Cirrus attracting pilots with 'The Wrong Stuff'?

Jim Fisher wrote:

I rest comfortably knowing that both have very goof life insurance policies
so that their wives will be taken care of.

Don't rest too comfortably. Most life insurance policies will not pay off if you die
piloting an aircraft. They should check to make sure there's no exclusionary clause
that contains language about serving as an aircraft crewmember.

George Patterson
This marriage is off to a shaky start. The groom just asked the band to
play "Your cheatin' heart", and the bride just requested "Don't come home
a'drinkin' with lovin' on your mind".

Please...

I hope your assessment that: "One is certifiably nuts" is based on more than
just his affliction with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as "manic depression", is characterized by
cycling between two extremes: a high, manic state, and a low depressive
state. And these highs and lows are far more extreme than what the average
person experiences as "mood swings".

Bipolar is closer in character to a chemical imbalance that to a mental
disease. It is treated with lithium, which corrects the chemical imbalance.
And treatment with lithium is very effective as the side effects are
extremely mild; more of an annoyance than anything else. One example of the
side effects is increased frequency of urination; that's the sort of thing
we are talking about.

As so frequently occurs, when Mother Nature hands out an adversity, she also
hands out a compensation. And that's true in this case: most bipolar
sufferers have extremely high I.Q.'s.

I think it's safe to assume that most of you have figured out that I suffer
from bipolar disorder. Which means I will never (unless the Sport Pilot
license goes into effect), be able to fulfill a dream I've had my all of my
life: being able to fly an airplane. Both of my parents flew; I guess you'd
say flying is in my blood. But the FAA deems it inadvisable for me to fly an
airplane because of my bipolar disorder.

And I agree with the FAA. When I am medicated, which I have been almost
continuously since I was diagnosed, I'm fine. But when I'm not medicated,
I'm sometimes suicidal as hell. The FAA has no way of knowing whether or not
I've taken my pills every day. Therefore, the FAA's fear that I might cycle
into a depressive state and deliberately crash an airplane is quite
reasonable.

Sorry to wander off-topic; let me get back to the original observation. The
person described as "nuts" may well be so. But it's probably not a result of
his bipolar disorder. The two are very rarely connected...



"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
.. .
"John Galban" wrote in message
om...
"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
...

A good friend of mine has sold his Cherokee and is getting "training"
in
a
Bo almost as I speak. He intends to buy into a partnership with his
buddy
who is the current owner and "acting CFI."

Your friend is giving up a Cherokee in order to buy in to a
partnership with an unlicensed, bipolar partner? Does he realize the
kind of liability he's setting himself up for? There's no way the Bo
owner can get insurance to fly that plane. I think they're both nuts.

No, John, I don't think he has any idea. The bipolar guy is a dear friend
to him. They both have more money than sense.

One is certifiably nuts. The other simply does not appreciate the
magnitude
of what he is getting into.

I rest comfortably knowing that both have very goof life insurance
policies
so that their wives will be taken care of.

--
Jim Fisher

Tom,
I agree and disagree with AOPA ePilot.

Compared Cirrus SR 20/22 with Lancair 300/400 series, which appear to be
similar aircraft in design, manufacture, performance, and equipment.
Neither can be compared to Cessna/Piper/Beech in design or concept.

Even though the Lancair 300 has been flying longer than the Cirrus SR,
Lancair 300/400 has only two (2) NTSB accident/incident reports with one
(1) fatal, compared to Cirrus SR 20/22 having eighteen (18) reports with
eight (8) fatal. This seems significant to me.

I will add that of the nine (9) fatal accident reports, NTSB determined
pilot error with regard to weather, loss of situational awareness, or
improper technique as the cause, except for one accident. NTSB
determined that the cause was attributed to a design flaw by Cirrus.
This seems significant to me.

Mike $$$ (PA28)

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
Mike,

The fatality rate for the SR-20/22 is high.


AOPA ePilot of today disagrees.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Did they back up the claim with any supporting data?

"Bill Denton" wrote in message
Sorry to wander off-topic; let me get back to the original observation.
The
person described as "nuts" may well be so. But it's probably not a result
of
his bipolar disorder. The two are very rarely connected...

You're right, Bill. Sorry for the insensitivity.

Actually, the bipolar guy is pretty cool to hang with. Nice guy and all
that. Very intelligent as well.

But he's nuts for piloting an aircraft. The field landing was not his only
incident. He needs to not be anywhere near a plane.

He should damn well know better - just as you do.

--
Jim Fisher

"Bill Denton" wrote:
I think it's safe to assume that most of you have figured out
that I suffer from bipolar disorder.

Thanks for sharing, Bill. My father and uncle were both hospitalized
several times for b. d. before lithium appeared, so I know the toll it
can take on families. Best of luck to you: hope you get that medical
some day.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Mike,

Even though the Lancair 300 has been flying longer than the Cirrus SR,
Lancair 300/400 has only two (2) NTSB accident/incident reports with one
(1) fatal, compared to Cirrus SR 20/22 having eighteen (18) reports with
eight (8) fatal. This seems significant to me.


How do you arrive at that conclusion? What does "has been flying longer"
mean? The Cirruses have flown way more hours than the Lancair fleet. There
are virtually no Lancairs out there in the field. Those numbers are
certainly too low to conclude anything from them.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Read Collin's artilce in the latest FLYING.
He compares the number of aircraft produced since 1997 with the number
of accidents to arrive at his summation.
Just because Lancair is a similar design may not be significant if they
have not produced a comparable number of aircraft.

"Jim Fisher" wrote in message ...
A good friend of mine has sold his Cherokee and is getting "training" in a
Bo almost as I speak. He intends to buy into a partnership with his buddy
who is the current owner and "acting CFI."

Um...how good of a friend is this Jim?

Good enough that you'd pull him back from the edge of a cliff?

Without a current medical certificate, I don't understand how
he can get insurance. Without insurance, seems to me his assets
(and his partner's assets) are "sitting ducks" for the trouble
it sounds like he's headed for.

Not a situation I'd want to see a good friend of mine headed for.

'course, some people "know it all" and wouldn't listen if Moses
showed up in front if them with it all spelt out on a tablet

$0.02
Sydney

"Bill Denton" wrote in message ...

I hope your assessment that: "One is certifiably nuts" is based on more than
just his affliction with bipolar disorder.

Well, I'm not Jim, but I would say it's based on being afflicted
with bipolar disorder yet being unwilling/unable to accept the
limitations imposed by his condition -- then on top of it thinking
he ought to go act as a CFI, without even being qualified to act
as a pilot.

Bipolar is closer in character to a chemical imbalance that to a mental
disease. It is treated with lithium, which corrects the chemical imbalance.
And treatment with lithium is very effective as the side effects are
extremely mild

Just a comment, you're lucky lithium works for you and that's all
you need.

Not true for a bipolar friend of mine

Hope it continues to be true for you.

Best wishes,
Sydney