Crossing the Irish sea in a single
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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Agree that a simple multiple choice poll would not yield any meaningful results.
I think most on here will agree that if you have the choice between a 10/50/300 nm leg over water and a 10/50/300 nm leg over land (with grass fields, preferably), to get from A to B, you would choose the land route.
But that's not the choice. To get from A to B you sometimes have to fly over water, out of gliding distance of land, and there are only a few options: The direct route which may have a long overwater leg, or a dogleg to minimize exposure, or EasyJet.
Which choice you make out of those three depends on too many factors to capture in a simple poll.
First, the (perceived) actual risk: Are you flying an old dog of an aircraft or one that has proven to be very reliable over the last few months? How long is the overwater leg going to be, and how long are you out of gliding distance? What altitude can you fly at, both weather and airspace wise? What's the water temperature and sea state like? What airframe are you flying, and how well would it cope with a ditching? How much fuel can you bring along and where is your point of no return (if there is one)? What are the rescue services and options like?
Second, ability. Do you have experience in flying over water, do you have an IR (so you can go high), did you do a maritime survival training?
Third, reason. Why is the flight necessary? Is EasyJet or a dogleg a viable option? (I flew to the UK recently for an aerobatics contest. It's a bit of a challenge to get an R2160 in the belly of a 737...) Can you send passengers ahead (EasyJet or Eurostar to the other side, pick them up there) so they don't have to be on board for the crossing?
Fourth, risk mitigation. What equipment do you have and do you know how to use? What do you need to borrow, buy or rent? What sort of equipment (immersion suit, life jacket) would you force onto your passengers, if any?
And there may well be other factors. Heck, even religion/karma/fatalism/predestination may play a role in the decision making process, plus the question "what am I leaving behind should the worst happen?" At the end of the day, someone will weigh all these factors against each other and make a decision.
I think most on here will agree that if you have the choice between a 10/50/300 nm leg over water and a 10/50/300 nm leg over land (with grass fields, preferably), to get from A to B, you would choose the land route.
But that's not the choice. To get from A to B you sometimes have to fly over water, out of gliding distance of land, and there are only a few options: The direct route which may have a long overwater leg, or a dogleg to minimize exposure, or EasyJet.
Which choice you make out of those three depends on too many factors to capture in a simple poll.
First, the (perceived) actual risk: Are you flying an old dog of an aircraft or one that has proven to be very reliable over the last few months? How long is the overwater leg going to be, and how long are you out of gliding distance? What altitude can you fly at, both weather and airspace wise? What's the water temperature and sea state like? What airframe are you flying, and how well would it cope with a ditching? How much fuel can you bring along and where is your point of no return (if there is one)? What are the rescue services and options like?
Second, ability. Do you have experience in flying over water, do you have an IR (so you can go high), did you do a maritime survival training?
Third, reason. Why is the flight necessary? Is EasyJet or a dogleg a viable option? (I flew to the UK recently for an aerobatics contest. It's a bit of a challenge to get an R2160 in the belly of a 737...) Can you send passengers ahead (EasyJet or Eurostar to the other side, pick them up there) so they don't have to be on board for the crossing?
Fourth, risk mitigation. What equipment do you have and do you know how to use? What do you need to borrow, buy or rent? What sort of equipment (immersion suit, life jacket) would you force onto your passengers, if any?
And there may well be other factors. Heck, even religion/karma/fatalism/predestination may play a role in the decision making process, plus the question "what am I leaving behind should the worst happen?" At the end of the day, someone will weigh all these factors against each other and make a decision.
Last edited by BackPacker; 19th Oct 2012 at 21:55.
