Pilot dies as single-engine plane flies 300 miles past dest.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Re: Pilot dies as single-engine plane flies 300 miles past d

Let's wait and see what happens when the Jet comes out and they start transitioning them into it before we start knocking it. I will be the first to call shenanigans if the transition to a jet is a joke.

I was told one time (a few years ago) that transition was thought to be a 50 hr program and that they most likely will have to do insurance themselves for the first few years.

 

[RICHARD5]

Re: Pilot dies as single-engine plane flies 300 miles past d

This is actually a pretty good discussion (for the rubber-pants, plastic airplane set). I am really interested in the psychology behind the chute-pull...why some don't pull the chute when they should, and why others may pull the chute when they shouldn't.

On a broader level, does the mere existence of the chute give pilots a sense of security/confidence that their skills alone wouldn't give them...and thus allows them to make poor decisions in terms of what and when to fly? I wonder how many think, "Gee, I probably am not skilled enough to go into this situation...but I have a chute, so I'm all good" and then they find themselves in a bad spot and either can't get a chute pull in time, or lose control of the airplane and are not within the chute pull envelope?

Bruce Landsberg with the AOPA ASF wondered too. I approached him to speak about my assumption (in bold in your comments) and he said while there seems to be some validity to that, there are other factors which influence a pilot's decision. The bottom line is there is not enough data to say what is the primary factor in the decision making. Of course, the decision making starts before engine start.

As for some of the JC posters having the perception that so many Cirri are falling out of the sky, it's nothing other than the fact Cirrus outsells all other aircraft. There is a large Cirrus fleet out there.