FlyNSail

Hey all,

I have been involved with aviation all my life and have always been into things that potentially can cause injuries; flying, motorcycling, scuba diving etc. Although I have some risk tolerence, I certainly don't consider myself reckless and I am a very safety conscious person. I am currently half way through my COMM/IR and moved to the US from th UK 6 years ago with the hope of one day flying commercially. I am married with a 4 year old. Recently, I have become very nervous about flying and I am considering giving it up. A friend of mine and ex instructor (pretty experienced) was recently killed in an aborted takeoff and it seems like everytime I turn on the TV, there's another accident where a pilot or a whole family has died. I guess I'm just asking if anyone else out there has had the same feelings? I feel as if they are almost irrational, but that's the way I feel right now. I know we can get killed crossing the road, driving a car etc., but it doesn't seem to erase teh concern. Borderline giving everything up for fear of a midair (my biggest concern); am I crazy?! Just had to get it out! Thanks for reading

cheers..

p.s. mods, if this in the wrong forum, I apologise..

RxPilot

http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/07/pf/2...jobs/index.htm


"People who fly for a living also face danger daily, earning them the number-two spot on the BLS list. The highest rates of fatalities for commercial pilots come not from the big airlines, who log thousands of daily flights mostly without incident, but among the more modest levels of the flying industry such as crop dusters and bush pilots.


Occupational aircraft-related fatalities jumped last year to 215, a 44 percent increase, after falling in 2005 to 149. The fatality rate was 87.8 per 100,000, second only to the fishing industry.


Weather often plays a factor with clouds and fog-hindering navigation. The single biggest cause of fatalities involves what the BLS calls "flying into terrain, under speed." Flights may start out in clear skies and end in low visibility - and disaster."



The only person I know that was killed in the aviation industry was the DE for my PPL. Six months after my PPL, he got killed in a midair with a C152 while testing a helicopter instrument applicant at Fulton Co Airport in GA. As I remember it the applicant was a Dentist and the DE was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. I thought it was a horrible waste of lives at the time. The people in the C152 was a CFI and his student.


Anyway, I still wouldn't worry about it though. We're all going to the same place eventually anyway.


Hopefully Steve Fosset hasn't bitten the dust yet...

schwanm

Hey man

I've had those plenty, you've just got to put them aside. It's like falling off a bike somewhat, you've just got to jump back on and with time they'll fade.

When I was just about to solo I remember being scared out of my wits driving out to the aero club, thinking in my head "****, if I go flying today I'll crash, I'll put it off till tomorrow". When your confidence builds up as it does with increased hours and study/learning you'll feel less of those irrational thoughts because you'll have the experience to know you can control the situation in the right way if anything does happen.

Definately without doubt the best solution is to get back there and keep at it. Do lots of study. Once you realise you're in control of the situation it's not quite so daunting flying. Expect the unexpected, with learning from others mistakes and mishaps you can only really increase your safety. I think what most people are afraid of with flying is not being in control like they are in cars etc. they can't just open the door and hop out.

Definately live for the moment though, you never know when it'll be taken away, you'll only regret things you never did.

Hope that's some help, my odd form of reassurance

Cubdriver

I was always hyped-up by adrenaline when I went for my private training. The stalls in particular were heart pounders. It dies away over time. Like the previous post said, you get to where you know what is going on and it gradually replaces fear of the unknown. It's the time when you stop paying attention to the fact you are in an airplane that can get you killed.

There's old pilots and there's bold plots, but there's no old bold pilots.

I see pilots who impress me with their awareness and I see some that do not. Follow the rules, techniques, and principles taught by your instructors, the FAA, and your flight dept. and you will always be fairly safe.

ERJ135

About a year and half ago as a CFI, I just suddenly got the strange irrational fear of flying and esspecially going long distances from my home airport. It lasted about 6 mons. In fact I would not even take an airplane solo. In addition I was very nervous to fly with students that did not know how to land. I guess what happened, I got a middle ear infection from flying with water in my ear, and it cause to have vertigo while flying and get real nausious. Lucky I was with a student and we landed fine but, it scared me I guess. It took a while to snap out of it, then I went to the airlines and everything was fine. No more irrational fears. I have been to some long distance flights too LGA to XNA. That was a long one. Though keep in mind you can die in an airplane. Sometimes pushing back from the gate I'll think like "Hmmmm, is the last time push back from the gate?" But its all good.

FlyNSail

Hey, thanks everyone for taking the time to post, much appreciated . You all make some very valid points. Good to hear that others have had the same thoughts/fears. I am confortable with my flying ability on the whole but I worry most about midairs. I live and fly in the north East and regularly transistion the NY Bravo out to Long Island and I'm just looking out the window 99% percent of the time for traffic! Maybe this fear will dissipate a little once I get me IR ticket and can fly on an IFR flight plan? I do love flying and apart from one day getting into a commercial cockpit, I'm looking forward to getting a tailwheel checkout one day and perhaps flying a cub or Stearman (anyone else ever been to Van Sant Airport, PA..you can get checked out in a Stearman!). Anyway, I'm sitting in my manhattan skyscraper and watching a ERJ/CRJ going overhead...gotta get over it. and get back on the horse....lol!

P.S. AK HAWG..you fly A-10's? that's awesome! I live reasonably near to Willow Grove, PA and my son and I stand and marvel at the A-10's as they fly 90 degree banks in formation..that's got to be a great feeling to fly those!

Ewfflyer

Don't sweat it, we all scare ourselves from time to time, wether it's from our own personal experience, or through someone elses. If flying is a dream and a passion, it can't be waivered. That's how I feel about it, and I have no regrets!!!!

rickair7777

General Aviation flying is statistically similar to motorcycle riding as far as risk. With that being said, you have to look at motorcycle risk...

A dentist on a goldwing riding along the coast highway on Sunday morning is exposed to a certain level of risk (pretty low).

A buzzed 22 year old male who goes downtown on Saturday night on a ninja has a far different statistical outlook

You have to look at the type of flying you do (and the equipment you use). Motorcycle risk level is probably easy to determine, general aviation has a few factors which can sneak up on you. Assuming that you follow the rules and avoid reckless unauthorized manuevering flight, these are the big areas to pay attention to (in my experience).

1) Midair Collision: You will probably not be able to recover from a midair, so prevention is the key. Use flight following where available, otherwise communicate on CTAF or other air-to-air freqs. If you fly in a congested area, consider buying a cheap GA traffic alerter. Ultimately you have to keep a sharp visual lookout, because not everyone uses their radio and/or transponder.

2) Airspeed mismanagent in the pattern (leading to stall/spin). Keep a sharp eye on airspeed...as a new pilot the inherent importance of that is not second-nature to you, you will have to discipline yourself to look at it especially when you are distracted by other things.

3) VFR into IMC...even an instrument rating may not save you if you are not expecting it, don't have good situational awareness, and don't know who to call for help. If you are not planned and equiped for IFR, plan ahead to avoid IMC. If you think you're going to get trapped, contact ATC early and get some IFR charts out so you know MEA's, MSAs, Freqs, etc. Anticipate spatial disorientation...trust the gauges.

4) Wx while in IMC: GA airplanes don't handle thunderstorms and icing well...use all available weather info to avoid these hazards. If embedded CB are reported, don't fly IMC without radar.

Spartan07

My ground school instructor told us today that roughly 50% of all midairs are fatal. I tend to trust his opinion here (Many many years in the industry, Master's in aviation, writes for Flight Training magazine, and was an FAA examiner for many years). Does this sound about right to you guys?

FlyNSail

thanks again for the input everyone. Rickair, you raise some good issues that GA pilots (definitely newish pilots anyway) need to constantly remind themselves about; much appreciated.

On the subject of the GA traffic alerter (some kind of basic TCAS?!), can anyone recommend one? That is an investment I can definitely see myself making.

As for the motorcycle analogy, it's a good one. I'm def the old guy on the Goldwing and not the Wheelie popping Ninja kid