SonexBuilders.net

Interesting article on the NTSB by AOPA. Apparently 21 groups are asking the NTSB to tell everyone that GA is a safe form of travel, The article gives some interesting stats, including the following quote:

"The groups also noted that U.S. Department of Transportation statistics show that from 2008 to 2014 there were 277,310 automobile accident fatalities; 38,343 fatalities on motorcycles; 5,561 on bicycles; 5,831 fatalities in recreational boating accidents; and 3,628 in general aviation accidents. "

and

"The letter noted that, not only is general aviation a safe mode of transportation, but also that more people—5,159 between 2008 and 2014—die from falling out of bed than are killed in private and business flying. "

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling picked on...

Jeff

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all ... ga-is-safe

The foundation was one of the organizations that signed.


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I know the feeling. It seems like at least 25% of the people that find out I'm building a plane say that I'm crazy. There's probably another 50% that think that, but say, " that's cool, but I'd be too scared to do that".

A co-worker that it also a pilot and builder asked about life insurance during one of our all employee meetings. Pretty much everyone laughed when he asked if our life insurance policy covers small airplane (they don't know GA) accidents. As if, of course it doesn't, small plane pilots have a near 100% chance of accidental death.

Family members will often send me news articles of small plane accidents. I admit that sometimes the hype gets to me.

I'll try to remember the stats next time someone calls me crazy. In the meantime I'll keep building.

Ok, so I always hear the. "well there are a lot more cars on the road, so there will be more fatalities" line. However the other stats especially the motorcycle and boating fatalities really are interesting. I honestly thought GA would have been higher than boating.

This line is pretty funny:

We respectfully request the Board to publicly convey that general aviation is one of the safest modes of transportation in the United States.

Would we be happy if the NTSB came back and said, alright... GA is safer than riding a bicycle on a city street? Maybe the numbers will work out in our favor and we're safer than motorcycles. Maybe depending on whether you consider hours or miles we won't look so bad. What we don't want the NTSB to do is actually make the list and show exactly how far down that list "one of the safest" really is.

Maybe the NTSB will come back and remind us EAB builders that our fatality rate is 3-6 times worse than the overall GA hourly fatality rate (The 2013 Nall report lists 3.37:100,000, down from 5.7:100,000 in 2012 for Amateur-Built and ELSA). The rest of GA probably wishes our statistics weren't included--they might look much better against motorcycles without us.

I'd be pleasantly surprised if the entire Sonex fleet has 100,000 total hours (500 aircraft with an average of 200 hours). We might be even worse than the EAB average.

The reality seems to be that it is safer than the general public realizes, but more dangerous than we like to admit. I feel like this letter to the NTSB will likely be ignored at best or draw more unwanted attention to ourselves at worst.

I feel that if I want to participate in an activity that is risky, it's totally my business. I don't like it when the FAA or any other governmental red tape laden group says be safer or we won't let you do it. I understand the argument of collateral damage in an accident, but it's just not a viable argument. The motorcycle enthusiasts went through this when helmet wearing was mandated then repealed (at least in my state). Bad judgement and lack of common sense have a way of "naturally" disappearing from the gene pool without intervention of big government.
Sorry if I offended anyone but I also strive to be politically incorrect.

In a random occurrence of hilarious irony, I was reading you post that contained "...The motorcycle enthusiasts went through this when helmet wearing was mandated then repealed (at least in my state)..." and the banner ad right under it at the bottom of the page had this headline: "Never give up until they buckle up".

I'm not making a political statement, Just that the juxtaposition made me burst out laughing.