Flying Hours
Our thoughts on this discussion converge to focus on the pilot. Whether he was fit in every way to undertake this fateful flight.
Accepting he had accumulated the significant time of 3700hrs, and had done some aerial work such as para drops band glider tow, would it not be reasonable to suggest that his ambition may have been to work as a commercial pilot. That flying was more than a hobby or pass time. Why did he not at least get an instructor`s rating and take it one step further, why did he not get an IR to his PPL. Why did he not go for a CPL. Why were all these beyond his reach. Does it not also raise the question that he may have tried and maybe failed. Where do so many hours take one without a purpose. If one has very deep pockets, well all these do not come into question. But in this instance a gas fitter/engineer/plumber, with a poor financial score behind him, surely does not fall into that well heeled flying nut category. How much does 3700 hrs airtime cost. How did this unfortunate plumber could have afforded it, even if it was over a number of years. Flying has never been cheap. Unless you have a very deep pocket someone else must pay for the person sitting up at the front end of the machine. Who could those at the back be. I suppose that depends on how many good well heeled friends one may have.