Why does everyone tell my wife about crashes?

[Tarheelpilot]

My wife once told Jeff Skiles, while I was standing there, that she thinks I'm a great pilot (aw, shucks) and has absolute faith in my abilities; it's the hardware that she doubts. I take that faith seriously.

Bless her!

That’s sweet. Glad you wife loves you and ignores the truth

 

[jsstevens]

Yeah. Saying flying is as safe as driving by comparing reckless pilots to safe drivers doesn't pass the logic check.

No, but comparing all drivers to all GA pilots GA flying is statistically equivalent to motorcycle riding.

That said, I rode motorcycles for a few years and have flown for 13 year (only ~265 hours ) and have never had an accident in either. And all those things like having fule and knowing how to get to it, staying out of bad weather, being willing to stay on the ground sometimes all will make you much safer.

 

[HAPPYDAN]

It must be a macho thing. I had never tried snowmobiling until my father in law persuaded me to go with him. As a M/C rider I thought it would be OK. Well, we rode around on trails, too fast for me. He rolled over twice, thought it was funny. We stopped at a little Do Drop Inn on the trail, met up with other sledders, drank beer and listened to the stories. Everybody had a snowmobile bash/crash/flip/mayhem story, except me. It would scare the uninitiated from ever trying it! I think they were just trying to get a shock reaction. GA accidents are really quite rare, and many of those could have been avoided if reasonable care had been exercised.

 

[FormerHangie]

I'm a bit over 20 hours in to my PP training and almost every single one of my wife's acquaintances has felt compelled to share every relative/friend/celebrity story of crashing their plane. Even one who is a pilot went through a scary story. My wife is cool with me flying and willing to fly with me once I have plenty of hours and is supportive of getting a plane as well

I've been a Hang Glider Pilot for 40 years and I really expected the "Is your life insurance paid up?" BS to be less with GA aviation.

Does this happen to everyone?

Maybe they want you to stick with hang gliding.

 

[Kritchlow]

GA accidents do happen, and at a high rate (undefinable, but too often for my liking.)

That said, it’s an accepted risk no doubt.
If the pilot doesn't do anything stupid your odds increase dramatically. That’s a big *if* with inexperienced pilots.

 

[danhagan]

I've got you beat. When there is an incident at one of the airports near me my EX-WIFE calls to see if it was me. Not sure how to interpret it, but I usually tell her I'm sorry to disappoint her.

I worry about you too Ravioli, especially in the area you fly. Safest thing for you to do, is fly that RV out here and I'll take care of it for you.

Same here, some family and a friends grandparents thought 40 hours was to small a number.

I tell them "Flying isn't hard, it's the effing landings" ... never done it, but always wanted to say that on short final

 

[Kbedinbound]

When people tell my bride how dangerous flying is she will agree and say; yes, it’s deadly driving to the airport, the flights are great.

This is too funny. I just finished my PPL and have taken my wife up twice, the first time I'm not sure she spoke more than 2 minutes in the hr flight...by the second time she was chatting up people in the KACK GA terminal. BTW - Gary, I check your blog almost daily, thanks for the posts.

 

[Dana]

I had the (mis)fortune of showing up at my Boston-area family reunion in my own plane a few weeks after JFK Jr. went in. I spent the entire weekend answering questions about that.

Hah! I had the misfortune of crashing my own plane (forced landing, rough field, substantial damage, no injuries) the day before a family reunion (I was flying to it, too). Of course everybody had seen it on the TV news...

 

[Kritchlow]

When people tell my bride how dangerous flying is she will agree and say; yes, it’s deadly driving to the airport, the flights are great.

Just curious... any stats on that?? I know they *say* flying small airplanes is about as safe as riding a motorcycle, and that’s clearly more dangerous than driving. I also realize there’s a billion ways to run and interpret the statistics.
That said, isn’t it reasonably clear that flying small airplanes are more dangerous than driving??
It’s an accepted risk, and I do appreciate that. I was happy to take that risk in my younger years. I’m just trying to be realistic. I know many here are in denial about the risk, but that doesn’t make it go away.

 

[GMascelli]

This is too funny. I just finished my PPL and have taken my wife up twice, the first time I'm not sure she spoke more than 2 minutes in the hr flight...by the second time she was chatting up people in the KACK GA terminal. BTW - Gary, I check your blog almost daily, thanks for the posts.

Thanks for reading along. I hope it provides a few laughs and some helpful insights.

 

[denverpilot]

I tell them "Flying isn't hard, it's the effing landings" ... never done it, but always wanted to say that on short final

Funnier to say, “Anybody know how to land one of these?” on final.

Naughty naughty. Especially if you’ve given them the “sterile cockpit” speech.

 

[flyingron]

A few hours after I had my off-airfield landing I finally got to eat dinner. The TV in the restaurant was rerunning the interview of me (they broke in to the middle of the 5:00 news to interview me) and the waitress is going "Hey, isn't that you?"

 

[Kritchlow]

Funnier to say, “Anybody know how to land one of these?” on final.

Naughty naughty. Especially if you’ve given them the “sterile cockpit” speech.

I’ve heard the story (second hand) of a TWA flight holding. After several turns the captain asked on the PA f anyone had a map.

I realize most of these stories are folklore, but I heard this one almost first hand.

 

[denverpilot]

A few hours after I had my off-airfield landing I finally got to eat dinner. The TV in the restaurant was rerunning the interview of me (they broke in to the middle of the 5:00 news to interview me) and the waitress is going "Hey, isn't that you?"

LOL. The one day of your life you didn’t want to be recognized...

 

[flyingron]

Ah, was already a local celebrity in Hurt, Virginia. Everybody came out to see the plane. When I reported to the insurance company where the plane was they asked if I could give them precise directions. I sent them a map pin, but told them all they had to do is go to Hurt and ask anybody where "the airplane" was.

 

[denverpilot]

Ah, was already a local celebrity in Hurt, Virginia. Everybody came out to see the plane. When I reported to the insurance company where the plane was they asked if I could give them precise directions. I sent them a map pin, but told them all they had to do is go to Hurt and ask anybody where "the airplane" was.

Hahaha. Hurt. Somehow were all glad you didn’t get hurt in Hurt.

 

[James331]

I showed my girlfriend a bunch of amphib and float plane crash videos before we picked up the plane, very entertaining and she became much more vigilant about my gear position

 

[denverpilot]

I showed my girlfriend a bunch of amphib and float plane crash videos before we picked up the plane, very entertaining and she became much more vigilant about my gear position

You just wanted to get “girlfriend” and “gear position” in the same post, you sneaky devil. Reported. LOL.

 

[jaymark6655]

If it has happened, my wife has kept it secret. My guess it would be other wives trying to squash fun so they don't have to hear their husbands say, "so and so gets to fly." Usually I get to hear, so and so's husband wants to fly and is also interested in building an RV. I only know one person that wouldn't fly with me (so far) and it is a guy that is so afraid of heights, he won't stand on a chair.