often express concern to me regarding my flying. And the concern seems to run even deeper when the intended flying involves an airplane I have created in my garage. My pat answer is, “it is the safest way to travel.” And while that seemingly sarcastic response pertains primarily to commercial airlines, the reality is, by flying home built airplanes we are participating in a risky endeavor.
For many of us, abandoning the desire of flight does not seem to be an option. And while it is probably impossible to quantify an exact explanation for this, I suspect it has something to do with the spiritual nature of the experience. But there is a very real course of action we can take to make our flying safer. And while we will never achieve 100% in our safety record, we can reduce it to levels that imply only an adverse turn of the hand of fate was the evil culprit.
As scientific and practical we may strive to be, fate often seems to play a role in our lives. As I prepare to fly my homebuilt for the first time, recent events have definitely affected my attitude and awareness as I approach the upcoming event. While one was very tragic, the other arrives in my mailbox simply as an exchange of knowledge to help prepare me. The October issue of Kitplanes has in black and white, what kind of odds we are playing with when we take to the air. The numbers are sobering. General aviation has an accident rate of 0.61% per year. In more tangible terms, this means that one out of every 150 Pipers, Cessnas, etc. will have an accident. The homebuilt accident rate is 0.87% per year, or one out of every 115 experimental planes will have an accident this year. I highly recommend this issue so you get the entire picture.
So is our flying really safer than driving? For non fatal driving accidents, there is roughly one accident for every 70 people in the U.S. in a year. Ah yes, see…. driving is more dangerous, but what about fatal accidents? For cars there is about one fatal accident for every 5700 people. How does flying compare? With current active pilots at around 597,000; there is a fatality for about 1 out of every 1200. It would appear to be about five times more dangerous than driving with regards to fatalities.
So how do we cheat fate? The risks cannot be eliminated but they can be reduced. First; make certain that you take advantage of the EAA Technical Counselor program. I just recently completed my final technical counselor inspection and I can personally attest that another set of eyes, especially well trained and educated eyes, will find things in your airplane that you will overlook. Second; make certain that you have the proper training. There is no substitute for experience. Emergency landing procedures should be well rehearsed before your first flight. Third; make a test plan and stick to it. While it is too soon to determine the cause of last Friday’s accident, eye witnesses described what sounds like an engine failure on climb out, a turn back to the field in a near stall attitude and a resulting stall/spin. None of us can attest to how we may respond in a panic situation. But what we are told repeatedly is; upon engine failure, fly the airplane first and pick out a spot straight ahead. Instincts and panic tell us otherwise, but training and statistics know better. Emergency landing procedures should be practiced.
The FAA mandates a 40 hour test period. These 40 hours should definitely be used to implement your testing plan and help ensure that when you are done that you do indeed have a safe airplane. Also, it is a good idea to write down the plan and review it. I have found it is very easy to deviate from the plan once you are up having a good time. For my first test flight, I do not plan to leave the pattern. If my little, non-certified engine decides to quit, I will have plenty of altitude and a big airport field below me to glide down to. It is tempting to extend that downwind leg as you think about other things going on, but stick to the plan.
Ultimately our safety and success is up to us as individuals. Risk management has become an established field and its success in dangerous applications has no doubt allowed more souls to stay longer among the living. Some risks are easy to identify; top on the list are mechanical engine failure, fuel management and flying into weather. Other risks are sneakier and can seemingly creep up from nowhere. And there are times when the outcome seems to be solely decided by the hand of fate. That is not to say this influence cannot be dealt with, it just takes more humility and attention to detail on our part. The best book I ever have ready is “Fate is the Hunter,” by Ernest Gahn. This pilot’s experiences certainly demonstrate how sometimes it seems only the lucky survive. But we can tip the balance of luck in our favor, of this I am certain.