to worry about DS going for a flight in a light plane?

[crackofdoom]

XP has just texted to say that he has a friend who is a pilot flying down to visit in a light plane in a few days' time, and can he take DS1 (10) up for a flight?

I'm torn. DS would love this. I feel terrified. I'm fairly scared of flying anyway, manage to keep it down when necessary, but to be honest the thought of the DC flying scares me more than the thought of me flying myself! DS was due to fly on a school trip this spring - which was cancelled due to COVID - I was a bit scared for him, but the trip was such an opportunity, and I know that commercial flights are really very safe, so I managed to keep it down.

But this one....? Can anybody talk some sense into me about realistically how safe light amateur flights are?

If your son doesn’t go can mine? He would love it!!

It's scary, I know dd has been up in one, also a fast jet (raf) lucky her! But car accidents are far more common and it's it's with his dad to be honest do you get a say? People fly in light aircraft all over the country every day and whilst they do crash, it only seems common because the media reports it, not mentioning the tens of thousands that didn't crash.

LemonLymanDotCom

Sounds like your Dad did a good job and would pass the "would I trust my better half/Mum/kids with this pilot" question that many examiners have asked themselves over the years.......

I'd say no on the basis of the forecast weather, not any other reason.

From a quick skim of the thread it looks as if those who know nothing about light aircraft would say no and those who know something about them say yes, let him.

I'm shocked at how many people would restrict their children from an enjoyable activity because of their own irrational fears.

@BelleSausage "That is bullshit. All airfields have radio controllers. You have no idea what you are talking about. There is no such thing as ‘uncontrolled airspace’. The CAA would want to know if there was."

I'd back away from your 'I know what I'm on about' carefully here if I were you! There are many airfields without radio controllers - I have nearly 100 UK and US examples in my logbook. Also, others here who are far more qualified than you have explained about uncontrolled airspace. There are plenty of parts of the UK with uncontrolled airspace. Going to a fly-in as a passenger is not exactly the same as passing pilot licensing exams, and it is clear that there are lots of people here with pilots licenses that you are disagreeing with!

@TheSockMonster "If you like statistics, this is an interesting read that compares fatalities in commercial air travel, light aircraft travel and road travel mile on mile."

That's a terrible article. There are so many holes in it's arguments it's hard to know where to start. But attempting to work out the number of miles covered by GA aircraft by using an arbitrary guessed speed is not going to give any kind of statistic worth looking at when you bear in mind a Piper Cub will cruise at about 65kt and a Cessna Citation will cruise at 525kt, and each of those will fly at different levels (Cub at 2000', Citation at 45000') in bodies of air which could have hugely differing wind speeds resulting in huge changes to the published cruise speeds - a Cub in a 20kt headwind will cover the ground at just 45kt, and a Citation with a 200kt jet stream up the bum will cover the ground at over 700kt. How can you lump such differing aircraft into one bunch and then just randomly assign them a speed you guessed at to work out a crucial part of you calculations? That's just to start with, but if you want me to pick more holes in it, I can!

@notimagain "nice user name btw" Thanks! not quite seeing enough of my box these days. Hopefully things will pick up soon! Don't know where you are but I suspect our paths cross. All a bit shit atm, isn't it?

It is safe IF the pilot knows what they are doing and is sensible. A good pilot can land safely even if the engine fails (although it might be a bit bumpy). However, I wouldn’t allow it if I didn’t know the pilot, doubly so as your ex sounds like an idiot.

@notimagain

LemonLymanDotCom

Sounds like your Dad did a good job and would pass the "would I trust my better half/Mum/kids with this pilot" question that many examiners have asked themselves over the years.......

Seemingly so, he held a license from the age of 15 to 50 so can't have done too bad! Plus, he wasn't ever making money from the flights, which does add another aspect to it, he had no incentive not to fly safely... esp with his own kids in the back.

He will be fine -every time there’s a light plane crash it’s all over the news it’s that rare - the same can’t be said of fatal car crashes. I would need more information about the pilot though

Still a small aircraft. I could give better examples - Emiliano Sala, the Argentine footballer that died a couple of years ago?

The accident investigation determined that the pilot was not qualified to fly at night, in fact he was expressly forbidden from flying at night and the plane and pilot did not have the necessary licences - he only had a private pilots licence without permission to carry passengers.

I would let him though I'd want to talk to the pilot and check his credentials. I say that as somebody who has been going in light aircraft and gliders since I was a toddler and has gone solo in both. If I was happy with the credentials of the pilot and the aircraft I'd say yes.

He would not be going if he was mine. X

by all means rock up and demand to see his IMC (in case its cloud) demand to see his FRTO and ensure that the airfield offers ATC or even A/G ( never in the blind) and carry out a full A check on the plane (dont forget your fuel tester probe!)

@backinthebox

ATPL/ CPL?

@ummnamechange ATPL with over 20 years flying various airliners. There are at least 2 others here (who don’t admit it but I can smell the aroma of Jet A1 about them! 😆) Hilarious seeing them being accused of being armchair experts here!

Go ask your insurance company the cost of insuring a skiing trip versus a flight in a light aircraft - they know about risk. You are being very unreasonable to refuse him the option without even asking about the pilots experience

The current UK forecast for the weekend makes it moot anyway - there won't be any single engined aircraft going up this weekend.

@backinthebox was going to do CPL but ran out of funds and had babies! Did a PPL and a clutch of ratings like wobbly props, had enough hours for CPL and smelt only of avgas ;-)

Though the smell of JetA1 always makes me warm inside

backinthebox

There are at least 2 others here (who don’t admit it but I can smell the aroma of Jet A1 about them!)

Sorry about that, I thought it was the aroma of either the crew rest area or the crew meals that was still lingering -

Never mind, with all this newly discovered downtime I must stop pretending to be an armchair expert and spend some time on doing something useful like fixing the washing machine.

Rgds and Good Luck with all this...

Another ATPL.

You can’t allow your own illogical and irrational fears stop your son from a wonderful experience.

My boy went up aged 14 and is now determined to be a pilot so you never know what this experience may kick off for him!

I can't believe so many people would turn down such an experience for their child.
Didn't you know that clouds are made of cotton wool?

My boy went up aged 14 and is now determined to be a pilot so you never know what this experience may kick off for him!

If he is serious about that the several "armchair experts" here may be able to offer some advice, some of it cautionary, on the subject but that is no doubt an issue for another thread or even another forum..

@Namechangedforthisoct2

You can’t allow your own illogical and irrational fears stop your son from a wonderful experience.

My boy went up aged 14 and is now determined to be a pilot so you never know what this experience may kick off for him!

Same with ours. Tell him it worked out for someone. My stepson got his wings three months ago. Wish him luck from me.

I have a ppl. I wouldn’t take a child without a parent and i am very clear about what we are doing, risks etc. And i will choose good weather - not too thermic as it can quite bumpy!

But with my son I fly aerobatics - in fact he’s not interested in flying unless we do aeros.

Flying is very safe. Structural failure is very rare and aero engines are several magnitudes more reliable than car engines.
Most pilots have quite similar traits in life, thorough, calm and calculated.

Things do go wrong and sometimes its just not your day but by and large you son is far safer in a plane than than he is with you in a car.

@notimagain & @VinylDetective thank you both for your comments.
He’s had some career advice and is now at college on his way to hopefully achieving this dream! He’s lucky that we live very close to a major private airport, that has lots of private jets in and out of, over the years I’ve become friends with a group of female young amazing private jet pilots (yes they are awesome and I’m very proud to know them!) so he also knows exactly what sector he wants to be in, and even his ideal base 😂
If only I knew what I wanted to be..... !

When I say young, I mean that at 40 they’re younger than me and he loves chatting to them, it’s inspiring to see ladies in a masculine world doing great :)

A wonderful woman I used to work with lost her son a few years ago when a light plane he was flying crashed. She is never going to get over the guilt of not telling him not to go, even though he was in his 20’s and wouldn’t have listened to her anyway.
It’s a big no from me.