Originally Posted by
lstorm2003
I was very sorry and disappointed to see the type of response that I did from so many of my fellow pilots on this forum. There is a reason that GA has such a disproportionately high rate of accidents compared to part 121 or part 135. Condoning or encouraging behavior like this certainly does nothing to improve our safety record -- or insurance rates for that matter... Let me ask you this question: Would you show the same complacency if your son or daughter were in the aircraft with this pilot?
You are however comparing apples, oranges, and maybe even a tomato.
Let's compare 135, 121, and 91 to their other world components. Lawn-care trucks, big-rigs, and everyone in a car.
Big-rigs have the best per-mile safety record I'm sure(no facts, but. They do the most miles, etc..etc... The lawn-care guys don't put on a lot of miles, but they do have to have DOT numbers for anything pulling a trailer(including a pick-up truck). The rest of us, well we just get along.
Honestly, would I do the scenario if it was my child. I'm not a parent yet(That'll come in Feb!), but would I do a low-level flight over open water, or I should say would I do another one when I have them with me, just something I would evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
I'm from the school of live and let live, not the school of thought where people should be over-bearing.