It it all worth it?

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Challenged

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Just saw this A36 Bonanza fatal accident: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/plane-crashes-on-a-fredricksburg-road/1708867284 Curious about it, I decided to look up the N number of the airplane involved and it belongs to the man who just sold me my Bonanza. He said he wanted to upgrade to an A36 to give his family some more room, and he was so excited about it. He was honest and friendly and fair, it couldn't have been an easier transaction and enjoyed chatting airplanes with him. I've had all sorts of thoughts swimming around in my head every since I came across this. Ugh.
 
I’ve asked myself this several times. Just thought about it this past week after a long time, well seasoned pilot was killed around here.

I try to look past it. When it’s my time, it’s my time. You gotta enjoy life a little and not live in fear.
 
Would it be any different if he’d died in a car accident? Would you be worrying about driving your car?

Death sucks, but none of us are getting out alive.
 
Hi.
I am very sorry to hear about the accident. Condolences to the Family and friends. I've seen, and read, about many accidents since I've started flying, many years ago.
>>It it all worth it?<<
For me flying is something that goes beyond myself only. I think that all the effort, money... was / is worth it. If I get to the point where I ask myself that question I will likely stop flying.
 
No, I do not think it's worth flying in a faster Continental equipped airplane over a slower Lycoming powered one.

Oh you mean flying in general? Yes, to me it's worth it. For me, my work flying has actually given me more pause on that question than my recreational flying, whereas for most airline pilots it's usually the opposite.

At any rate, condolences the surviving family. I understand his death also hits close to home for you. I hope you find the answer that helps you sleep at night. No right or wrong answer, just the right answer for you. Good luck.
 
Only you can answer that. Statistically, flying is safer than riding a motorcycle, but significantly more dangerous than driving a car. There are choices that you can make that reduce the risk, but not eliminate it.
 
FormerHangie said:
Only you can answer that. Statistically, flying is safer than riding a motorcycle, but significantly more dangerous than driving a car. There are choices that you can make that reduce the risk, but not eliminate it.
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Statistically, that may be correct, but it's not the way I've personally experienced it. I've known quite a few pilots and their passengers that lost their life in a GA aircraft and only a couple that were killed on a motorcycle. Flying requires a lot of planning and decision making, both on the ground and in the air. It requires a certain brain capacity and maturity. On the other hand, riding a motorcycle is just plain fun and any idiot can do it. If it ain't raining or snowing I'm off!
Perhaps because I worked in aerospace I probably knew a lot more pilots than the average person, but the body count sure stacked up. To fly safely you have to make a 100% commitment to the task at hand to avoid an appearance on the 6 o'clock news. Still, it's a risk even if every precaution is taken.
My condolences to the Bonanza pilot. RIP
 
I do ride motorcycles, but I'm not as enamored with them as I am with planes these days. I think my thought processes between the two activities is probably a little different because my family tags along with me in the plane, which ups the pressure factor a notch or two.
 
Ouch, close to the heart, that is not fun. I can only imagine how you feel. Sounds like you had a fantastic experience with him. I wouldn't doubt his family would like to hear that story.
 
Problem with motorcycles is the cage drivers killing you. Airplanes you have a better chance in that aspect anyway. The great French aviator Mermoz was supposed to have said when asked why he risked his life flying contraptions made of wood and wire and fabric "It is worth it. It is worth the final smashup." I hope it was, in the end. I know it would be for me.
 
Is skiing worth it? For me it is. It’s a measure of me against the mountain, and the choices I take on the way down have an impact on whether I make it down. Few weeks ago a fellow died at Brighton Ski Resort. He had to dodge someone in front of him and I’m assuming hit a tree or rock as a result.

Obviously not the same as flying, but I think there are parallels. In these activities it is oftentimes the person doing the activity who is largely in charge of the outcome. In both there are circumstances outside of your ability to foresee or prevent a fatal outcome such as an inbounds slide or a chair detachment or a plane cutting the wire of the tram you are in, just the same as doing everything right in a plane and the wing departs.

If I stop to question if it’s worth it, then I won’t be skiing/flying that day. If it becomes a habit ....
 
We all accept the risk that we might not return home when we walk out the door no matter what the activities will be that day.
 
What’s an acceptable level of risk for you? I gave up motorcycles after visiting a friend’s 19 yr old son in the trauma unit after he was paralyzed from the chest down in a motorcycle accident. I still scuba dive, but I’ll bail on a dive if I don’t feel comfortable. I track my Corvette at 150 mph at Sebring, but I don’t push the car to its limit. I’m starting flying, but I won’t take elevated risks like flying in bad weather, at night or IFR flying. If I’m not enjoying myself it isn’t worth it. Down here, if you ride, you have to assume every other car will try to kill you at any time. That isn’t enjoyable for me. If I find that being up in the air isn’t enjoyable, I’ll give that up, too.
 
hindsight2020 said:
my work flying has actually given me more pause on that question than my recreational flying, whereas for most airline pilots it's usually the opposite.
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I have seen an inordinate number of airline pilots who are pretty anti-GA, for a lot of reasons, but predominantly because they have grown to believe it unsafe.
 
Safety comparisons to ground transport are specious. Peruse Kathryn's Reports once in a while for some perspective. If you fly enough, long enough you'll make mistakes, hopefully not lethal. Draw your own conclusions.
 
Hacker said:
I have seen an inordinate number of airline pilots who are pretty anti-GA, for a lot of reasons, but predominantly because they have grown to believe it unsafe.
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Airline pilots are boring. Just flying the unwashed masses around. Bunch a pansies bruh. GA is where it’s at. 60% of the time every time your likely to not make it back. That’s a thrill.

Just remember your PAVE, DECIDE, CARE, 3Ps, 5Ps, IMSAFE, and hazardous attitudes and your good to go.
 
Passenger said:
If you fly enough, long enough you'll make mistakes, hopefully not lethal.
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Well, since the perfect flight hasn't taken place, mistakes are made all the time, on every flight.

It is both the amplitude of those mistakes, and our ability to correct them ("trapping the errors" as the saying goes), that determines the effect of those mistakes.
 
Passenger said:
Safety comparisons to ground transport are specious. Peruse Kathryn's Reports once in a while for some perspective. If you fly enough, long enough you'll make mistakes, hopefully not lethal. Draw your own conclusions.
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Would you prefer we compare GA's safety record to that of the airlines?
 
If you really want to go nuts ride a bicycle in heavy traffic at night.
 
When death hits close to home it causes us to ask these things, and its often a good time for self reflection. We all dare death everyday and one day she will win... With my family history I should be eating nothing but non-romain lettuce and water, but what good does it do me to not enjoy the ride? Im going to order the rib eye steak and im going to eat pizza...

For me I feel most alive when Im behind the yoke.... My thought on it all is, if we don't do what we love while we are here we are already dead...

My condolences for our brother pilot and his family...
 
maj75 said:
I’m starting flying, but I won’t take elevated risks like flying in bad weather, at night or IFR flying.
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But you should still get the instrument rating. More skills = better and safer pilot, and there may come a time where you're glad you have it.
 
Shepherd said:
Is there anything else on this planet that compares with flying?
Yup. It's worth it.
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It's a privilege so very few people on this planet will ever enjoy...piloting a small GA airplane and viewing our world from that unique perspective.
 
hindsight2020 said:
No, I do not think it's worth flying in a faster Continental equipped airplane over a slower Lycoming powered one.
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If I read correctly on BeechTalk, this was actually a Machen STC that’s powered by a 350HP Lycoming IO-540. Not overly relevant to the OP, just sayin’.

From what was said, sounds like he was doing it right during an engine out, other than once on the ground sliding through a fence/tree line and that’s when it exploded.

RIP.
 
Blatham489 said:
If I read correctly on BeechTalk, this was actually a Machen STC that’s powered by a 350HP Lycoming IO-540. Not overly relevant to the OP, just sayin’.

From what was said, sounds like he was doing it right during an engine out, other than once on the ground sliding through a fence/tree line and that’s when it exploded.

RIP.
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There are some really nasty areas there in the Hill Country with few good options for an emergency landing and the faster the plane, the scarier. I’ve flown that area a lot with students and contemplated what the best option for an emergency landing was more than once.
 
A fatal accident in 1996 “close to home” led me to take a break from flying for a couple of years. My Tiger just sat and my medical and CFI both expired. I suspected I’d get back into it eventually, and I did.

When flying becomes unnerving, it’s time to give it some space for a while. Lots and lots of rewarding hobbies out there to fill the space. We’ll all take a last flight someday, and it’s best to face that prospect on your own terms.
 
SWOdaile said:
But you should still get the instrument rating. More skills = better and safer pilot, and there may come a time where you're glad you have it.
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While I wouldn’t dispute the IFR training would increase skills, there is absolutely no chance I will get it. Here is why, I won’t fly if the weather is bad or forecast to get bad. Therefore, I wouldn’t have enough “real IFR” experience to stay proficient. I can’t think of anything more dangerous that thinking that because I once had IFR training, I could fly in “actual” IFR conditions. It isn’t hard at all to avoid flying in IFR conditions in South Florida.

A man’s got to know his limitations.
 
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