Things have been fairly quiet here of late, and it seems the only subject which prompts people to post is an aeroplane accident, or some sort of near-miss.
Whilst this is news, and affects real people in real ways, it would be a shame if our perception of light aviation is essentially about how hazardous it is. For browsers and interested visitors it does not present recreational flying in a very appealing light.
I would not advocate censorship or ‘filtering’ of the news, but simply wonder if the range of contributions could not be expanded, so that as one scans down the threads , it does offer more than a list of hair-raising reports.
By: ozplane - 25th January 2009 at 11:43
Some super shots on your site Scotavia. I really must take a “brave” pill and head up there in the Airtourer one day. As you probably know they have a nice big bubble canopy which gives great viz but can get a bit warm when the sun shines (if you can remember that!). There’s only one Airtourer in Scotland and that is G-ATJC which is based at Cumbernauld I think.
By: scotavia - 24th January 2009 at 23:12
Great to read about a Victa Airtourer and how you enjoyed the flight, I get a great feeling when the flight goes well and the vis is good,plus I also bring back lots of pics for the gallery. www.scotaviaimages.co.uk
By: Newforest - 24th January 2009 at 16:36
Good news on a bad news subject! Room for another one?:)
By: ozplane - 24th January 2009 at 16:17
OK then. I pulled the Airtourer out on Wednesday and despite the cold weather she started first go. With the cold (2 degrees) air she was off and climbing at 800/ft/min, about twice her usual rate. The viz was stonking, the air was smooth and I suddenly rememebered what this flying lark was all about. Positive enough ?
By: mike currill - 22nd January 2009 at 21:17
Nonsense, He was told where the stepping stones are
By: J Boyle - 21st January 2009 at 23:43
Somebody’s swallowed the media hype wholesale then?
I suppose alongside one mega-rich American leaving office to be replaced by another for a few years, things like the dropping of the first atomic bomb, the discovery of DNA and all the rest of it pale into the insignificance they deserve.
Moggy
You mean you missed the video of him walking on water?
I hear he’s planning on curing cancer before the weekend…
By: Newforest - 21st January 2009 at 10:20
Somebody’s swallowed the media hype wholesale then?
Moggy
Let us try and have some optimism in these trying times in the little time that we have on this earth. Positive thinking works wonders!:)
By: Moggy C - 21st January 2009 at 09:49
….only the most historic day in the world happening a continent away
Somebody’s swallowed the media hype wholesale then?
I suppose alongside one mega-rich American leaving office to be replaced by another for a few years, things like the dropping of the first atomic bomb, the discovery of DNA and all the rest of it pale into the insignificance they deserve.
Moggy
By: Newforest - 21st January 2009 at 08:11
Of the 86 threads Newforest has started in the GA forum, 51 of those have been regarding accidents and incidents to GA aircraft.
One question I have for Newforest though is why he considers that “spotters” need to know about these accidents and incidents?
God, I was bored tonight.
Regards,
kev35
Yup, a really boring night, only the most historic day in the world happening a continent away!:D
Thanks for the record keeping, I am interested in accidents and causes and receive regular notifications of accidents that may be of interest to others.
The anoraks need to keep their records or notebooks up to date.
Hopefully more interesting subjects tonight?:)
By: mike currill - 21st January 2009 at 07:42
It’s a fact that no-one notices all the accident free miles flown by all types of aviation but that accidents are picked up on because they are such a (relatively) rare occurrence. Something of the ‘you can be as good as you like, but you’ll only ever be as good as your last mistake in the eyes of others’ syndrome really.
By: J Boyle - 21st January 2009 at 05:45
But reading of all these accidents and incidents, many of which involve fatalities, is depressing and I suspect, as Propstrike says, not very representative of General Aviation in the UK.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the recent NY A320 mishap is hardly representative of commercial flying, but it got alot of media coverage.
Routine things aren’t noticed, thankfully flying acccidents are rare enough that thay are.
It’s a fact of life whether it be in driving, racing, or aviation whether it be military, commercial or general.
By: Moggy C - 21st January 2009 at 00:43
The truth is that this GA forum has not reached critical mass where it gathers enough people involved in the hobby to start to gather momentum.
Entering a market that already has Pprune and FLYER serving it, it is debatable if there really is a need.
But with Today’s Pilot in the Key stable it was inevitable that a forum would be created.
Moggy
By: kev35 - 21st January 2009 at 00:20
Just to answer a comment of J Boyle’s:
I remember reading the ‘I learned about flying from that’ articles in Flying magazine and the accident summaries in magazines like Pilot and I agree they are a useful instructional and informational aid. But most of the items Newforest is posting are ‘news’ items reported shortly after their occurrence and often wildly inaccurately. Therefore I don’t see that such posts do anything to improve flight safety as they are invariably posted months before investigations find any cause or recommend a course of action.
Regards,
kev35
By: kev35 - 21st January 2009 at 00:15
Propstrike.
I too feel this forum is becoming more fixated on accidents. However, it might not be that the accidents reported here are responsible for the lack of activity on the forum. It might be that GA is a necessarily expansive pastime which cuts down on the readership.
Of the 86 threads Newforest has started in the GA forum, 51 of those have been regarding accidents and incidents to GA aircraft.
Read or don’t read. Newforest is right, the choice is ours. But reading of all these accidents and incidents, many of which involve fatalities, is depressing and I suspect, as Propstrike says, not very representative of General Aviation in the UK.
One question I have for Newforest though is why he considers that “spotters” need to know about these accidents and incidents?
God, I was bored tonight.
Regards,
kev35
By: J Boyle - 21st January 2009 at 00:13
Most GA magazines and newspapers over here have accident summary articles.
That’s how we learn.
Just today at Lunch I picked up a GA newspaper from the local maintenance shop…it had a page of very brief accident summaries with the official NTSB verdict.
-In one a 87-hour VFR pilot kills himself and two passnegers by flying a 172 into IMC.
-In another, a pilot continues VFR into IMC with a Piper Seneca. You can guess the outcome.
-In a third, a pilot was flying one model of light twin, instead of his usual model which was made by the same manufacturer. He had the fuel feed set incorrectly for the one he was flying (but not the one he was used to). Engine quit on takeoff and he augered in.
True, my automobile magazines don’t feature accidents like these.
But then again, if my vintage car fails, you stop on the side of the road and call the AA.
Pilots don’t have it that lucky.
So even basic lessons we all learn in training need to be reaffirmed.
-Don’t fly into IMC if you’re not properly equipped and rated.
-Know your aircraft. Use your checklist even if you fly the thing daily.
-Don’t run out of fuel.
If people followed these and a few other basic rules, GA safety would improve greatly.
By: Newforest - 20th January 2009 at 22:48
Twenty seven threads to view in my latest sign-in, not a crash mentioned.
This is an aviation forum, accidents happen to aircraft, pilots need to know, spotters need to know, if you don’t want to read the thread, move on.
I don’t think we are going to get many browsers or interested visitors being frightened by the contents of threads.;)
Sign In
January 20, 2009 at 10:36 pm