Another Bad weekend for aviation

[Negative 'G']

What a terrible year so far,it just keeps on getting worse.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1404000/1404196.stm

My condolences to all involved

[Bouncy Landing]

It just goes from bad to worse.....

With a 7 month pregnant wife I'm starting to seriously question the wisdom of continuing to fly....

So what is the problem? Are all these incidents all completely seperate and due to technical problems or is a contributory factor that we are just not flying enough and a quick 1 hour "refresher checkout" when we have gone over the club required "currency" not enough to make sure we are up to speed?

I know we can't of course speculate on causes but I think I'm going to have a few extra hours "fine tuning" whit an instructor to make sure I can cope as well as possible should the worst come to the worst....

[arrow2]

Very depressing - this will certainly be one of the worst years for GA fatalities on record.

Some may say that the recent good weather after the bad winter has brought out the aviators in force, some of whom may be a little out of currency. Difficult to say with certainty and maybe there isn't any common link to the accidents - may just be one of those things.

I too, with a 5 year old son, sometimes wonder whether what I do is really sensible. However it is difficult to give up something I enjoy so much and I do all I can to minimise risk - I do not like frightening myself!

RIP to those involved in all the accidents and condolences to family and friends.

Arrow2

[This message has been edited by arrow2 (edited 24 June 2001).]

[Oldlearner]

My friend Darwin say's dont worry eventually the problem is self correcting http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif

''He who follows is not you''

[skua]

Just a theory, but maybe this year has been so bad because of the poor winter/spring weather. At the first sign of decent weather in the last month or so, pilots set off.

1. They are rusty
2. their aircraft have not been used much for months.

Both pilots and aircraft perform better if in regular practice.

This does not of course explain the sudden rush of airshow calamities, where one presumes the pilots have been in as regular practice as normal.

I don't think that aviating in the UK has suddenly got inherently more dangerous.

[Toppers]

Forgive me for being controversial but how do you think the accident frequencies will be affected once the National Pilots Licence comes into force. Less experienced pilots flying less hours can surely only lead to one thing?

[Little Rascal]

Oldlearner

May I suggest to you that if you are indeed an old learner, you desist from being a slow learner - I knew one of the people killed, and I would appreciate it if you would refain from suggesting that his death is of benefit to the future of mankind. Remember that accidents do happen to the most careful and able people and that people do also screw up. Neither cause makes the person a bad person!

[Final 3 Greens]

I don't wish to appear cold blooded or unsympathetic to the friends and families who are grieving for their lost ones.

A little rational thought suggests that we are experiencing a very unpleasant blip this year and that the numbers will still average out over the longer term, so too much cause and effect thinking on one year may not be entirely helpful.

IMHO the best way to remember these unfortunate people is to read the accident reports when available and try to learn the lessons at that stage.

I know that I have been fortunate enough to screw up in the past and get away with it and I find the comments about Darwin particularly offensive, as I have also seen situations where people have been killed when absolutely blameless.