VFR Over the top.

[BabyBear]

Chuck, I did notice your location. I am a tad confused, how do you ensure you are always within gliding distance of a suitable landing area? Surely crossing Canada East to West had to see you many miles from suitable terrain?

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I try and have somewhere where I can land and survive when flying single engine Baby Bear, true one sometimes will be hard pressed to find such a place but I try and maximize my chances as much as possible.

For instance in the mountains if I can not fly high enough to be able to find a river valley or such to force land on I follow the VFR routes where there generally are highways or train tracks to land on.

For sure water is not a safe choice on wheels.

One will find ones self in less that desirable circumstances often enough when trying to lessen the risks without deliberately putting ones self in a high risk situation intentionally.

This is a good subject and should be carefully discussed and examined.

[BabyBear]

Indeed it is a good subject, Chuck. I am not familiar with the terrain in Canada, however my experience of crossing high terrain is that if the donkey stops there is little chance of finding an area that will guarantee an uneventful landing. Clearly the higher one is over the mountains the more difficult it is to assess how suitable the terrain below is with any accuracy and of course once down low enough surrounding high ground limits options.

Originally Posted by Chuck Ellsworth

For sure water is not a safe choice on wheels.

One will find ones self in less that desirable circumstances often enough when trying to lessen the risks without deliberately putting ones self in a high risk situation intentionally.

I whole heartedly agree with your comments above. I guess, like many, you minimise risk as much as possible, however you accept the significantly greater risk than those flying in Holland have to.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

For sure mountains are not a big problem in Holland but you can hit windmills if you are low enough.

The way I look at it I try and reduce the risk factor as much as possible because God knows I spent enough time flying in fairly high risk jobs, eight years agricultural both fixed wing and rotary wing and fifteen years as a heavy water bombing captain in both North America and South America including the mountainous areas of both.

Spent my last three working years flying in Holland and loved it.

Mostly out of the Aviodrome in Lelystad.

[BabyBear]

This is such an emotive subject I think some pilots have a tendency to get confused over perceived and actual risk. In particular the difference in risk between plan A and plan B may not be significant enough to make a great deal of difference to the outcome should the donkey stop. EG although flying at 9000’ over a 50 mile water crossing will give more options than flying at 5000’ the difference may not be significant enough to make a difference to the outcome, however flying at 9000’ over water may be significantly safer than flying at 9000’ for 50 miles over 5000’ mountains.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Lets look at this a little closer.

You have an engine failure over the mountains at 9000 feet and the tops of the mountains are 5000 feet.

Your average light airplane should have five minutes or more in the glide to allow you to choose a place somewhere down in a valley to land or crash land in.

Even if you wreck the airplane and you are injured you can still breathe and hopefully activate the ELT or maybe get on the radio to see if you can contact someone flying in the area.

If you land in the water your problem may be far worse for many reasons such as the ELT and radios will sink with the airplane and at best you will maybe have gotten out and inflated your raft.

At worse you will be bobbing around in the water slowly losing body temperature and your life expectancy will vary with the temperature of the water.

Will someone find you in time?

Also if you are injured or trapped in the airplane you be really out of luck.

Ever hit a big wave at flying speed?

[BabyBear]

I agree with your comments, Chuck, however the point I am trying to make is that on any given day there may not be sufficient difference between the two scenarios to significantly change the outcome.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

True.