Safety

[Compulsion]

I am new to powered flight and after reading this forum for a few weeks now I am not sure whether to continue or go back to sailing.

 

The more I read the more I am convinced that flying a Jabiru will eventually kill me or at the very least I will surely have an engine failure. It seems that flying RA aircraft is more dangerous than racing a formula 1 car.

 

Now I am sure this is not the case. If it was then no one in their right mind would fly. Maybe it is just that RA aircraft are not safe compared to GA aircraft.

 

Ok now lets get real. How many RA aircraft are flying on any given weekend? How many of those are Jabiru aircraft? How many engine failures are there per hours flown?

 

I agree with safety. I agree with training to deal with all possible eventualities but what are the true chances of an engine failure? Is it more likely that an engine will fail in an RA aircraft?

 

Ok now you can all convince me that flying is safe and I can keep flying.

 

 

[Tex]

Ok now you can all convince me that flying is safe and I can keep flying.

Personally, I have no problem believing that it is not safe, it is dangerous! It is how you deal with that knowledge that makes the difference...

 

 

[facthunter]

I would not try to convince anyone, John, but I will make a few comments

 

. Check the statistics. Compare with GA. I don't think there is much difference. Also you make most of your own luck by your approach to flying and your attitude to safety. Safety gets mentioned here because you don't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself so hopefully you will learn by the mistakes of others.

 

Flying has a danger element to it. so does pitching a tent under a gum tree or riding a horse or riding a trail bike. Many participants get bitten by the flying "bug" and there is a cost to do it. Compare the bang for your buck compared to spending your afternoon in front of a soul destroying poker machine, which if I participated in would lead to a tendency to suicide anyhow.

 

Regarding the "powered" flight aspect. the faster the plane the more risk in an off aerodrome landing. They are all supposed to be able to stall at 45 knots

 

It's not without risk in a glider either. The terrain you fly over has a bit to do with how risky it is. You will have to do your own figuring about the Jab engine. There are more unreliable engines out there but there are some that have a better record as well. Any engine CAN fail especially if it is a reciprocating pidton engine, but you have to inspect/service them properly.

 

The Jabiru airframe is one of the best to impact anything in and OK to repair Nev

 

 

[Neil_S]

I am new to powered flight and after reading this forum for a few weeks now I am not sure whether to continue or go back to sailing.The more I read the more I am convinced that flying a Jabiru will eventually kill me or at the very least I will surely have an engine failure. It seems that flying RA aircraft is more dangerous than racing a formula 1 car.

If you like statistics I believe it is on a par with riding a motor bike - so take your pick....but remember lots of people buy lottery tickets although they have much more chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery.

 

BTW - you seem to have singled out Jabirus (which is bound to start another Jab/Rotax debate along the lines of Ford/Holden - see various previous threads) - so if you don't like your chances with them why not change to a Rotax-powered plane instead?

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[eightyknots]

Also you make most of your own luck by your approach to flying and your attitude to safety. Safety gets mentioned here because you don't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself so hopefully you will learn by the mistakes of others.

Well said, The whole principle of safety practices is (sadly for those who were hurt) to rely on a large collection of others' previous bad experiences. By "listening" to these experiences, learning from them, and avoiding the mistakes which led to bad outcomes in the past we will greatly minimise problems in our own flights. Conversely, ignoring these lessons is likely to end up in problems.

 

Any engine CAN fail especially if it is a reciprocating piston engine, but you have to inspect/service them properly.

I wonder how long before RA Aus and the CASA will allow non-reciprocating light jets?

 

 

[storchy neil]

fact i hit 2 power wires and flew the aircraft with no nose wheel 4.5 nm

 

landing at a property in nsw i flew over it at 1000 ft back over it at 200 ft and checked the padock out

 

because i was landing in a paddock i set forty degree of flap and 2100 rpm so i was landing slow on aprouch to the landing point something caught my eye and i held off at the height off power wires silly stupid me

 

got both wires jamed on the nose wheel gee it stoped in the blink of an eye

 

because i had full flap 2100 rev my aeroplane wanted to fly

 

big bang under my arse and full noise i flew away to land at an airstrip

 

i repeet get a good instructor he will give you the basic knowlege to fly an aeroplane then it is up to you as to how you progrees with your abilty to control an aeroplane

 

when the sxxxx hits dont panick fly the bloody aeroplane for crist sake you aint deded yet (natho) neil

 

 

[Yenn]

The question points up the fact that there are a lot of Jab knockers here and it could be putting peo[ple off. We don't get the full picture with accident statistics from RAAus, which is a pity. Are Jabs so dangerous. I am happily flying with a Jab motor, even though I have had problems, due to fuel quality.