Airline pilot here... one more year to go then will retire... I fly since age 15, and have logged about 22,000 hrs.
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Who are experts in death statistics...? -
The experts are life insurance companies... Some years ago, I took a life insurance with my wife and kids as beneficiairies. I expected to pay an extra for premiums because I was a pilot... It was not the case. The fact was that I could fly as pilot with a commercial airline, and pay no higher premiums. But I would have had to pay extra if flying privately, or flying military aircraft... or had a motorcycle...!
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The most dangerous lightplanes to fly: underpowered light twin engines... one example: the PA-23 Apache (2 x 160 hp) which is unable to maintain flight if one engine fails at maximum certificated weight. With an extra engine, twice as likely to have... an engine failure.
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Taildraggers more dangerous - no - I dont think so... I learned to fly in a Piper L-4 (Cub) and got my PPL in such airplane at 17 of age. My son started to fly at age 13 with me, in a L-21C Super Cub, and he also got his PPL in that type of aircraft. As a knowledgeable pilot, I recommended to him to learn to fly in a taildragger first. A Super Cub will get you "out of troubles" much easier than any of the modern flying machines. You probably can land just about anywhere. And, if you landed there, you will be able to takeoff from that small piece of real estate. Not many planes can do that...
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A 747 is more difficult to fly than a PA-28...?
I do not think so.
Of all the planes I have flown, I consider that the 747 to be the easiest plane to fly, extremely stable, and after 18 years flying it, never had any hard landing... Hand flying an ILS in a 747...? Put it on the localizer and glide slope, and it will stay there... With a PA-28, I bet you must fight all the way down the ILS from FAF to your touchdown.
xxx
Happy contrails