On Feb 22, 4:07*am, Bob Noel
wrote:
often? *How often would not having anti-collision lights translate
to real death? *How often would not having an ELT translate to
real death?

Ok, maybe not often. But if the stakes are high enough, infrequent
events are still important. Most pilots never experience an engine
failure, for example, but that doesn't make it unimportant to know how
to handle one. Same principle for required equipment.

On a calm, clear day, I could fly a plane without any working
instruments whatsoever (including powerplant instruments) and it's
overwhelmingly likely that I'd be fine. But I wouldn't do it, and I
certainly wouldn't mistake such a plane for being airworthy.