Friday 13th - good day to fly?

[fattony]

I was thinking to myself earlier when I looked out the window to discover a nice, sunny CAVOK winter's day, that I'd much rather be flying than working today. Then I remembered it was Friday 13th and wondered if everyone felt the same way or whether some people avoid flying on Friday 13th.

I have to say that I'm not superstitious in the slightest but the British Medical Journal (http://www.bmj.com/highwire/filestream/373925/field_highwire_article_pdf/0.pdf) suggests "the risk of a transport accident on Friday the 13th may be increased by 52%", although admittedly their statistics are biased toward cars.

So my questions: does anyone avoid flying on Friday 13th? Conversely, does anyone specifically try to fly on Friday 13th? Any other flying-related superstitions?

[DaveW]

I have flown on Friday 13th over the Superstition mountains in an aircraft rented from Superstition Air Services.

Of course we died horribly, but still... :E

[rans6andrew]

My other half took her first flight in our bright and shiney new homebuilt aircraft on Friday 13th, after spending a year watching me put it all together. I didn't point out the date till afterwards..............


Rans6.........

[NearlyStol]

Been at it all day !
Perfect conditions, although a bit cool.
Could be any day when your time's up !

[Parson]

Well, as I was born on Friday 13th.......

[Pilot DAR]

It's really yucky out today, I'm going to leave the plane in the hanger, and drive to work....

[fisbangwollop]

Not many deterred up here in sunny Scotland today....kept me on my toes on Scottish Info 119.875, good to see folk having fun after all this crap weather of late. :cool::cool::cool:

[Ds3]

I braved it and did my first solo navex today. I'm here posting now, so it must have gone ok :cool:

[BEagle]

A black cat was just about to walk across the road in front of me today, but decided to roll over and have its tummy tickled instead.....

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/blackpussy.jpg

....the scars have just about healed!

[Morris542]

The date wouldn't have stopped me, the fact that my medical has expired did! Shame, it looked like a good day for it.

[Jan Olieslagers]

Avoid the New Moon, though, especially at low tide.

[xrayalpha]

Two people passed NPPL Microlights at Strathaven today - so lucky for them!

[coldair]

I am not superstitious at all.

However, just to be safe, I stay in bed all day on Friday 13th.

I have never heard of anyone dying in their bed, so I guess I must be doing the right thing ;-)

[Thud105]

Errrrr, statistically, most people die in bed.

[AlastairMutch]

Not a black cat but a white sheep, that ran across the runway 50 feet in front of me whilst we were in the flare to land. Nearly *very* unlucky for the sheep. :ooh:

Beautiful day for flying today otherwise although some fog was starting to form south of Carlisle on the way back up to Kirknewton from Sherburn.

Alastair

[Memphis_bell]

Happy to report that today, was probably one of my most sucessfull flights :-) Oh, you have to love Biz-Jets though !

[Chael]

Was a great day for it and enjoyed getting out, recently every time I've planned to go anywhere the weather had other ideas.

fisbangwollop, might have been one of the ones keeping you busy! G-CE heading to EGEC at around 1400 or so. Thanks for the service!

[6th Gear]

Being a short time away from finally gaining my PPL H I spent a nervous hour solo hovering and doing quickstops in the 206 Jet Ranger I recently bought. Landed and shut down thinking Friday the 13th didnt get me.

Opened my emails to find notification of a new Airworthiness Directive on my machine with an estimate of 10/12k and a timelimit of 10 weeks :{

[RWY AHEAD]

Don't you lot know it's unlucky to be superstitious! :E

[The SSK]

If you're airline staff used to be a good day for travelling standby.

One of my very earliest flights was on Fri 13, Aer Lingus 707 Heathrow to Shannon. And green is supposed to be an unlucky colour for aeroplanes too!

[Rory Dixon]

I have to say that I'm not superstitious in the slightest but the British Medical Journal (http://www.bmj.com/highwire/filestream/373925/field_highwire_article_pdf/0.pdf) suggests "the risk of a transport accident on Friday the 13th may be increased by 52%", although admittedly their statistics are biased toward cars.The famous christmas edition of the BMJ. My personal favourite is the 1999 issue (http://www.bmj.com/highwire/filestream/392912/field_highwire_article_pdf/0.pdf), where they discovered, why James Bond is in such a good health despite his life style :D

[Crash one]

Had a great day, even tried some ideas from here like "The impossible turn back" at 2000ft, losing 300ft in the process. Must try harder:confused:

[18greens]

I've heard cancerians aren't superstitious.

[10W]

Fantastic day for flying in Scotland. Little wind and very good visibility out on the West Coast. Glassy water on the lochs made for a most satisfying day's aviating under the tutelage of PH-UKU in G-DRAM.

Another 3 water and 2 runway landings for me. Another 13 or so in total for Wee DRAM :ok:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/381930_10150453350041901_707866900_8890684_457592843_n.jpg

The Arrochar Alps

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/399608_10150453348416901_707866900_8890660_167738787_n.jpg

Step turns in the winter sun on Loch Lomond

[dan_vector]

I had a fantastic day!! Took the trusty PA28 from Compton Abbas to Manchester Barton and back. Beautiful conditions with the patchy low lying fog early morning. 3.5hrs flying mainly up at 5,800ft AMSL lovely.

[Flying Binghi]

..does anyone avoid flying on Friday 13th?...

Why, its just another day fer this farm labourer and occasional pilot.

Started out Friday doing the rounds of the farm... seen a wild black cat - shot it up the arse with me 223. Finnished work late that night and a trip to do so seen out Friday and seen in Sataday in a piston single VFR on top with a bootiful bit of moonlight for effect. Magic day..:cool:




.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

It was lovely! This was overhead Chester yesterday:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/GZK6NK/DSC03879RES.jpg

[fattony]

Glad to see PPRuNers don't suffer from superstition! And loving all the pics. I didn't manage to get airborne on Friday but did on Saturday, although the weather wasn't nearly as good.

The famous christmas edition of the BMJ. My personal favourite is the 1999 issue, where they discovered, why James Bond is in such a good health despite his life style

I hadn't realised it was an annual thing. I think they managed to sucker me! :)

[Fieldhawk]

We had a great Friday 13th January at Sandown, Not quite sure how many flew in but Carla in the cafe hardly had time to breathe. I wonder if we will get a repeat on Friday 13 April and Friday 13 July?

And whilst talking about Sandown, where we had 4,728 visiting aircraft in 2011, we are already off to a good start this year and look forward to seeing you all any day of the week.

Isle of Wight Airport / Sandown. EGHN. 119.275MHz.

See you soon.

Fieldhawk (marshaller, north side) :)

[Discorde]

My last professional flight before retirement was Friday 13 June 2008, Palma to Stansted in a 757. As we approached Midhurst during the descent the F/O pointed to the chrono - it read 13:13. We both waited with bated breath for it to click to 13:14.

[Bob the Hamster]

I did night solo navigation on 13th followed by a number of solo circuits. Not entirely sure why as there are no lights at my home airfield :rolleyes:

[John R81]

Friday 13th my log book says

Redhill to Shoreham landed just after 10:00
Out of Shoreham just after 13:00 for Redhill, but diverted into the London control zone at Banstead and flew the heli lanes, departing the zone South when we reached the O2 arena and (reluctantly) returned to Redhill.

A fantatic day for flying (and sight-seeing)

[Noah Zark.]

Friday 13th - good day to fly?

Better that than to cruise, methinks!

[LowNSlow]

I have no qualms about flying on Friday the 13th as my Dad used to fly in Friday the 13th http://www.ww2color.com/Galley%201/images/00163.jpg