A couple of people have already asked me how I can feel safe flying if somebody of Bill Law’s years of experience can crash. A guy I know wrote this response to similar questions. It’s not exactly what I would have written, but it’s pretty close.
From: Paul Pakusch
Regarding Jason Zbick’s e-mail on losing someone of Bill’s skill level and two engines on the aircraft, I thought I’d respond with this e-mail that I sent to my family and friends:
To my friends and family,
This is a long e-mail. My purpose in writing it is to express my views on the safety of flying “little airplanes.” Delete it if you’re not interested.
As those of you around Rochester are aware, a very prominent pilot in Rochester was killed in a plane crash on Friday. While the cause will be under investigation for some time, early reports indicate he had some kind of engine problem.
I have been involved in aviation for 20 years and I’ve had a pilot’s license for 13 years. I knew Bill well. I took flying lessons through his business, took both my primary and instrument flight exams with him, rented planes from him for a couple of years, worked with him in the Rochester Pilots Association, and had some opportunities to socialize with him.
This is the first time that anyone I personally know has been killed in a plane crash. Yes, it is hitting me very hard. For the purpose of aviation safety, I read about aviation accidents a lot, but this one is hitting close to home.
I admit there are times when I question my continued involvement in flying airplanes, and this has been one of them. I was also deeply affected when JFK Jr. died, and a few times through the years when something startled me on my own flights. I usually react by feeling depressed for a couple of days and then I get my spirit back. I was camping when I heard about Bill Law. I dealt with it by going to a nearby airport in Dansville and talking with other flying enthusiasts. It helped a lot.
The aviation community is a close-knit community. We all discuss aviation topics frequently, including safety and accidents. We all get the same questions from family and friends whenever there is a prominent plane crash. I’ve been told by people, “I was thinking of you when I heard about…” or, “I was hoping that wasn’t you,” or, “John Denver died in a plane crash. Doesn’t that make you want to stop flying?” (I could have sarcastically answered, “Princess Diana died in a car crash. Doesn’t that make you want to stop driving?” But no, I’m not like that!)
I do appreciate the concern that people have for me regarding my flying, although I do believe there is not much to worry about. It’s difficult to tell people not to worry about me because I can’t guarantee that I’ll never have an accident. The best I can do is to show how the odds that I’ll be fine are vastly in my favor.
The media has a fetish for airplane accidents. The spectacle of a flaming airplane falling out of the sky is one that’s hard for the media to ignore. It doesn’t happen very much, but when it does, it’s NEWS!! So anytime there is some kind of code alert at the airport, cameras are rushed into place, as if in the hope of capturing a spectacular crash. Photographers win awards for the best pictures. Sick isn’t it?
Usually these code alerts are uneventful; in most cases, a minor problem requires the plane to land so it doesn’t become a bigger problem. Then, because airlines don’t allow their pilots to talk to the media, we get to hear passengers talk about how scared they were, which in turn scares the people watching the news. Scaring people is a great ratings-getter! And scaring people with news of how “dangerous” flying is is much more exciting than reporting on how much effort has gone into making aviation safe. For that, I’ll refer to this website: http://www.gaservingamerica.com
Routine deaths are boring and don’t get much more than 30 seconds in a newscast unless there was something spectacular about it. The nation’s biggest transportation killer, auto accidents, happen every single day. Look at the table on this website and you’ll see how many people are being killed by what: http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2002/html/table_02_01.html
For the year 2001, 42,116 people were killed in highway deaths. 563 people were killed in general aviation accidents. (General aviation does not include airline or military) The majority of general aviation accidents come in three areas: flying into bad weather, low-level maneuvering (including buzzing your friends), and running out of gas. Although Bill’s plane appears to have had engine trouble, the fact is that very few airplane accidents are caused by engine trouble. I can’t really comment any further about Bill’s possible engine loss until the investigation is complete.
While anyone can quote statistics ad nauseum, what’s more important is what pilots put into practice. If you don’t fly into bad weather, run out of gas, or do stupid things at low altitude, you’ll never have those kinds of an accident. Right away, you’ve increased your odds of a safe flight by leaps and bounds. Pilots are trained to recognize impending equipment failures, so even the occasional engine failure accident most likely had some kind of a warning before it actually happened.
I’ve heard it stated that flying is not without risk, but risk does not mean it’s dangerous. How you manage your risk determines whether you’ll have a safe flight or not.
Each time I fly, I assess my own well-being. Am I tired? Have I taken any medications with side effects? Am I in the mood for this? Is my mind on other problems or can devote all my thoughts to this flight? I get a weather briefing. Even though I have an instrument rating, it does not mean I can fly in bad weather. Thunderstorms and/or winds above 25 mph mean I’m not flying; I’ll consider winds from 15-25 mph based on how they are aligned with runways. I’ll take rain and clouds into account based on visibility requirements and types of clouds.
Anytime I drive to the airport, I “plan” to fly. Any number of things could make me decide to change my plans. I do a thorough preflight inspection of the airplane. If anything is not right, I consider how it will affect the flight. Some problems are only minor annoyances while others are a safety consideration. If safety is an issue, I don’t fly. After the engine is started, there are further checks to make. After taking off, I monitor how everything is running right up to and including the landing. If there is any kind of a problem in flight, there are steps to take depending on what the problem is. If necessary, a flight can be aborted at any time with a landing at the nearest airport. These small planes are capable of being landed in a field or on a highway if necessary.
If you’ve read my e-mail this far, I thank you for doing so. I am fascinated by flight and feel priveleged to hold a pilot’s license with an instrument rating. I take all my flights seriously and try to keep up with my skills. I read a lot because I am always trying to learn more. I believe this kind of an attitude has earned me the right to take other people for plane rides, as I know they are entrusting me with their lives.
Again, thanks for taking the time to read this.
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Paul Pakusch