Rich pilots are safer
I don’t really like the idea that rich pilots are safer than those flying on a more limited budget but I don’t have any argument to invalidate it. This idea is a simple, logical, almost mathematical consequence of things I consider true:
- Flying a lot is good
- Frequent recurrent instruction is good
- Technically advanced aircraft are good
I admit that the the “technically advanced aircraft” point do not apply to all kinds of flying but it is relevant for what I like: VFR travel or IFR operations. The two other points are true for all kind of flying, from short VFR flights for a 100$ hamburger to aerobatics, from mountain flying to glider-towing, from IFR cross-country to local sightseeing flights.
Frequent flying helps to maintain good basic flying skills, to have good knowledge of checklists and to keep a fluent radio phraseology. There is nothing like a perfect flight (click here to read more about that from Paul on askacfi.com) but I flying more re-inforces self-confidence and enlarges ones comfort zone. By the time I flew the Saratoga a lot (50h+ per year) a VFR approach with a short, inner base to final (see photos below) was fine. I would certainly not fly wht same today with my low recency…
There’s always something to learn in aviation and pilots not flying in an multi-pilot environment tend to develop bad habits quite quickly. Shortcuts in checklists, “personal” procedures or self-indulgence can all be corrected by flying regularly under supervision of an instructor. JAA and FAA both require it every two years, but doing it more frequntly can only make a pilot better.
When it comes to single pilot IFR, a technically advanced aircraft (GPS, moving-map, HSI, flux-valve, auto-pilot, possibly glass-cockpit) allows for a better level of safety by diminishing some risk of errors and reducing the pilot workload. I already wrote a lot about this in the “Modern Aviation” category and will not say more in this post.
Flying a lot, adding extra cost for an instructor and possibly for a technically advanced aircraft is not exactly something a pilot on a low budget can do. This does not mean that low budget pilots are unsafe but they (we…) have to adjust their (our…) kind of operation accordingly. Because of all these reasons I have to resign and admit it: rich pilots are safer.
Well, as long as they use their money to fly smartly…
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Julien
Great post! I think it’s true that the more you fly the safer you become, assuming you fly with the right mindset. However, money is not the only variable in the equation, I would argue that time is just as equally important.
Time on the ground is cheap. Use it to know your aircraft systems inside-out, review emergency procedures and flight-plan thoroughly. It’s all very cheap and make you safer. If you have time to hang around your aeroclub or flying school on days when you’re not flying, there’s always something to learn, and you may even get a ride and learn something new just by watching things happen in the cockpit when someone else is flying. Having time also means you are more likely to delay or cancel a flight if the conditions are a bit marginal.
Unfortunately, time and money never seem to come together in life, except for a lucky few. You may start your adult life with plenty of time and little money for flying (while at uni for example), then get a job with more money but a lot less time for flying. Then you have to wait a long long time before you retire and have hopefully both enough time and money to indulge in flying often.
Jan 26th, 2009
Bas Scheffers
What about the rich yuppies that finish their PPL in a 172 and then go out to buy a sleek Lancair and kill themselves in a “get-there-itis” VFR into IMC incident because their busy jobs don’t allow them to do a) too much flying b) and mandate the days they have time to fly?
As opposed to the poor bugger who buys himself a $30K Warrior and because he’s retired has all the time in the world and picks only the best days to fly on?
You need money, time and sensibility. Just being rich is not going to make you any safer.
Jan 26th, 2009
Sanjeev Bhadresa
Interesting theory!
Within your group of rich people, there will be a personality range from very safe/sensible to completely reckless. A greater number of flying hours (because the reckless rich guy can afford it) will not make them a safer pilot.
Being a safe pilot is a combination of personality, experience, time and to a lesser extent, money. Look at your local flying instructors. I’m sure they’re not rich, but by and large I suspect that they are pretty safe.
Nice photographs by the way!
Jan 27th, 2009
Julien
Actually, that’s one thing I enjoy about the aviation community: money cannot buy you a shortcut to getting a pilot licence or becoming a better pilot. Of course you need some money to get started and sustain your flying, but in the end it’s a lot more about who you are than what you have.
Jan 27th, 2009
PlasticPilot
@All: as you imagined (at least those of you who know me well enough), this post was only aimed at starting a discussion. As you all correctly answered being rich CAN help to become a safer pilot but is not a sine qua non condition.
It’s much more about flying smartly and getting the most out of your money, whatever the amount available. It is not so easy to restrain or limit one’s flying, but there are cases where it’s the sole way to remain safe.
When I’m on restricted budget I take more instruction flights, and try to get trained or fly with a safety pilot at the limit of my comfort zone to keep it as wide as possible.
Do you have any tricks and tips for pilots on low budget ?
Jan 27th, 2009
Sanjeev Bhadresa
Tricks to save money? How about learning to fly with a friend. If you pick a large enough airplane, you could hop in the back seat for their instruction flights and they for yours. Learning from the mistakes of others!
Failing that, hang around your flight school and see if your instructor’s other students wouldn’t mind you tagging along for the ride.
Once you have completed your license, you could go flying with friends and share the costs. If they fly, you could split the flying time. If not, it’s all yours!
Jan 29th, 2009
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