Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I just launched an "Insiders" Newsletter where once a week I'm sharing an important lesson I've learned in aviation, links to my latest content so you don't miss out, and links to any other interesting or helpful content I've found. Subscribe (it's free) at: airplaneacademy.com/insiders
My wife had total engine failure at 7000 ft, with three of our children in the back seat. There happen to be a county airport in the area and she turned the Cessna into a glider and safely landed onto the runway. All these while engine oil all over the windshield. She said with the three children in the airplane, that Mommy Angus kicked in and she was going to get onto the ground safely!!
One of the best books I’ve ever read on this subject is, “The Killing Zone - How and Why Pilots Die” by Dr. Paul A Craig. Dr Craig is an ATP, and a Gold Seal Flight Instructor for multi-engine, instrument, and seaplane. Since 2002, he has completed safety research projects for universities, the FAA, and NASA. I strongly recommend this resource, alongside the channel, for anyone who consistently strives to have one takeoff equal one landing. Thanks for continuing to illustrate safety, Charlie. ✈️👍
There are so many takes in that great book that people don't subscribe to... the most interesting one I recall was that he said he does not let his students do touch and go's - only landings to a full stop. It totally makes sense actually.
@@BrianSiskind ; Agreed. Dr Craig is scheduled to be a Guest Speaker for my EAA chapter via Zoom this spring. We are excited to hear his next presentation. 👍
@@BrianSiskind What is the rationale for that? Isn't it important for students to know how to go around in case they are landing at an unfamiliar airport and, for example, come in too fast? Thank you.
@@edb7742 Yes it was a response to an accident where the pilot failed to execute a go around properly on an aborted takeoff. "I teach at an airport that has 3900 feet of runway and I don't let my students make touch and go's anymore." I strongly advise other pilots not to do it either. This maneuver just has to many accidents associated with it for me to be comfortable. Too many things have to happen just right, during a very short amount of time, for it to be a safe maneuver." He then explains a situation where a nervous student doing TnGs in the pattern didnt have flaps come up, rotated without noticing, flew a treetop level downwind and made it back to find the circuit breaker had popped. This would have been caught in a full stop.
My husband has been piloting for nearly 18 years. He remembers ALL the time; there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But there aren't very many old, bold pilots. My hubby intends to be an old pilot. He's incredibly careful.
" . . . He's incredibly careful." Good man. He'll likely live to become an old pilot. As "Dirty Harry" Callahan put it: "A man's gotta know his limitations!"
Great Video, Charlie. Single most important driver for safety is the pilot's attitude towards risk. You can only become experienced if you survive your mistakes!
Agreed. “…aircraft that return to the earth with wings level, under control, at minimum speed, have survivors onboard…” Doug Rozendaal, Mason City, Iowa. Doug is a DPE, with more than 10,000 hours, in over 170 types of aircraft.
When I started learning to fly, I did get some comments about "aren't you afraid you might have an accident?" or whatever, but it's no different to what I do every night as a trucker. I can just as easily stall-spin on approach as I can lose my trailer and go down an embankment cause I didn't check the tyres. I can have a bird strike on takeoff, but someone can throw a brick off an overpass... it's no different.
To people who say that, I point out that automobiles regularly pass other cars, both going 65 MPH or more, with only a yard or two separation, a closing speed of 130 MPH. Aircraft pilots get excited when passing a few miles from each other.
@@scottfranco1962 And I would add that while there are idiots with PPL. The vast majority of people who are in planes have some sense. In cars, every teenager and moron with a 95 IQ are in your orbit every time you drive.
@@taxidermydavid And its worth pointing out, cars have been idiot proofed to an amazing degree. You really have to try to kill yourself in a car. The vast majority of car accidents are survivable. Could this happen with aircraft? I would say yes it could, but there seems to be no will to do so. Airbags have been slow to come to aircraft, and we have the tech now to use autopilots to restrict pilots from stalling the aircraft, and even hitting the ground or other aircraft, most of which would cost more than the aircraft. But then people ride motorcycles, which have a horrific accident survival rate. All of which leads back to the basic conclusion of any aircraft accident study, which is the main issue is between the pilot's ears.
I really like the preventable/risk mitigation vs your time has come. People can understand that, because the same is true for driving. Sometimes you got trapped in a pile up and there is nothing you could’ve done, but a lot of accidents are driving too fast, at night, in the rain, on the phone, etc. If you mitigate what factors you control, the safety goes way up.
The content of his videos is fantastic. But I also noticed that he has probably the best lighting of any TH-cam commentator I have seen. No shadows, no harsh lights; perfect.
I might have a crash next time I fly.. but I feel safer in the air than driving the roads are unsafe people drive like they're crazy... to fast.. looking at the phone ext
Amazing. As someone who has been very seriously pondering beginning the PPL journey and then in the hunt for information and training, finding TH-cam channels on fatal crash analysis, I was definitely having second thoughts. This is a great video to give some structure and balance to your own fear
Studying accident statistics and taking measures to not be within the overrepresented groups is the exactly how you avoid becoming a statistic within any risky activity from mountain climbing to flying to riding motorcycles. Great advice in this video. Great way to think about how staying safe requires conscious ongoing effort.
Good stuff, Charlie. Because I am out of the country four months at a stretch, I chair fly often, Then when I return to the States (and my plane) I fly with either a CFI or buddy the first couple of flights just to make sure that I am proficient. Then, and only then, do I fly solo.
I want you to know that’s a bit extreme but also absolutely excellent!!!! Very smart! I wish I had a friend like you, someone who thinks that far ahead is so so rare nowadays
Aviation is one of the most unforgiveable hobbies you can have for those that are careless. If you suspect something is wrong, it is your choice if you want to pursue it and how you want to go about it. Listen to your gut, your gut is telling you something. If something doesn't feel right, don't get yourself into a position that you need to use superior skill to get yourself out of it.
Great topic, great video. It is so true that safety slips in small stages. We typically attribute the cause to the last link in the accident chain, in reality the accident started several steps prior to that. Every pilot needs to be taught how to recognize when a chain of events is occuring, and break the chain before he get to the last link.
Think of it this way. A chain of events is usually only recognized by the accident investigation after an accident has occurred. By having a safety mindset you will avoid creating that chain to begin with.
Im a trucker..and armchair pilot..in trucking i learnt its very similar to flying. Everything has to be calculated in advance because you know it takes 20 seconds or more to stop. A lot can happen in that time and if your in the mountains or some bad place, well your time is just up. You have to be diligent in your safety and attentive at all times but no matter what there is still that margin of risk/random fate..mechanical failure, traffic accidents..etc..still just because you crash doesnt mean youll die either..i rolled a picker truck and im here truckin 17 years later..wishing i was flying..great channel man i love it. Raw truth and interesting topics all the time for rookies like me!
Absolutely amazing video! We all have seen these accident reports, and even though it’s sad, it keeps us pilots humble. Having a high ego when it comes to risk taking is never good
One of the things I always tried to impress on students is to never exceed your own capabilities, or that of your airplane. This means having a safety mindset, which must be learned.
This is great. Outstanding point of view. I ride a motorcycle, and I fly an airplane. Both of them are hobbies, neither is mandatory. Both come with higher levels of uncontrollable risk than say, walking down the street or playing chess. But I am willing to accept those risks because I am a responsible person and I will absolutely control everything that I can and accept what I cannot. It makes my life happy, fun, and free.
Charlie, I don’t know whether or not you are commercially certified, but you are a truly professional pilot. Spot on assessment of risk and how to approach it.
Well said! If you use the 5 Whys technique for every accident/incident, you almost always come back to a human factor. Your brain is the key to safety.
Nice video. I went fly today after 6 months. It was difficult, but good to get back in the seat. I did a good preflight, took my time, and of course, went alone. It was good to see this video after today’s flight. Well done.
Thanks for that video! It's really about what most people have difficulties with: statistics vs facts. You explained it really well and everyone out there flying in GA as a passenger who's maybe somehow scared should watch this. 👌
Some has to do with improper maintenance but mostly it has to do with reciprocating vs turbine engines. Reciprocating is cheaper but has lots of moving parts. Turbines have few moving parts but is more expensive.
GA engines fail because of fuel starvation. Period. The workings of a typical GA engine with redundant mags means you would have to take a sledgehammer to the thing to stop it. Oil would be a factor, but most pilots rent, and the owners aren't stupid enough to let the oil sump run dry. The accident stats bear this out. Virtually all of the engine outs are fuel management issues.
@@scottfranco1962 I seen a report about a bonanza that overran the runway due to magneto issues. The report stated that, assuming it wasn't caused during the wreck, one of the magnetos had a timing issue and was likely igniting the fuel too early during the compression stroke, which severely decreased the power output of the engine. The good mag became useless since ignition already happened earlier in the stroke. The pilot should have been able to detect this easily when seeing a rise in RPM when he isolated the good mag, and how using just the bad mag or both resulted in reduced RPM. The plane was at or a little above MTOW and didn't even get airborne before smashing into a hill at the end of the runway and killed one occupant while the other suffered serious spinal injuries. Allegedly the pilot was taking his friend on a fishing trip and likely didn't want to disappoint him since they'd been planning the trip for months. Could have contributed to his lack of a response to iffy RPMs, if he did in fact notice them.
What an awesome and educational video. I can't fly no more due to health issues however, I used this method for myself which kept me safe while I flew. Here's what I uesd; Remember the 5 p's Pre Planning Prevents Poor Performance... Richard
I'm not a pilot, but even I know the saying: "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. However, there are no old, bold pilots." You weren't a bold pilot, were you? That's why you're still alive.
The odds of having a personal injury accident (or a fatality) are still higher in a motor vehicle on the roads, likely because of frequency of usage and attitude...the issue of "which is safer" is mostly about perception and all of the things you've pointed out Charlie. It is imperative that we as pilots accept responsibility for our passengers and the general public's safety when we fly...as an example of how things do go sideways; I've twice been in aircraft, flown by others, at night and into clouds. As I wasn't PIC in either case, my failing was not participating in the weather briefing and perhaps being the voice of reasonable discretion. On the plus side, I'm still here...however I'm rather distrustful of a lot of other aviators and their decision making.
By the numbers I belive general aviation is 19 times more dangerous than driving per hour. I can’t post links cause utube will delete them, but if you look it up u can see the post.
Just try to get life insurance and tell them you’re a pilot. That’ll tell you what the folks that really crunch the numbers know. Disclaimer: I’m a pilot
@@john-zf1yb I'll concede on either one, but I, anecdotally, feel safer and am less threatened in an aircraft I'm flying than at any time I'm in a car...sadly I have to drive about 50,000 km annually.
@@scottfranco1962 If you're in your car and a malfunction occurs, you pull over to the curb and get out. If you're in your Cessna 172 and something goes haywire at 10,000 feet . . . well, it's a hell of a place for it to happen. . . .
I rode motorcycles for the majority of my life. I equate the risks of GA to be similar to that. While aviation seems amazing and I am a big fan of learning about it and playing on the sims... I don't plan to ever actually fly until I get older and the kids are out of the house. Just seems too risky (for me) when I have a family that depends on me. I also gave up bikes when my first child was born.
The big difference between bikes and planes is pilots are way, WAY less likely to be victims of other pilots. Avoid bad weather, and night with complications, and you are way ahead of the game. Avoid SPAM cans and you more than double your safety. Fly in Diamonds.
I fly a foot launched Powered Paraglider and so much of this video is applicable. You have a great way of presenting information. Keep 'em coming. Subbed!
I feel more and more that the real key to safety is picking the mission. People get in trouble by doing things they know they shouldn't be doing. A low-time rookie can be a much safer pilot flying an appropriate mission than a highly experienced pilot flying in conditions that are too challenging even for him. Remain realistic and conservative in picking your flights - and you'll be fine.
Charlie … from a cinematographer friend… great content, great editing, great presentation (maybe slow down a tad… keep the energy but use a little “white space”) . Great stuff thanks!
Not a pilot, but I worked as an avionics tech in GA (California and the Phoenix area) for 14 years. We lost an average of about one customer per year to flight accidents. All but one was avoidable, the result of pilot error. Failure to consider density altitude was big in the Phoenix area, and I had the misfortune to be the last person to touch a Comanche before it flew into a snowstorm with four souls aboard. The unavoidable one was a heartbreaker. A brand new Bonanza had an instructor and three students on board when the prop threw a blade on climbout, around 100 feet AGL.
This was a great episode. I think this is one of your best yet. It is one that I think every new pilot should hear. There are a lot of misconceptions about becoming a pilot and the risks involved. This episode was one of the clearest takes on those risks and the truths not the myths.
At age 81 and after many decades as a military, airline and flight test pilot, I've come to some conclusions. Luck, luck and more luck is essential in getting from being a student pilot to an alive veteran aviator with the judgement to operate consistently safely. This is especially true in the General Aviation environment where so much of the flying is single-pilot. The airline community overcomes much of that problem by operating in multi-pilot aircraft with a more experienced pilot as captain and with FAR Parts 135 and 121 restrictions and limitations. In most airline operating scenarios, these differences force better judgement calls on the pilots than what is typical in GA operations. The result is a much better safety record within the airline industry especially in the United States. GA pilots, when carrying passengers, should be forced into more restrictive operations to improve judgement. The aviation insurance industry should force this issue if the FAA is unable or unwilling to do so.
Great video and good advice. I really miss general aviation, I haven't been around it in over 20 years now. But I really like seeing the better safety resources and information out there compared to when I was last involved in GA.
I think finding most common engine failures & some things that cause this failures not only in engine but also in some popular instruments of airplanes can help us to have a safe flight and intime servise airplane is most important thing in flight
I like this video 1. because it is relatively short, 2 i like the data 3 i like the basic point,, if you go looking for trouble you will find it. SSSS Safety slips in small steps, , seems good, and every flight starts from zero, in safety it is not safe because the last flight ,, was good. Now actually there are a lot of questions still about , do you need to fly to there? Do you need to fly in the mountains? Should you? So that can lead to limiting your flying and that might be fine , or it might limit your flying.
some people are naturally good at flying. they become good pilots. natural spatial awareness, control of fear, clearheadedness in an emergency. i'm scared shitless at the thought of lack of control. i will never fly a plane, will never, ever be a passenger in a plane, after a 600 mi flight in a twin-engine through a thunderstorm in the midwest that had shit flying up and down all over the cabin. it's a miracle the pilot didn't get knocked out. i got out with just a few bruises. i'll never forget the look of the pilot with his glasses and headset all askew, turning around asking if we were ok.
As someone who's been in what was considered a major accident I can definitely say you can walk away without injury. My accident was just caused by my inexperience and lack of knowledge how to recover from the condition. I was flying my third solo in a helicopter.
You have one of the if not the best Aviation video channels out there and I have seen too many of them frankly. I've been an aviator for over 37 years and in my opinion for what that's worth you are spot-on. There is a saying and I forget who said it but it stuck with me all these years.." aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous but to an even greater degree than the land or the sea is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness incapacity or neglect" . Another one I use that is mine..as far as I know is that while aviating " I am in a relaxed state of alertness ". I have been told by some that I truly respect that I am almost too " anal " about the maintenance on my arial steed. So be it. I am one who has had several engine mishaps shall we say that all but one were a mechanical issue. One was fuel mismanagement that lasted about three seconds but was enough to get my heart going as well as my passengers. None resulted in an unintended landing place but could have. Everyone no matter how much time they have is a student pilot every time they get in the airplane. Some of us have more experience but that doesn't make it any less true. Excellent job on this. Keep them coming.
Hello Charlie, love your videos. Just a question... Can you explain the difference between "Loss of control - In flight" and "Low altitude operation"? Based on your comments in the video, the latter would be more fitting. I might be confused here... thanks.
My definition: Low altitude operation is intentionally flying at cruise speeds (or greater) at low altitude where you are likely to encounter wires, towers, trees, terrain, etc. Low passes down the runway fall into this category. Loss of control results from unintentionally exceeding the critical angle of attack, which often happens in the traffic pattern. An egressive pull up from low altitude operation often leads to loss of control.
Like your analysis on Flying safely, is risk reduction... Risk reduction is one of the most important aspects of flying, along with education training and upgrading pilot proficiency of flying skill sets with actual instructional time proficiency pilot checks.
It is a probability game. There are the external events you can't control (e.g. clear air turbulence, latent defect in a flight critical component) which are obviously probability driven, and then there are (the much larger set of) things you can control (e.g. choosing what weather to fly in). Let's take choosing what weather to fly in, that in itself is a risk calculation (which is a probability calculation). You could choose to not fly in any weather except ideal conditions and that would leave only the probability of clear air turbulence and a latent defect, but almost everyone will balance the risk calculation to allow flight in non optimal weather, and at that point you (as a pilot) are making a probability calculation of risk. We should not shy away from the fact that this is what is being done, yes, you can (and should) apply every mitigation possible to eliminate sources of problems, but at the root it is all a probability calculation (it's just that the pilot has an active part to play in determining the probability, and it isn't a passive exercise). What pilots argue about is where that line should be drawn. Airlines are super conservative in general whilst part 135 and part 91 pilots approach is much more variable. I lean more toward the airline side of risk tolerance myself, although there are risk mitigations that are available to them, that aren't necessarily available to me.
@@JB_Hobbies The probability of any event can be altered by the pilot via mitigations, but it can never be zero. So, no, of course the probability isn't causal, it simply represents the chance that a causal event will occur.
Not a pilot, but have seen videos and also heard people say to build if then statements and dill them. So, if I'm not off the ground by Charlie, the abort take-off. It's not, "She's feeling a little sluggish getting off the ground today." If it gets within 30 minutes of sunset, then land. It takes some of the decision making out of the process and can help prevent the get-there-itis and help stop those small decisions in flight. This way you're not making the decision to push a little harder in flight, you already made the decision on the ground. It will suck from time to time, but it will help you
I am a student pilot and I have noticed some of the school planes they have appears to have evidence of skimping on maintenance. This one 172 - 92V is really hard to start, It took like 5 or 6 attempts to get it started In 80 degrees F and I was the first one to fly it as it seems no one else want to fly it. This is a carb model. During flight the door popped open twice. The panel on the aircraft was clean and the paint was in good conditions. Radio's and avionics - instruments worked fine. The engine ran smooth once it started and passed the mag check. It's just so darn hard to start and the door does not stay shut. Also the luggage compartment locks but is not flush against the aircraft. And lastly the aircraft seemed to fly a bit like a pig. More play in the controls during taxie and flying. Seemed to take longer on the ground roll before I could rotate and it just did not handle as well as other 172 aircraft. So what do you think is going on with the schools. Another aircraft I flew, the tire on the left main did not look so great.
That was an awesome video. I'm looking into getting my pilot lic, but 1st i want to learn everything about airplane before making this leap. Thanks again
We all make mistakes, it’s important to identify them, be critical of them and learn from them. I think what can happen is you get lucky with your mistakes or don’t take them serious, and eventually your luck can run out. Keep being a student, but you have to be your own CFI, don’t let yourself get loose and sloppy, have fun, but don’t get to relaxed or complacent. Very unforgiving , be pilot in command. Most GA Planes are horrible pilots.
Adopting a safety mindset is 95% of the battle. With this you will seek out information. You will study accidents and familiarize yourself with what went wrong and learn from others mistakes. I have flown a whole lot of ours. Mostly military and commercial where safety culture is engrained. Obviously, military flying comes with its own risks unique to the military, but we still attempt to mitigate that risk. We started teaching CRM (Crew resource management) when I was a military instructor in single pilot jets. How does this apply with a crew of 1? Easy, think of the resources available outside the aircraft. Much of our flying was in formation, so we always had another set of eyes and ears. Think ATC, FBO, Guard frequency for other pilot help. Something as simple as a suggestion to switch magnetos or fuel tanks could fix a rough running engine. I was looking to buy an airplane last year. I was in an FBO when a pilot with a C-182 stopped for gas. I get to talking to him about his airplane and I ask him what the useful load is. He says he had no idea, he just packs what he can inside and has never had a problem. Don’t be that guy.
Great discussion, sir! AVWeb with Paul Bertorelli is a great resource for any pilot wanting to know more about flying and perhaps some of the bigger issues in aviation. Love listening to Paul!
About the only thing you can draw from the data is that airplane accidents tend to be more fatal than, say, automobiles. And that is because FIT (flight into terrain) is largely a fatal event. That divides into CFIT and FIT, because I don't classify stall/spin accidents as CFIT. The suddenness of a stall/spin at low altitude is not really going to be correctable. This includes the many accidents on takeoff. The answer is "don't do that", watch speeds and bank angles on landing and takeoff. Don't overload the aircraft, and watch density altitude. This is far more useful than stall/spin recovery training, since the stats tend to show you aren't going to recover from a low altitude stall [1]. This leaves CFIT in normal flight, at altitude. There is really no excuse for these kinds of accidents, which are the result of misjudging attitude or unintentional flight into IFR. Minimal VFR training includes, or should include, ability to hold attitude via instruments and execute a climb and/or turnback. Anything less than this is BFR malpractice. If I had any advice for VFR pilots it would be: go get some IFR training. You'll be a better and safer pilot even if you never do any real IFR. [1] Some folks may get upset at me calling stall training as useless. however, most of the emergency training is, sorry, quite useless. I got my license in the days of spin training, which the FAA stopped requiring because it causes more accidents than it saves (get spin training... its fun). Nobody stalls in normal flight. They stall in the pattern. And a simple look at real accidents shows that they are unrecoverable in practice. Not enough time/altitude. Similarly most engine out practice is useless. When I get engine out training on BFR, I just look for an airport, because most instructors wait until you are over an airport to practice that, both for convenience and safety reasons. Insist on a real world engine out, which means off airport, and down to 1000 feet or less, IE, to where it is apparent what exactly your choice of landing area is going to cost you. Does that mean it might turn into a real accident if the engine does not restart? Yep. Find an instructor with balls. IMC training should include unusual attitude recovery and minimal hood time. When was the last time you got any of this on a BFR?
Real simple-it mostly boils down to training. And training can be sub-divided into 3 categories: 1) capable (“IMSAFE”) 2) qualified (properly rated) 3) current (read the regs, folks) Blue skies and tailwinds!
In commercial aviation, too, landings and takeoffs cause most problems. I think a small plane is less stable in Weather. However...since we are talking about piston engines, why not use a hybrid power plant with lithium battery/electric motor just for backup power??
The VFR into IMC thing is very scary. Living in the Great Lakes there's a lot of microclimates, probably like the mountains, where the weather is just a roll of the dice. Could be perfectly good weather forecasting for 99% of the area, but 1 small spot has fog or rain or low clouds whatever. Suddenly a vfr fight isn't. Heard of guys going inverted or just not level with 1G of force and not even realizing they're upside down until they see the ground seconds before meeting it. Most of them are flying older 150s or similar and don't trust the few instruments over their butts. Just the whole thing is scary
One fatality per 100,000 hours. At 100kts that covers over 11 million (st) miles. Flying is safe but as you nicely pointed out safety is very much in your own hands.
Charlie - another great video. My comment/question - is there data that compares GA x-country trip vs driving the same distance/ locations. So. comparing the safety data of flight vs drive between Dallas and Houston, for example.
Thanks Sam. I think you might be able to find some data out there on the risk probability per mile driven in a vehicle, but it's kind of apples to oranges in a way. Especially considering the causes of aviation accidents coupled with the fact that there's not really a source of absolute truth on car or GA usage volume (i.e. miles or hours traveled). My guess is that GA is going to look way less safe than cars but just that number alone is going to be misleading because of what I described in this video.
Aviation safety is reliant on adherence to standards and compliance with regulatory requirements. This includes mechanics, pilots, and ATC. When any of the three deviate from established standards, sound practices, and regulatory requirements, risk increases exponentially. Finally, using good judgement in association with all of the above ensure the highest level of safety and reduce accidents to the lowest possible level.
Just watch the AOPA Safety Institute videos... it is almost always 4-6 bad decisions that lead to the Incident or Accident. And it started with bad decisions on the ground before they even got in the airplane. All of the hazardous attitudes come into play. Having personal minimums are extremely important and stick to them! And if IFR, ALWAYS have one or two alternates regardless of the visibility and ceilings at your destination...
On average there is one general aviation accident in the USA everyday (Kathryns Report). Pilot attitude from pre-flight to post-flight is the key. Also way too many pilots willfully fail to keep up the proper maintenance. Pilots at my home airport brag about deferred and skipped maintenance mostly because they cannot afford to properly maintain the aircraft.
" . . . Pilots at my home airport brag about deferred and skipped maintenance mostly because they cannot afford to properly maintain the aircraft." Pardon my incredulity, but why the hell are these people even flying? I've never been in a small plane in my life--nor do I intend to. Thanks for confirming my dark suspicions about general aviation. . . .
@@NighthawkCarbine Personally, I can't understand why the hell a pilot would neglect his airplane. Being airborne is a lot less forgiving than being earthbound. If you're in your car and a malfunction develops, you can pull over and get out. If something goes haywire when you're at 10,000 feet . . . well, things can get hairy fast. There's so much less margin for error in the air. . . .
@@orvilleh.larson7581 I totally agree. Many simply cannot afford upkeep and maintenance and are flying on the cheap. Many less honorable airlines do this very thing and occasionally it bites them. Many who cheap out on maintaining their planes also have no insurance. If the plane crashes and they survive they walk away.
@@NighthawkCarbine The crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in the Everglades in 1996 comes to mind. ValuJet, by all accounts, had a reputation for slipshod maintenance. To be sure, the cause of the crash was an in-flight fire, caused by illegally stowed oxygen generators. Captain Candalyn Kubeck and her co-pilot didn't have a chance against the overwhelming fire. The DC-9 had an inoperative autopilot that day, I believe.
Risk mitigation is key. Most GA incidents are preventable and survivable. It is far riskier driving to or from the airport than flying if you are employing good ADM and risk mitigation.
I’ve heard this and often repeated it as well. It’s true for Part 135 operations (airline flying), but I think the GA accident statistics say otherwise.
On my first flight I was too petrified to continue. I did anyway, with a fear of flying. But I'm doing my commercial and I have no idea how I could crash a plane as in every phase there are procedures and limits which if you respect, nothing is supposed to happen. Unless my engine failed with nowhere to land or i collided.
The DESIRE to stay safe is the single biggest factor. This leads to staying engaged and subscribing to channels like this one, studying accident reports and data, subscribing to AOPA and EAA and reading articles on flight training, receiving proper training in the aircraft you fly, flying along with highly experienced pilots, hangar flying, proactively reading regulations, and subscribing to aviation podcasts.
I agree that desire to stay safe is important, but I don’t think it’s MOST important. I think complacency is the most dangerous element. And it is sinister, because it slowly creeps in. I think the way you fight it is an attitude of continuous improvement; always wanting to be better and better. This methodology is very common in manufacturing, medicine, and other arenas where even “small” defects or failures (.1%) aren’t acceptable.
@@walnut_trail_farm good points. I think we are saying the same thing "attitude of continuous improvement" and "desire to stay safe" are very similar. Complacency is the enemy.
Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I just launched an "Insiders" Newsletter where once a week I'm sharing an important lesson I've learned in aviation, links to my latest content so you don't miss out, and links to any other interesting or helpful content I've found. Subscribe (it's free) at: airplaneacademy.com/insiders
My wife had total engine failure at 7000 ft, with three of our children in the back seat. There happen to be a county airport in the area and she turned the Cessna into a glider and safely landed onto the runway. All these while engine oil all over the windshield. She said with the three children in the airplane, that Mommy Angus kicked in and she was going to get onto the ground safely!!
How soon before she was back in the air?
Your wife is an absolute badass!!!
May God protect us
That's so impressive
❤ full respect
One of the best books I’ve ever read on this subject is, “The Killing Zone - How and Why Pilots Die” by Dr. Paul A Craig. Dr Craig is an ATP, and a Gold Seal Flight Instructor for multi-engine, instrument, and seaplane. Since 2002, he has completed safety research projects for universities, the FAA, and NASA. I strongly recommend this resource, alongside the channel, for anyone who consistently strives to have one takeoff equal one landing. Thanks for continuing to illustrate safety, Charlie. ✈️👍
There are so many takes in that great book that people don't subscribe to... the most interesting one I recall was that he said he does not let his students do touch and go's - only landings to a full stop. It totally makes sense actually.
@@BrianSiskind ; Agreed. Dr Craig is scheduled to be a Guest Speaker for my EAA chapter via Zoom this spring. We are excited to hear his next presentation. 👍
@@BrianSiskind What is the rationale for that? Isn't it important for students to know how to go around in case they are landing at an unfamiliar airport and, for example, come in too fast? Thank you.
@@edb7742 Yes it was a response to an accident where the pilot failed to execute a go around properly on an aborted takeoff. "I teach at an airport that has 3900 feet of runway and I don't let my students make touch and go's anymore." I strongly advise other pilots not to do it either. This maneuver just has to many accidents associated with it for me to be comfortable. Too many things have to happen just right, during a very short amount of time, for it to be a safe maneuver." He then explains a situation where a nervous student doing TnGs in the pattern didnt have flaps come up, rotated without noticing, flew a treetop level downwind and made it back to find the circuit breaker had popped. This would have been caught in a full stop.
Thank you for the recommendation. I will buy that book.
My husband has been piloting for nearly 18 years. He remembers ALL the time; there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But there aren't very many old, bold pilots. My hubby intends to be an old pilot. He's incredibly careful.
" . . . He's incredibly careful." Good man. He'll likely live to become an old pilot. As "Dirty Harry" Callahan put it:
"A man's gotta know his limitations!"
this saying usually applys to motorcycle riders in particular.
Great Video, Charlie.
Single most important driver for safety is the pilot's attitude towards risk.
You can only become experienced if you survive your mistakes!
Agreed. “…aircraft that return to the earth with wings level, under control, at minimum speed, have survivors onboard…” Doug Rozendaal, Mason City, Iowa. Doug is a DPE, with more than 10,000 hours, in over 170 types of aircraft.
Or learn from others mistakes so you don’t make the same ones.
When I started learning to fly, I did get some comments about "aren't you afraid you might have an accident?" or whatever, but it's no different to what I do every night as a trucker. I can just as easily stall-spin on approach as I can lose my trailer and go down an embankment cause I didn't check the tyres. I can have a bird strike on takeoff, but someone can throw a brick off an overpass... it's no different.
To people who say that, I point out that automobiles regularly pass other cars, both going 65 MPH or more, with only a yard or two separation, a closing speed of 130 MPH. Aircraft pilots get excited when passing a few miles from each other.
@@scottfranco1962 And I would add that while there are idiots with PPL. The vast majority of people who are in planes have some sense. In cars, every teenager and moron with a 95 IQ are in your orbit every time you drive.
@@taxidermydavid And its worth pointing out, cars have been idiot proofed to an amazing degree. You really have to try to kill yourself in a car. The vast majority of car accidents are survivable. Could this happen with aircraft? I would say yes it could, but there seems to be no will to do so. Airbags have been slow to come to aircraft, and we have the tech now to use autopilots to restrict pilots from stalling the aircraft, and even hitting the ground or other aircraft, most of which would cost more than the aircraft. But then people ride motorcycles, which have a horrific accident survival rate. All of which leads back to the basic conclusion of any aircraft accident study, which is the main issue is between the pilot's ears.
I really like the preventable/risk mitigation vs your time has come. People can understand that, because the same is true for driving. Sometimes you got trapped in a pile up and there is nothing you could’ve done, but a lot of accidents are driving too fast, at night, in the rain, on the phone, etc. If you mitigate what factors you control, the safety goes way up.
The content of his videos is fantastic. But I also noticed that he has probably the best lighting of any TH-cam commentator I have seen. No shadows, no harsh lights; perfect.
Thanks!
Thanks! I've been tweaking it over the course of time, trying to dial it in. Lighting is always a never-ending process!
...AND FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE. That and excessive speed. Those to me are the two biggest mistakes drivers make. Pride also doesn't help.
I might have a crash next time I fly.. but I feel safer in the air than driving the roads are unsafe people drive like they're crazy... to fast.. looking at the phone ext
Amazing. As someone who has been very seriously pondering beginning the PPL journey and then in the hunt for information and training, finding TH-cam channels on fatal crash analysis, I was definitely having second thoughts. This is a great video to give some structure and balance to your own fear
Studying accident statistics and taking measures to not be within the overrepresented groups is the exactly how you avoid becoming a statistic within any risky activity from mountain climbing to flying to riding motorcycles. Great advice in this video. Great way to think about how staying safe requires conscious ongoing effort.
“Safety starts at zero for every flight” is a really good reminder for lots of things in life. Love that.
Good stuff, Charlie. Because I am out of the country four months at a stretch, I chair fly often, Then when I return to the States (and my plane) I fly with either a CFI or buddy the first couple of flights just to make sure that I am proficient. Then, and only then, do I fly solo.
I want you to know that’s a bit extreme but also absolutely excellent!!!! Very smart! I wish I had a friend like you, someone who thinks that far ahead is so so rare nowadays
This was awesome! Super well researched and high production value. Perfect content. Thanks for posting!
Aviation is one of the most unforgiveable hobbies you can have for those that are careless. If you suspect something is wrong, it is your choice if you want to pursue it and how you want to go about it. Listen to your gut, your gut is telling you something. If something doesn't feel right, don't get yourself into a position that you need to use superior skill to get yourself out of it.
Great topic, great video. It is so true that safety slips in small stages. We typically attribute the cause to the last link in the accident chain, in reality the accident started several steps prior to that. Every pilot needs to be taught how to recognize when a chain of events is occuring, and break the chain before he get to the last link.
Think of it this way. A chain of events is usually only recognized by the accident investigation after an accident has occurred. By having a safety mindset you will avoid creating that chain to begin with.
Im a trucker..and armchair pilot..in trucking i learnt its very similar to flying. Everything has to be calculated in advance because you know it takes 20 seconds or more to stop. A lot can happen in that time and if your in the mountains or some bad place, well your time is just up. You have to be diligent in your safety and attentive at all times but no matter what there is still that margin of risk/random fate..mechanical failure, traffic accidents..etc..still just because you crash doesnt mean youll die either..i rolled a picker truck and im here truckin 17 years later..wishing i was flying..great channel man i love it. Raw truth and interesting topics all the time for rookies like me!
Absolutely amazing video! We all have seen these accident reports, and even though it’s sad, it keeps us pilots humble. Having a high ego when it comes to risk taking is never good
One of the things I always tried to impress on students is to never exceed your own capabilities, or that of your airplane. This means having a safety mindset, which must be learned.
"Dirty Harry" Callahan said it best:
"A man's gotta know his limitations!"
Great video Charlie. Exactly what needs to be said.
Who is doing your editing now? Looks great! Keep up the awesome content.
Great quote ----- Safety Slips in Small Stages
Great video brother. A nice clean and concise look and some easy to misunderstand situations and misconceptions. Good job and thank you.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed!
This is great. Outstanding point of view. I ride a motorcycle, and I fly an airplane. Both of them are hobbies, neither is mandatory. Both come with higher levels of uncontrollable risk than say, walking down the street or playing chess. But I am willing to accept those risks because I am a responsible person and I will absolutely control everything that I can and accept what I cannot. It makes my life happy, fun, and free.
One positive of being older - we usually don’t worry about fuel exhaustion as our bladders fill before our tanks empty . Even AOPA states that
I put my PPL journey on hold (20 hrs) last year due to safety concerns and this video did a brilliant job applying your perspective. Nice work!
Extremely logical and I totally agree with you. I'm still not flying.
Flying safer than driving still rather have my feet on the ground
Charlie, I don’t know whether or not you are commercially certified, but you are a truly professional pilot. Spot on assessment of risk and how to approach it.
Thanks Seven! Really appreciate that.
Well said! If you use the 5 Whys technique for every accident/incident, you almost always come back to a human factor. Your brain is the key to safety.
Nice video. I went fly today after 6 months. It was difficult, but good to get back in the seat. I did a good preflight, took my time, and of course, went alone. It was good to see this video after today’s flight. Well done.
@naborsimbor5752 you can go alone…you can’t take passengers until you do 3 landings within the preceding 90 days
Looking into starting my PPL journey so this is a great video! QUESTION: What planes do you recommend as the safest for GA?
I've noticed the quality of your videos have improved so much as of recent. Good job
Thanks so much! Appreciate the feedback and the kind words!
Thanks for that video! It's really about what most people have difficulties with: statistics vs facts. You explained it really well and everyone out there flying in GA as a passenger who's maybe somehow scared should watch this. 👌
Why GA engines fail has always puzzled me but, I think a lot has to do with skipping on or failing to do proper maintenance. Great video!
Some has to do with improper maintenance but mostly it has to do with reciprocating vs turbine engines. Reciprocating is cheaper but has lots of moving parts. Turbines have few moving parts but is more expensive.
GA engines fail because of fuel starvation. Period. The workings of a typical GA engine with redundant mags means you would have to take a sledgehammer to the thing to stop it. Oil would be a factor, but most pilots rent, and the owners aren't stupid enough to let the oil sump run dry. The accident stats bear this out. Virtually all of the engine outs are fuel management issues.
@@scottfranco1962 I seen a report about a bonanza that overran the runway due to magneto issues. The report stated that, assuming it wasn't caused during the wreck, one of the magnetos had a timing issue and was likely igniting the fuel too early during the compression stroke, which severely decreased the power output of the engine. The good mag became useless since ignition already happened earlier in the stroke. The pilot should have been able to detect this easily when seeing a rise in RPM when he isolated the good mag, and how using just the bad mag or both resulted in reduced RPM. The plane was at or a little above MTOW and didn't even get airborne before smashing into a hill at the end of the runway and killed one occupant while the other suffered serious spinal injuries. Allegedly the pilot was taking his friend on a fishing trip and likely didn't want to disappoint him since they'd been planning the trip for months. Could have contributed to his lack of a response to iffy RPMs, if he did in fact notice them.
@@scottfranco1962 then I’m good to go because my bladder always fills up before my tanks go dry.
Love the nickelback vs eagles comparison. Nice quick drive-by....
What an awesome and educational video. I can't fly no more due to health issues however, I used this method for myself which kept me safe while I flew. Here's what I uesd; Remember the 5 p's
Pre Planning Prevents Poor Performance...
Richard
I'm not a pilot, but even I know the saying:
"There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. However, there are no old, bold pilots."
You weren't a bold pilot, were you? That's why you're still alive.
The odds of having a personal injury accident (or a fatality) are still higher in a motor vehicle on the roads, likely because of frequency of usage and attitude...the issue of "which is safer" is mostly about perception and all of the things you've pointed out Charlie. It is imperative that we as pilots accept responsibility for our passengers and the general public's safety when we fly...as an example of how things do go sideways; I've twice been in aircraft, flown by others, at night and into clouds. As I wasn't PIC in either case, my failing was not participating in the weather briefing and perhaps being the voice of reasonable discretion. On the plus side, I'm still here...however I'm rather distrustful of a lot of other aviators and their decision making.
By the numbers I belive general aviation is 19 times more dangerous than driving per hour. I can’t post links cause utube will delete them, but if you look it up u can see the post.
Just try to get life insurance and tell them you’re a pilot. That’ll tell you what the folks that really crunch the numbers know. Disclaimer: I’m a pilot
The odds of having an accident are far higher in cars. The odds of surviving an accident in a car are also far higher than in aircraft. Sorry.
@@john-zf1yb I'll concede on either one, but I, anecdotally, feel safer and am less threatened in an aircraft I'm flying than at any time I'm in a car...sadly I have to drive about 50,000 km annually.
@@scottfranco1962 If you're in your car and a malfunction occurs, you pull over to the curb and get out. If you're in your Cessna 172 and something goes haywire at 10,000 feet . . . well, it's a hell of a place for it to happen. . . .
I rode motorcycles for the majority of my life. I equate the risks of GA to be similar to that. While aviation seems amazing and I am a big fan of learning about it and playing on the sims... I don't plan to ever actually fly until I get older and the kids are out of the house. Just seems too risky (for me) when I have a family that depends on me. I also gave up bikes when my first child was born.
"...gave up bikes when my first child was born". Well done, Brian.
The big difference between bikes and planes is pilots are way, WAY less likely to be victims of other pilots.
Avoid bad weather, and night with complications, and you are way ahead of the game. Avoid SPAM cans and you more than double your safety. Fly in Diamonds.
I fly a foot launched Powered Paraglider and so much of this video is applicable. You have a great way of presenting information. Keep 'em coming. Subbed!
Thanks so much! Glad to have you as a subscriber!
I feel more and more that the real key to safety is picking the mission. People get in trouble by doing things they know they shouldn't be doing. A low-time rookie can be a much safer pilot flying an appropriate mission than a highly experienced pilot flying in conditions that are too challenging even for him. Remain realistic and conservative in picking your flights - and you'll be fine.
Excellent video Charlie. Thank you for digging into the stats and details.
Great information on this video. I really appreciate what you are doing. You have given me a sense of more peace when it comes to flying.
I'm so glad!!
Charlie … from a cinematographer friend… great content, great editing, great presentation (maybe slow down a tad… keep the energy but use a little “white space”) . Great stuff thanks!
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the constructive feedback as well. Will try!
Not a pilot, but I worked as an avionics tech in GA (California and the Phoenix area) for 14 years. We lost an average of about one customer per year to flight accidents. All but one was avoidable, the result of pilot error. Failure to consider density altitude was big in the Phoenix area, and I had the misfortune to be the last person to touch a Comanche before it flew into a snowstorm with four souls aboard. The unavoidable one was a heartbreaker. A brand new Bonanza had an instructor and three students on board when the prop threw a blade on climbout, around 100 feet AGL.
This was a great episode. I think this is one of your best yet. It is one that I think every new pilot should hear. There are a lot of misconceptions about becoming a pilot and the risks involved. This episode was one of the clearest takes on those risks and the truths not the myths.
Thanks so much! Really appreciate the feedback and glad you enjoyed the video!
At age 81 and after many decades as a military, airline and flight test pilot, I've come to some conclusions. Luck, luck and more luck is essential in getting from being a student pilot to an alive veteran aviator with the judgement to operate consistently safely. This is especially true in the General Aviation environment where so much of the flying is single-pilot. The airline community overcomes much of that problem by operating in multi-pilot aircraft with a more experienced pilot as captain and with FAR Parts 135 and 121 restrictions and limitations. In most airline operating scenarios, these differences force better judgement calls on the pilots than what is typical in GA operations. The result is a much better safety record within the airline industry especially in the United States.
GA pilots, when carrying passengers, should be forced into more restrictive operations to improve judgement. The aviation insurance industry should force this issue if the FAA is unable or unwilling to do so.
That was an amazingly done video, Charlie! Thanks for putting this out.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed.
Great video and good advice. I really miss general aviation, I haven't been around it in over 20 years now. But I really like seeing the better safety resources and information out there compared to when I was last involved in GA.
Why not come back if you miss it?
I think finding most common engine failures & some things that cause this failures not only in engine but also in some popular instruments of airplanes can help us to have a safe flight and intime servise airplane is most important thing in flight
Ok, this was one of your best. Well done. Appreciate seeing the data also. Bill
Thank you! Really appreciate it.
Good video. You definitely have the ability to decrease your probability of catastrophe.
I like this video 1. because it is relatively short, 2 i like the data 3 i like the basic point,, if you go looking for trouble you will find it. SSSS Safety slips in small steps, , seems good, and every flight starts from zero, in safety it is not safe because the last flight ,, was good. Now actually there are a lot of questions still about , do you need to fly to there? Do you need to fly in the mountains? Should you? So that can lead to limiting your flying and that might be fine , or it might limit your flying.
Well thought out and presented. Thank you!
some people are naturally good at flying. they become good pilots. natural spatial awareness, control of fear, clearheadedness in an emergency. i'm scared shitless at the thought of lack of control. i will never fly a plane, will never, ever be a passenger in a plane, after a 600 mi flight in a twin-engine through a thunderstorm in the midwest that had shit flying up and down all over the cabin. it's a miracle the pilot didn't get knocked out. i got out with just a few bruises. i'll never forget the look of the pilot with his glasses and headset all askew, turning around asking if we were ok.
Totally agree with your idea of a stupid vs. a smart decision. :)
As someone who's been in what was considered a major accident I can definitely say you can walk away without injury. My accident was just caused by my inexperience and lack of knowledge how to recover from the condition. I was flying my third solo in a helicopter.
Thanks for sharing, Glenn, and I'm glad that you're okay.
Did you flare too soon on your auto?
Did mast bump?
Low G?
What happened?
@@rowdybroomstick6394 Partial dynamic rollover. Eg main rotors hit the ground but still was able to get it upright.
Was it a Robinson?
You have one of the if not the best Aviation video channels out there and I have seen too many of them frankly. I've been an aviator for over 37 years and in my opinion for what that's worth you are spot-on. There is a saying and I forget who said it but it stuck with me all these years.." aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous but to an even greater degree than the land or the sea is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness incapacity or neglect" . Another one I use that is mine..as far as I know is that while aviating " I am in a relaxed state of alertness ". I have been told by some that I truly respect that I am almost too " anal " about the maintenance on my arial steed. So be it. I am one who has had several engine mishaps shall we say that all but one were a mechanical issue. One was fuel mismanagement that lasted about three seconds but was enough to get my heart going as well as my passengers.
None resulted in an unintended landing place but could have.
Everyone no matter how much time they have is a student pilot every time they get in the airplane. Some of us have more experience but that doesn't make it any less true. Excellent job on this. Keep them coming.
Thanks a lot, that's really nice of you. Good wisdom shared in this comment.
Hello Charlie, love your videos. Just a question... Can you explain the difference between "Loss of control - In flight" and "Low altitude operation"? Based on your comments in the video, the latter would be more fitting. I might be confused here... thanks.
My definition: Low altitude operation is intentionally flying at cruise speeds (or greater) at low altitude where you are likely to encounter wires, towers, trees, terrain, etc. Low passes down the runway fall into this category. Loss of control results from unintentionally exceeding the critical angle of attack, which often happens in the traffic pattern. An egressive pull up from low altitude operation often leads to loss of control.
Like your analysis on Flying safely, is risk reduction... Risk reduction is one of the most important aspects of flying, along with education training and upgrading pilot proficiency of flying skill sets with actual instructional time proficiency pilot checks.
It is a probability game. There are the external events you can't control (e.g. clear air turbulence, latent defect in a flight critical component) which are obviously probability driven, and then there are (the much larger set of) things you can control (e.g. choosing what weather to fly in).
Let's take choosing what weather to fly in, that in itself is a risk calculation (which is a probability calculation). You could choose to not fly in any weather except ideal conditions and that would leave only the probability of clear air turbulence and a latent defect, but almost everyone will balance the risk calculation to allow flight in non optimal weather, and at that point you (as a pilot) are making a probability calculation of risk. We should not shy away from the fact that this is what is being done, yes, you can (and should) apply every mitigation possible to eliminate sources of problems, but at the root it is all a probability calculation (it's just that the pilot has an active part to play in determining the probability, and it isn't a passive exercise).
What pilots argue about is where that line should be drawn. Airlines are super conservative in general whilst part 135 and part 91 pilots approach is much more variable.
I lean more toward the airline side of risk tolerance myself, although there are risk mitigations that are available to them, that aren't necessarily available to me.
I think his takeaway was that there are risks correlated with certain conditions and choices, but that the relationship is not a causal one.
@@JB_Hobbies The probability of any
event can be altered by the pilot via mitigations, but it can never be zero. So, no, of course the probability isn't causal, it simply represents the chance that a causal event will occur.
Excellent video. You put all in an easy to understand perspective.
Thanks so much! Appreciate the feedback.
Great video and all great points, Charlie!
Well said on all. I’m the paranoid type going on 200 hours and you made me feel better.
I'm so glad!
Not a pilot, but have seen videos and also heard people say to build if then statements and dill them. So, if I'm not off the ground by Charlie, the abort take-off. It's not, "She's feeling a little sluggish getting off the ground today." If it gets within 30 minutes of sunset, then land. It takes some of the decision making out of the process and can help prevent the get-there-itis and help stop those small decisions in flight. This way you're not making the decision to push a little harder in flight, you already made the decision on the ground. It will suck from time to time, but it will help you
I am a student pilot and I have noticed some of the school planes they have appears to have evidence of skimping on maintenance. This one 172 - 92V is really hard to start, It took like 5 or 6 attempts to get it started In 80 degrees F and I was the first one to fly it as it seems no one else want to fly it. This is a carb model. During flight the door popped open twice. The panel on the aircraft was clean and the paint was in good conditions. Radio's and avionics - instruments worked fine. The engine ran smooth once it started and passed the mag check. It's just so darn hard to start and the door does not stay shut. Also the luggage compartment locks but is not flush against the aircraft. And lastly the aircraft seemed to fly a bit like a pig. More play in the controls during taxie and flying. Seemed to take longer on the ground roll before I could rotate and it just did not handle as well as other 172 aircraft. So what do you think is going on with the schools. Another aircraft I flew, the tire on the left main did not look so great.
That was an awesome video. I'm looking into getting my pilot lic, but 1st i want to learn everything about airplane before making this leap. Thanks again
Great video!!! I needed to hear that thank you for Sharing!!
Another great video buddy, really appreciate it.
We all make mistakes, it’s important to identify them, be critical of them and learn from them. I think what can happen is you get lucky with your mistakes or don’t take them serious, and eventually your luck can run out. Keep being a student, but you have to be your own CFI, don’t let yourself get loose and sloppy, have fun, but don’t get to relaxed or complacent. Very unforgiving , be pilot in command. Most GA Planes are horrible pilots.
Always when I flying im looking for fields to emergency land on and other procedures. Always in my mind and thats why I can enjoy my flight .
Great video, man! Really good stuff
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
I learned that ‘if you have to go ‘ DONT., that has stayed with me and it is a golden rule for me.
Great outlook and rationale on general aviation safety! Thanks for sharing.
Adopting a safety mindset is 95% of the battle. With this you will seek out information. You will study accidents and familiarize yourself with what went wrong and learn from others mistakes.
I have flown a whole lot of ours. Mostly military and commercial where safety culture is engrained. Obviously, military flying comes with its own risks unique to the military, but we still attempt to mitigate that risk. We started teaching CRM (Crew resource management) when I was a military instructor in single pilot jets. How does this apply with a crew of 1? Easy, think of the resources available outside the aircraft. Much of our flying was in formation, so we always had another set of eyes and ears. Think ATC, FBO, Guard frequency for other pilot help. Something as simple as a suggestion to switch magnetos or fuel tanks could fix a rough running engine.
I was looking to buy an airplane last year. I was in an FBO when a pilot with a C-182 stopped for gas. I get to talking to him about his airplane and I ask him what the useful load is. He says he had no idea, he just packs what he can inside and has never had a problem. Don’t be that guy.
Great analysis, simple, clear and east to understand.
Great video thank you for sharing awesome attitude very positive very professionally done
Great discussion, sir!
AVWeb with Paul Bertorelli is a great resource for any pilot wanting to know more about flying and perhaps some of the bigger issues in aviation. Love listening to Paul!
About the only thing you can draw from the data is that airplane accidents tend to be more fatal than, say, automobiles. And that is because FIT (flight into terrain) is largely a fatal event. That divides into CFIT and FIT, because I don't classify stall/spin accidents as CFIT. The suddenness of a stall/spin at low altitude is not really going to be correctable. This includes the many accidents on takeoff. The answer is "don't do that", watch speeds and bank angles on landing and takeoff. Don't overload the aircraft, and watch density altitude. This is far more useful than stall/spin recovery training, since the stats tend to show you aren't going to recover from a low altitude stall [1].
This leaves CFIT in normal flight, at altitude. There is really no excuse for these kinds of accidents, which are the result of misjudging attitude or unintentional flight into IFR. Minimal VFR training includes, or should include, ability to hold attitude via instruments and execute a climb and/or turnback. Anything less than this is BFR malpractice.
If I had any advice for VFR pilots it would be: go get some IFR training. You'll be a better and safer pilot even if you never do any real IFR.
[1] Some folks may get upset at me calling stall training as useless. however, most of the emergency training is, sorry, quite useless. I got my license in the days of spin training, which the FAA stopped requiring because it causes more accidents than it saves (get spin training... its fun). Nobody stalls in normal flight. They stall in the pattern. And a simple look at real accidents shows that they are unrecoverable in practice. Not enough time/altitude. Similarly most engine out practice is useless. When I get engine out training on BFR, I just look for an airport, because most instructors wait until you are over an airport to practice that, both for convenience and safety reasons. Insist on a real world engine out, which means off airport, and down to 1000 feet or less, IE, to where it is apparent what exactly your choice of landing area is going to cost you. Does that mean it might turn into a real accident if the engine does not restart? Yep. Find an instructor with balls. IMC training should include unusual attitude recovery and minimal hood time. When was the last time you got any of this on a BFR?
Real simple-it mostly boils down to training. And training can be sub-divided into 3 categories:
1) capable (“IMSAFE”)
2) qualified (properly rated)
3) current (read the regs, folks)
Blue skies and tailwinds!
You’re so well spoken. Great vid
Thank you! I appreciate that and glad you enjoyed the video.
In commercial aviation, too, landings and takeoffs cause most problems. I think a small plane is less stable in Weather. However...since we are talking about piston engines, why not use a hybrid power plant with lithium battery/electric motor just for backup power??
The VFR into IMC thing is very scary. Living in the Great Lakes there's a lot of microclimates, probably like the mountains, where the weather is just a roll of the dice. Could be perfectly good weather forecasting for 99% of the area, but 1 small spot has fog or rain or low clouds whatever. Suddenly a vfr fight isn't.
Heard of guys going inverted or just not level with 1G of force and not even realizing they're upside down until they see the ground seconds before meeting it. Most of them are flying older 150s or similar and don't trust the few instruments over their butts.
Just the whole thing is scary
One fatality per 100,000 hours. At 100kts that covers over 11 million (st) miles. Flying is safe but as you nicely pointed out safety is very much in your own hands.
When your number is up, it's up! I just don't want to be on commercial flight when the captain's number comes up.
Great video Charlie. Thanks for the data.
Sure thing! Glad you enjoyed!
Charlie - another great video.
My comment/question - is there data that compares GA x-country trip vs driving the same distance/ locations.
So. comparing the safety data of flight vs drive between Dallas and Houston, for example.
Thanks Sam. I think you might be able to find some data out there on the risk probability per mile driven in a vehicle, but it's kind of apples to oranges in a way. Especially considering the causes of aviation accidents coupled with the fact that there's not really a source of absolute truth on car or GA usage volume (i.e. miles or hours traveled). My guess is that GA is going to look way less safe than cars but just that number alone is going to be misleading because of what I described in this video.
Aviation safety is reliant on adherence to standards and compliance with regulatory requirements. This includes mechanics, pilots, and ATC. When any of the three deviate from established standards, sound practices, and regulatory requirements, risk increases exponentially. Finally, using good judgement in association with all of the above ensure the highest level of safety and reduce accidents to the lowest possible level.
Well done my friend! Keep it going 🙏✝️👍🏻 i
Really good stuff!
Maintenance is no joke. I’m very fortunate to have a great relationship with my IA.
You said it yourself, you have pushed the limits, It only takes one time for that to go bad.
Great video love the approach at the end
Just watch the AOPA Safety Institute videos... it is almost always 4-6 bad decisions that lead to the Incident or Accident. And it started with bad decisions on the ground before they even got in the airplane. All of the hazardous attitudes come into play. Having personal minimums are extremely important and stick to them! And if IFR, ALWAYS have one or two alternates regardless of the visibility and ceilings at your destination...
Great assessment of aviation risk and associated risk management. Thanks for the video.
Sure thing! Glad you enjoyed!
On average there is one general aviation accident in the USA everyday (Kathryns Report). Pilot attitude from pre-flight to post-flight is the key. Also way too many pilots willfully fail to keep up the proper maintenance. Pilots at my home airport brag about deferred and skipped maintenance mostly because they cannot afford to properly maintain the aircraft.
" . . . Pilots at my home airport brag about deferred and skipped maintenance mostly because they cannot afford to properly maintain the aircraft."
Pardon my incredulity, but why the hell are these people even flying?
I've never been in a small plane in my life--nor do I intend to. Thanks for confirming my dark suspicions about general aviation. . . .
@@orvilleh.larson7581 Not all of GA is that way but there are bad apples in every area of human endeavor.
@@NighthawkCarbine Personally, I can't understand why the hell a pilot
would neglect his airplane. Being airborne is a lot less forgiving than being earthbound. If you're in your car and a malfunction develops, you can pull over and get out. If something goes haywire when you're at 10,000 feet . . . well, things can get hairy fast.
There's so much less margin for error in the air. . . .
@@orvilleh.larson7581 I totally agree. Many simply cannot afford upkeep and maintenance and are flying on the cheap. Many less honorable airlines do this very thing and occasionally it bites them. Many who cheap out on maintaining their planes also have no insurance. If the plane crashes and they survive they walk away.
@@NighthawkCarbine The crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in the Everglades in 1996 comes to mind. ValuJet, by all accounts, had a reputation for slipshod maintenance.
To be sure, the cause of the crash was an in-flight fire, caused by illegally stowed oxygen generators. Captain Candalyn Kubeck and her co-pilot didn't have a chance against the overwhelming fire.
The DC-9 had an inoperative autopilot that day, I believe.
I know it’s old video but very relevant.
is it safe to run a Rotax912 , 600 hours over TBO recommendation ?
Risk mitigation is key. Most GA incidents are preventable and survivable. It is far riskier driving to or from the airport than flying if you are employing good ADM and risk mitigation.
I’ve heard this and often repeated it as well. It’s true for Part 135 operations (airline flying), but I think the GA accident statistics say otherwise.
On my first flight I was too petrified to continue. I did anyway, with a fear of flying. But I'm doing my commercial and I have no idea how I could crash a plane as in every phase there are procedures and limits which if you respect, nothing is supposed to happen. Unless my engine failed with nowhere to land or i collided.
The fear drives some brave men!
Great video! Can you do a follow up on how you protect yourself from safety slipping in small stages?
The DESIRE to stay safe is the single biggest factor. This leads to staying engaged and subscribing to channels like this one, studying accident reports and data, subscribing to AOPA and EAA and reading articles on flight training, receiving proper training in the aircraft you fly, flying along with highly experienced pilots, hangar flying, proactively reading regulations, and subscribing to aviation podcasts.
Well said Cessna 177! Couldn't agree more.
I agree that desire to stay safe is important, but I don’t think it’s MOST important. I think complacency is the most dangerous element. And it is sinister, because it slowly creeps in. I think the way you fight it is an attitude of continuous improvement; always wanting to be better and better. This methodology is very common in manufacturing, medicine, and other arenas where even “small” defects or failures (.1%) aren’t acceptable.
@@walnut_trail_farm good points. I think we are saying the same thing "attitude of continuous improvement" and "desire to stay safe" are very similar. Complacency is the enemy.
Amen to that brother....J
Very good presentation.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.