The
Flight to the Isle of Man thread has played on my mind quite a bit.
One trip I hope to do once my PPL flying is more established and probably not until I've got confidence and an IMC, is Newtownards near Belfast, which is close to one of our offices and a friends house.
I can see how to make it a reasonably short sea crossing, but it's clear there is a feeling amongst more experienced pilots, including my instructor, that knowing what they know now they just wouldn't perform any sea crossing where there is even a chance of not being able to make land in the event of engine failure.
I understand risk and while of course the engine never knows where it is, mitigating risk is the name of the game. So I was wondering not so much about whether you'd do it personally, but more how PPruners would comment on a pilot who went down after having made the decision to do it.
Would the pilot be irresponsible for having made the decision in the first place? Would it make a difference if there were none PPL passengers on board?
Ian