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Safety statistics



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 28th 03, 06:25 PM
F.L. Whiteley
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"JohnH" wrote in message
et...
Paul Lynch wrote:
Apples and oranges, supported by unsupportable numbers.


"Ephraim" wrote in message
om...

Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim





I would like to know, you know, for the next time someone rolls their
eyes upward when I tell them I'm taking soaring lessons :-)

john
orlando, fl

The only statistics that made any sense at all to me was that there is a
general statistical risk of accidental death of any type and that soaring is
safer than this general risk. Therefore, compared to other activities,
though it may seem higher than some that you participate in, liking driving
to
the glider field, it likely does not increase your overall risk much.

That being said, a quick visit to www.ntsb.gov is in order. Go to Aviation,
databases, and filter on gliders for this year.

So, a crash landing in the trees may be safer than trying to land in a
narrow patch
between trees? Crash landing in cold water is preferable to landing on
rocks?
(BTW, a young boy drowned due to hypothermia trying to swim across the same
reservoir the following week). Rock polishing may be very dangerous, as
there were at least two perfectly landable fields 800ft below the impact
point in Morgan City, Utah (I've seen a photo).

These are relative judgement issues and our collective experience set is too
small to say what the right or wrong decision might be in some cases. The
environmental implications cannot be ignored, but are only a factor in
making the decision to fly, press on, etc. We can always take the decision
to err on the side of caution and live to fly another day. Gaining the
wisdom to make that decision is highly individual...... Among the cross
country experienced soaring pilots, there's not a one that hasn't had a
chance to get wiser and older.

A factor I find more disturbing when combing through these records over the
years is that there is a much higher incidence of hardware failure or
compromise than I would have expected and have heard about in passing hangar
talk. This is beyond the rigging and latching errors.

The first large government agency that I worked for had a very strict rule
regarding moving accidents, and that is, that all are preventable. But you
must strive for this sort of perfection. Mentoring, cross-country camps,
task weeks, and lead and follow flying are all excellent ways to improve the
skills and judgement required to experience soaring safely beyond the local
area. In some soaring organizations, it's built into the process through a
tiered, value added process of inculcating members and promoting their
opportunities. In others, it's an add-on process. IMVHO, one is more
effective than the other, but both have their place.

Frank Whiteley






  #2  
Old August 29th 03, 12:53 AM
Ephraim
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Default Safety statistics

Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim
  #3  
Old August 29th 03, 01:10 AM
Paul Lynch
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Apples and oranges, supported by unsupportable numbers.


"Ephraim" wrote in message
om...
Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim



  #4  
Old August 29th 03, 01:17 AM
JohnH
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Paul Lynch wrote:
Apples and oranges, supported by unsupportable numbers.


"Ephraim" wrote in message
om...

Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim





I would like to know, you know, for the next time someone rolls their
eyes upward when I tell them I'm taking soaring lessons :-)

john
orlando, fl

  #5  
Old August 29th 03, 01:38 AM
Vaughn
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"JohnH" wrote in message
et...
Paul Lynch wrote:
Apples and oranges, supported by unsupportable numbers.


I would like to know, you know, for the next time someone rolls their
eyes upward when I tell them I'm taking soaring lessons :-)


Then try to find safety statistics that compare soaring to common
sports, such as baseball, skiing or scuba diving; then you will be talking
about a more "apples to apples" comparison. Even though a glider is a
vehicle of sorts, soaring is more of a sport than a mode of transportation.

Honestly, you are porbably safer sitting in your easy chair in front of
the boob tube than driving in your car, and you are probably safer driving
your car than flying in your glider; all different types of activities,
engaged in for totally different reasons.

Vaughn
Palm Beach, FL



john
orlando, fl



  #6  
Old August 29th 03, 01:49 AM
JohnH
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Paul Lynch wrote:
Apples and oranges, supported by unsupportable numbers.



I read the Bruno dissertation on safety, made sense but I still have no
idea how soaring rates relative, to say, my motorcycle touring...

I'll keep on reading....


john
orlando fl

  #7  
Old August 29th 03, 05:53 AM
Shawn Curry
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Ephraim wrote:
Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim


Easy question to answer...

No!

  #8  
Old August 29th 03, 09:53 AM
Dave Martin
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Government statistics tell us that;

1. There are more than 40,000,000 vehicles registered
for road use in the UK. If only half are used each
day, many on multiple journeys, say 5 each, that means
over 100million vehicle journeys each day. On average
UK drivers slaughter 10 persons per day.

In the history of Uk gliding we have not done 100million
launches and have certainly killed more than 10 people.

2. More people die in a hospital bed than anywhere
else in the UK.

So if you crash your glider don't go to hospital!!!!!

One of my first instructors would rarely fly in a thermal
with another glider and made the point that every pilot
of every other aircraft airborne was flying blind and
was out to get him.

Eventually he died in a hospital bed, aged 86, which
I suppose proves the point.....whatever it is.





Weeeell, that may depend on who your copilot is in
the bed!

:-)

Ian

'Al' wrote in message
...
Your gonna die no matter what....

is staying in bed until that moment safer..?

Probably....

is it more exciting than soaring

NO...


Al


'Ephraim' wrote in message
om...
Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring
compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim









  #9  
Old August 29th 03, 12:04 PM
Owain Walters
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Statistics are like a lamp-post to a drunk. More for
leaning on than illumination.

Why do you want them?

Owain





At 09:42 29 August 2003, Dave Martin wrote:
Government statistics tell us that;

1. There are more than 40,000,000 vehicles registered
for road use in the UK. If only half are used each
day, many on multiple journeys, say 5 each, that means
over 100million vehicle journeys each day. On average
UK drivers slaughter 10 persons per day.

In the history of Uk gliding we have not done 100million
launches and have certainly killed more than 10 people.

2. More people die in a hospital bed than anywhere
else in the UK.

So if you crash your glider don't go to hospital!!!!!

One of my first instructors would rarely fly in a thermal
with another glider and made the point that every pilot
of every other aircraft airborne was flying blind and
was out to get him.

Eventually he died in a hospital bed, aged 86, which
I suppose proves the point.....whatever it is.





Weeeell, that may depend on who your copilot is in
the bed!

:-)

Ian

'Al' wrote in message
...
Your gonna die no matter what....

is staying in bed until that moment safer..?

Probably....

is it more exciting than soaring

NO...


Al


'Ephraim' wrote in message
om...
Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring
compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim












  #10  
Old August 29th 03, 12:46 PM
D.A.L
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Posts: n/a
Default

Shawn Curry wrote in message link.net...
Ephraim wrote:
Can anyone tell me how safety statistics for soaring compares with
statistics for driving automobiles?

Thanks in advance,

--Ephraim


Easy question to answer...

No!


What I tell people is that 'gliding is safe, untill you forget
how dangerous it really is'. I forget who told me that but it made
perfect sense to me !
 




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