Why I don't fly...
- Thread starter Number9
- Start date
Flying is MUCH safer than driving on a US highway. Look at it this way; 19 are known dead from this crash. It is the only airplane accident that happened today. Now how many persons will die today in highway accidents worldwide? You do the math. I'll fly anytime. 
Pat-inCO
Hawkeye
Using that logic, there would be . . no . . cars on the road.Fox Mike said:Flying is MUCH safer than driving on a US highway. Look at it this way; 19 are known dead from this crash. It is the only airplane accident that happened today. Now how many persons will die today in highway accidents worldwide? You do the math. I'll fly anytime.
Besides which, how do you get to the airport?
opos
Buckeye
Someone once said "if it 's my day , it's my day"....what if it's the pilot's day?
Then it's your day, too! What a coincidence!opos said:
The first time for me in the air was back in 1968 on my way to boot camp in San Diego.
I think it was about that time I discovered I had a new phobia called Aviophobia or Aviatophobia... the fear of flying.
After boot camp I was off to school, so I flew back across the country to Memphis for...
would you believe.. Aircraft Structural Maintenance! :mrgreen:
During my service I was able to see many crashes.. thanking the Lord each time that I wasn't on board! I really loved working on aircraft.. and it was easy for me to go from E-1 to E-5 pay grade in only 23 months.
My last flight was from Hawaii to Chattanooga. When I landed in Chattanooga on a cold, rainy day, September 26, 1972.. I said, thank you Lord for a safe flight and I'll never fly again!
Yes, I know flying is safer than most.. it's just not for me! :shock:
I think it was about that time I discovered I had a new phobia called Aviophobia or Aviatophobia... the fear of flying.
After boot camp I was off to school, so I flew back across the country to Memphis for...
would you believe.. Aircraft Structural Maintenance! :mrgreen:
During my service I was able to see many crashes.. thanking the Lord each time that I wasn't on board! I really loved working on aircraft.. and it was easy for me to go from E-1 to E-5 pay grade in only 23 months.
My last flight was from Hawaii to Chattanooga. When I landed in Chattanooga on a cold, rainy day, September 26, 1972.. I said, thank you Lord for a safe flight and I'll never fly again!
Yes, I know flying is safer than most.. it's just not for me! :shock:
There is no 'logic' involved in the statement, nor am I suggesting not driving. The most dangerous place in the USA is a highway. I drive daily and don't have any fear. Flying is even safer than driving, so why be afraid to do that. Think of how many safe flights occur daily, all over the world, and how many individuals are in those aircraft. Unfortunately 19 individuals lost their lives in one accident. I have absolutely nothing to back it up but would bet that more than that lost their lives in other modes of transportation today. I stand by my statement...flying is the safest mode of transportation.Pat-inCO said:Using that logic, there would be . . no . . cars on the road.Fox Mike said:Flying is MUCH safer than driving on a US highway. Look at it this way; 19 are known dead from this crash. It is the only airplane accident that happened today. Now how many persons will die today in highway accidents worldwide? You do the math. I'll fly anytime.
Besides which, how do you get to the airport?
Yeah, but ya could still be killed BY a plane...
It seems being in a taxi ain't all that safe, either.
It seems being in a taxi ain't all that safe, either.
RugerHound
Hunter
Number9 said:
Not exactly... You may have a 100% chance of not getting killed IN a plane. However, as long as they're flying overhead you have SOME chance of being killed BY an airplane. Many times the crashing aircraft scoops up some ground casualties along with those on the aircraft.
There are a lot of reasons for not flying... Many of which I use. But today's accident ain't one of 'em.
rugerjunkie
Hunter
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wolfsong said:
That made me bust out! Kinda like ole Ron White when one engine went out and someone asked how far the other engine will take em..."im guessing all the way to the scene of the crash"!!
Dix, I'm ALWAYS thinking about ditching the day job...
certified angus
Bearcat
There were what, 5 or 6 killed in the train/suv crash in New York today?
mohavesam
Hawkeye
Why not just post a "Didja see this crash story?" and let it go.
If it bleeds it leads: Because there is video, the newsrepeaters & simpleton watchers cannot get enough of it. Ooot man, people dying. Sad.
(looked like part of the left stabilizer leading edge missing as it passed over the bridge? Illusion? )
ATR: used to be called the "plow plane" after a couple of corn field crashes in the '90s. The wing is super-critical and could not withstand any icing at all. The US FAA solution? "Only fly in clear weather".
If it bleeds it leads: Because there is video, the newsrepeaters & simpleton watchers cannot get enough of it. Ooot man, people dying. Sad.
(looked like part of the left stabilizer leading edge missing as it passed over the bridge? Illusion? )
ATR: used to be called the "plow plane" after a couple of corn field crashes in the '90s. The wing is super-critical and could not withstand any icing at all. The US FAA solution? "Only fly in clear weather".
Bull Barrel
Hunter
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Those darn killer SUVs....certified angus said:
News dummy yesterday said they were investigating the cause of the crash. Uhh...lady drives onto the tracks in front of a train that didnt stop...
wizofwas
Buckeye
Sorry, but not quite true. Yes flying is one of the safest modes of transportation, but not the safest, at least per passenger mile. Since they've put the safety features on elevators, there have been very few, if any deaths on them. Those long people moving belts that I've seen and ridden on a few times are kind of new I think. And I haven't heard of any deaths on them. And how can I forget my favourite mode of transportation, the escalator. IIRC, I read someplace that the escalator is the safest mode of transportation/passenger mile with no fatalities at all.Fox Mike said:
Sorry Wiz, but a bunch of people have been killed by escalators. Most are clothes caught somehow, followed by strangulation.
Critch
Single-Sixer
I've unfortunately been witness to two airplane crashes, both military,,it's terrible to see a plane go down,,,,there's nothing you can do...
I've had a few moments on aircraft that really were scary.....two of them were on DC-9s, a plane I've always disliked.
I've had a few moments on aircraft that really were scary.....two of them were on DC-9s, a plane I've always disliked.
Selena
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Since I have to be drunk, drugged and unconscious to get on an airplane to begin with I should agree with the OP. But then again I had a number of mixed messages as a child... The positive being that it's never the machine but the operator which stands to reason if a certain unnamed idiot that will remain my brother can safely fly cross country it stands to reason flight is basically safe... The negative is my grandfather's claim there is no such thing as a vehicle that eventually you don't have to get out and push.
Rancher Will
Blackhawk
I have never had any fear of flying. During 5 years in the Air Force during the Korean War, although I was not a pilot, I did log a lot of flying time.
Beginning in 1960, as Undersheriff of a Colorado county, I flew as a commercial passenger, mostly on duty, often enough to become a member of the 100,000 Mile Club on United and nearly as many miles on Frontier and Continental.
Then starting in the 70's the airlines started requiring my secretary, who made the reservations for me, to notify the ticket agent that i would be armed on board. That was OK, so no problem.
Then in a few years, the requirement was that my secretary had to notify the ticket agent that I would be armed on board, and then when I checked in I was informed that I had to notify the pilot that I was armed on board before takeoff. This got to be difficult since I could not always find the pilot until I was on board and once on board the pilot was often busy up front.
Finally I just stopped flying on commercial aircraft and start chartering a local charter plane and pilot with Thunderbird Flying Service. The charter plane was able to fly me to anywhere, often not to a large commercial airport, often to little places where I used to have to rent a car from an airport to get there, then wait for me to return, often the same day, and The County was paying for the flights.
We learned that in total, comparing the costs over previous years that included plane fare, taxis, rental cars, hotels, etc., with the cost of flying charter, with fewer overnight stays, fewer hotel costs, much fewer rental car costs, fewer restaurant costs, etc, the costs for me to fly chartered were no greater than previous commercial flights trips. Plus I was gone from home less time.
Since that time I have never flown a commercial airliner and I never intend to do so again.
Beginning in 1960, as Undersheriff of a Colorado county, I flew as a commercial passenger, mostly on duty, often enough to become a member of the 100,000 Mile Club on United and nearly as many miles on Frontier and Continental.
Then starting in the 70's the airlines started requiring my secretary, who made the reservations for me, to notify the ticket agent that i would be armed on board. That was OK, so no problem.
Then in a few years, the requirement was that my secretary had to notify the ticket agent that I would be armed on board, and then when I checked in I was informed that I had to notify the pilot that I was armed on board before takeoff. This got to be difficult since I could not always find the pilot until I was on board and once on board the pilot was often busy up front.
Finally I just stopped flying on commercial aircraft and start chartering a local charter plane and pilot with Thunderbird Flying Service. The charter plane was able to fly me to anywhere, often not to a large commercial airport, often to little places where I used to have to rent a car from an airport to get there, then wait for me to return, often the same day, and The County was paying for the flights.
We learned that in total, comparing the costs over previous years that included plane fare, taxis, rental cars, hotels, etc., with the cost of flying charter, with fewer overnight stays, fewer hotel costs, much fewer rental car costs, fewer restaurant costs, etc, the costs for me to fly chartered were no greater than previous commercial flights trips. Plus I was gone from home less time.
Since that time I have never flown a commercial airliner and I never intend to do so again.
Colonialgirl
Hawkeye
Two incidents in flying happened to me; One was flying out of Phoenix, AZ in the middle of summer, the plane lifted off the runway, but there was NO "thump/thump" of the landing gear being tucked away; my seat mate and I looked each other wondering when the pilot came on to explain that the "reason" the landing was being left down for a bit was to allow it to "COOL OFF"
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
guy sitting across the aisle from us started laughing and said it was a perfectly good explanation because with that model aircraft, if you taxied too far on a very hot day the landing gear would heat up to the point that if you put them away the "Fuse/soft plug would melt and you would land with flat tires.He said even if you taxied too far it had the same result. He was a pilot for that airlines and was flying into LAX to transition into a newer model aircraft but he flew the current aircraft down south on a milk run of short hops on hot days and frequently NEVER pulled the gear up between landings on those days. (This was back in the 1970's)
The other incident was a night time landing at LAX on the OLD Western Airlines; We were ALMOST DOWN, looking out the window you could see the "Proud Bird" restaurant alongside the open approach field and next would have been the "Thump-thump" onto the runway when the pilot applied full power and UP we went (needed a screwdriver to pry fingers loose from the arm rest). The pilot came on with the explanation that the plane that had landed ahead of us had Taxied TOO SLOW and the controllers had waved us off. A quickly circle and we were on the ground safely.
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
guy sitting across the aisle from us started laughing and said it was a perfectly good explanation because with that model aircraft, if you taxied too far on a very hot day the landing gear would heat up to the point that if you put them away the "Fuse/soft plug would melt and you would land with flat tires.He said even if you taxied too far it had the same result. He was a pilot for that airlines and was flying into LAX to transition into a newer model aircraft but he flew the current aircraft down south on a milk run of short hops on hot days and frequently NEVER pulled the gear up between landings on those days. (This was back in the 1970's)
The other incident was a night time landing at LAX on the OLD Western Airlines; We were ALMOST DOWN, looking out the window you could see the "Proud Bird" restaurant alongside the open approach field and next would have been the "Thump-thump" onto the runway when the pilot applied full power and UP we went (needed a screwdriver to pry fingers loose from the arm rest). The pilot came on with the explanation that the plane that had landed ahead of us had Taxied TOO SLOW and the controllers had waved us off. A quickly circle and we were on the ground safely.
In 1970, I took a MAC flight out of Travis AFB, the plane was an old Braniff 707.
Didn't like the chipped faded paint.. the grease streaks on the main wheels.. dirty seats with holes.. and old stewardess.. or the crazed windows. Every seat taken.. full fuel load and baggage. I was wearing wool blues.. air on the plane was very bad with a bad smell.
I thought this was going to be a hell of a flight to Hawaii!
The pilot went to full power even before completing the turn to get straight with the runway.
On roll-out the plane shook and vibrated under full power. Travis is around 11,000 feet and we took every inch! The plane lifted off and the noise of the struts when clunk-clunk...only to touch down again after a second. We lifted off a second time only seconds before the end markers passed under us. When we passed the Golden Gate Bridge.. the vehicles on the bridge wasn't much below us!
2 1/2 hours out, we hit real bad turbulence.. people getting sick as the plane made moves most roller coasters couldn't match! The wing deflection on a 707 is about 8 feet up and down from center.. I know they were at their limit.
I made it to Hawaii.. it was 78 degrees and me dressed in wool.. it wasn't a good day!! :shock:
Didn't like the chipped faded paint.. the grease streaks on the main wheels.. dirty seats with holes.. and old stewardess.. or the crazed windows. Every seat taken.. full fuel load and baggage. I was wearing wool blues.. air on the plane was very bad with a bad smell.
I thought this was going to be a hell of a flight to Hawaii!
The pilot went to full power even before completing the turn to get straight with the runway.
On roll-out the plane shook and vibrated under full power. Travis is around 11,000 feet and we took every inch! The plane lifted off and the noise of the struts when clunk-clunk...only to touch down again after a second. We lifted off a second time only seconds before the end markers passed under us. When we passed the Golden Gate Bridge.. the vehicles on the bridge wasn't much below us!
2 1/2 hours out, we hit real bad turbulence.. people getting sick as the plane made moves most roller coasters couldn't match! The wing deflection on a 707 is about 8 feet up and down from center.. I know they were at their limit.
I made it to Hawaii.. it was 78 degrees and me dressed in wool.. it wasn't a good day!! :shock:
sebtool
Blackhawk
One of my favorites is the Rock Springs, WY airport. Basically, it's up on top of a butte. The couple of times I got to 'visit' was in Jan. or Feb., when it's nice and cold, and windy as all hell.... Might as well relax and enjoy the ride, 'cuz there ain't much you can do about it! :lol:
All to true BUT I haven't found an elevator, or an escalator that will take me from Baltimore MD to Providence RI. :roll:wizofwas said:Sorry, but not quite true. Yes flying is one of the safest modes of transportation, but not the safest, at least per passenger mile. Since they've put the safety features on elevators, there have been very few, if any deaths on them. Those long people moving belts that I've seen and ridden on a few times are kind of new I think. And I haven't heard of any deaths on them. And how can I forget my favourite mode of transportation, the escalator. IIRC, I read someplace that the escalator is the safest mode of transportation/passenger mile with no fatalities at all.Fox Mike said:
Word is the pilot still had the controls in his hand. He went down fighting to keep the aircraft flying after an engine failure. Pilots are some gutsy folks. I've flown with some who wouldn't even breath heavy until after things quieted down. I'll fly and relax while doing so.
RUFFBIRD
Blackhawk
There isn't anywhere important enough for me to fly. Planes just scare the crap out of me! I love my F-150 though.... 8)
graygun
Hunter
I've seen two AF jets crash. One at McGuire 2-1-71 (the day I got back from Vietnam,pilot ejected) and the Thunderbird pilot who died at Transpo at Dulles in '72 after ejecting and coming to earth at the crash site.
exavid
Hunter
Jeepnik said:
Pilots aren't all that gutsy, they're the first ones to the scene of the crash and are trying to save their own butts. Looks like that crew didn't have enough engine out training, that pilot who had his hand on the throttle after the crash had apparently shut down the wrong engine. The aircraft would have had no trouble with take off and climb out on one engine but it didn't do so well with none. If you watch them yank the nose up to clear that building you can see what happens when a wing stalls. She's gonna fall off to the left due to P effect and torque with normal CW (seen from the cockpit) propeller rotation and that's just what it did. I sure feel sorry for the passengers and crew but chalk this one up to pilot error.
Flying is definitely a safe way to travel. I got away with 5500 hours of flying in Alaska without scratching the paint on an airplane. If I can do it, it's not that hard. But it does require not making mistakes, at least not low and slow.
