My prayers are with you, having lost the friend, but my argument falls on the other side of the fence.

Each trip in the jet, I look forward to getting home so I can hop in the Cub for a trip around the patch. Or the Zlin. Or the Mooney. Heck, even the Yankee is fun compared to the jet.

It sure seems that many pilots who get the airline job, hang up their stick and rudder (mostly rudder) skills and a part of them dies without even bothering to say bye as it walks out of their lives. The departure goes unnoticed, until one day, some kid F/O climbs in and starts telling flying stories about knocking around the patch in a taildragger, last week, having a ball.

I honestly believe there's more risk for me driving in to work at ATL than when I am in a small plane.

Before you start accusing me of being wet behind the ears and not understanding the risk, know that I'm no stranger to losing friends from airplanes. I toured on the air show circuit for years as a crew chief and announcer.

But, one of the most tragic is possibly unfolding before our eyes right now. The Aeroshell Airshow Team's lead pilot Alan Henley is in intensive care with massive head and spinal injuries. His wife gives us daily updates on his condition as he fights complications--

Oh, did I mention he fell while playing with his kids on a chin-up bar? The bar gave way.

I used to say the only way to be sure nothing bad happens is to stay in bed, but then a friend pointed out such things as bedsores and staph infections.

Whatever you do, your day is coming and you never know whether it's right around the corner or decades away. Look out for your family if you've got one (I don't). Take reasonable steps to minimize risk, but don't stop living because you're afraid of dying.

Again, my prayers are with you and your friends' family.