Does anyone know of a source of statistics comparing flying an experimental aircraft and, say, car travel or airline travel? I'm thinking of deaths per 100,000 miles flown or something like that. The number of accidents seems small, but the community is small too. Thanks for any help.
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Safety Statistics
- Thread starter grenwis
- Start date
Smilin' Jack
Well Known Member
If you check the aviation Nall report i thInk you find what your looking for
I don't believe the report is out yet for 2011
Smilin' Jack
I don't believe the report is out yet for 2011
Smilin' Jack
Just a caution: often attributed to Mark Twain, "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics".
Comparisons are difficult. For example, the airlines (which are very safe by any measure) love to quote "fatalities per passenger mile". This statistic suggests that your risk doubles if you take a flight which is twice as long. But the truth is nothing like that. So few accidents begin in cruise, compared to takeoff, climb, descent, and landing phases, that a short flight with multiple intermediate stops is in fact, statistically, more risky than a long non-stop on the airlines.
That being said, I believe the best comparisons indicate the risk in light aircraft, on average, is closer to the risk on a motorcycle than in a car.
And the risk for experimentals, on average, is worse than the single engine fleet. But perhaps similar to the risk in high performance singles. (Same statement is true for the twins vs singles comparison).
The good news(?) is that, for private aircraft, so many accidents are attributed to bad pilot judgement that your safety is, to a very large extent, in your hands.
Comparisons are difficult. For example, the airlines (which are very safe by any measure) love to quote "fatalities per passenger mile". This statistic suggests that your risk doubles if you take a flight which is twice as long. But the truth is nothing like that. So few accidents begin in cruise, compared to takeoff, climb, descent, and landing phases, that a short flight with multiple intermediate stops is in fact, statistically, more risky than a long non-stop on the airlines.
That being said, I believe the best comparisons indicate the risk in light aircraft, on average, is closer to the risk on a motorcycle than in a car.
And the risk for experimentals, on average, is worse than the single engine fleet. But perhaps similar to the risk in high performance singles. (Same statement is true for the twins vs singles comparison).
The good news(?) is that, for private aircraft, so many accidents are attributed to bad pilot judgement that your safety is, to a very large extent, in your hands.
RV10inOz
Well Known Member
Stats and studies........start out with the result you want....and wrk back from there.
Just like motorcycle riding, which I do also, if you avoid all the moronic actions that you see others do, you risk profile changes dramatically. Same applies to flying.
When you pull aprt the accident reports, and remove all the dumb ones, those that are left are a far more manageable risk.
Just like motorcycle riding, which I do also, if you avoid all the moronic actions that you see others do, you risk profile changes dramatically. Same applies to flying.
When you pull aprt the accident reports, and remove all the dumb ones, those that are left are a far more manageable risk.
