When crashes happen...

RalphInCA

RalphInCA

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RalphInCA
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When I read about crashes in the GA fleet, I do feel for the people involved, and I try to learn from the incident.

... But I also often think: "That's one less little airplane out of the fleet, one less that may someday come on the market."

Since most of us buy used airplanes, and since this is not going to end anytime soon, it's a shame when we lose one.

Anyone else think this too?

Or am I just heartless?

:dunno:
 
RalphInCA said:
When I read about crashes in the GA fleet, I do feel for the people involved, and I try to learn from the incident.

... But I also often think: "That's one less little airplane out of the fleet, one less that may someday come on the market."

Since most of us buy used airplanes, and since this is not going to end anytime soon, it's a shame when we lose one.

Anyone else think this too?

Or am I just heartless?

:dunno:
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I feel the same..... BUT...

Experimentals are born every day....:yes::yes::yes:..

They are the future of GA.....;)
 
Farthest thing from my mind.

Planes are just stuff.

Maybe if a rare or exotic plane is lost in the process, I may separately bemoan that loss. But it pales in comparison to the loss of life.

On second thought, there is no comparison.
 
Total fleet numbers are going down but I'd guess most loss is due to neglect, derelict, not financially viable cycle. Pilot numbers ain't going up either, heck you could say the same about the lost pilots as the lost plane. Of course most pilots are lost to self neglect same as their planes. No worries. Humans are awesome there will always be something to fly it just won't look like 1960's Cessna advertising.
 
None of our aircraft were ever designed for the sort of endless duty to which they are subjected. We're all flying antiques as it is.
 
steingar said:
None of our aircraft were ever designed for the sort of endless duty to which they are subjected. We're all flying antiques as it is.
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Sure they were. Hence all the inspection ports.

There are still DC-3s in commercial service in some parts of the world. The only reason they aren't here is they are too small and too slow and too unpressurized for modern travelers.

I'm much more concerned about the huge number of derelicts taking up hangars and tiedowns.
 
I'd guess we are losing more to dereliction and scrap yards. At my old square, there probably 6 planes that have years of bird poo and dirt on them so thick the Windows are opaque.

I look at them and think I should call the owner and give them scrap value and then fix it up...but most of the N numbers are so old, they have been reissued. Sad state of affairs.
 
I'd be more worried about all of the aircraft withering away,due to no use. The bone yards are growing bigger every year. Most people who can afford an airplane,don't want to restore derelicts.
 
FastEddieB said:
Farthest thing from my mind.

Planes are just stuff.

Maybe if a rare or exotic plane is lost in the process, I may separately bemoan that loss. But it pales in comparison to the loss of life.

On second thought, there is no comparison.
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Very well said, pretty much my thoughts as well.
 
MAKG1 said:
Sure they were. Hence all the inspection ports.



There are still DC-3s in commercial service in some parts of the world. The only reason they aren't here is they are too small and too slow and too unpressurized for modern travelers.
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Heck, there are still plenty of Travel Airs built in the late 20's earning their keep today.
 
RalphInCA said:
When I read about crashes in the GA fleet, I do feel for the people involved, and I try to learn from the incident.

... But I also often think: "That's one less little airplane out of the fleet, one less that may someday come on the market."

Since most of us buy used airplanes, and since this is not going to end anytime soon, it's a shame when we lose one.

Anyone else think this too?

Or am I just heartless?

:dunno:
Click to expand...

My understanding is that there is ,also, a net loss of pilots by, accidents but also by attrition.

Cheers
 
FastEddieB said:
Maybe if a rare or exotic plane is lost in the process, I may separately bemoan that loss. But it pales in comparison to the loss of life.
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I would agree with you to a point. When a pilot does something completely stupid and avoidable and balls up something like an F6F trying to scud run, I'm going to mourn the loss of the airplane and not the pilot.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I would agree with you to a point. When a pilot does something completely stupid and avoidable and balls up something like an F6F trying to scud run, I'm going to mourn the loss of the airplane and not the pilot.
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If they are worth more then human lives we shouldn't fly them. I call on the FAA to ground all warbirds in the name of humanity.
 
ralarcon said:
My understanding is that there is ,also, a net loss of pilots by, accidents but also by attrition.

Cheers
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But I think attrition is a much bigger problem in that regard than accidents. Which is a good thing.
 
Aircraft that are rare enough often get rebuilt... the rest, not so much. I doubt the day will come when the number of available aircraft is less than the number of pilots qualified to fly them.
 
RyanShort1 said:
Aircraft that are rare enough often get rebuilt... the rest, not so much. I doubt the day will come when the number of available aircraft is less than the number of pilots qualified to fly them.
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True, but supply and demand will always set prices. The smaller the fleet gets the more the demand on the good airplanes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
What happens when a plane is totaled out by the insurance company and is in a state where it can be fixed properly? I have looked at the AIG bid page and have seen some planes that have been totaled, and need about 40 or 50k to fix up. I assume the original airworthiness cert is null and void. But if it was fixed up would it fall into an experimental? Do insurance companies avoid them?
 
RyanShort1 said:
What's bad for a buyer is good for a seller...
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Since I currently rent, I will have to be a buyer first before I can become a seller.

Unless someone wants to give me an airplane. Anybody feel charitable out there? :D
 
I've been on both sides of the equation.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk
 
RalphInCA said:
Since I currently rent, I will have to be a buyer first before I can become a seller.

Unless someone wants to give me an airplane. Anybody feel charitable out there? :D
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Having been the recipient of free vehicles before (no, not airplanes), be careful what you ask for.
 
While I can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind, I suspect, and I don't have statistics to back it up, we ship more airframes overseas every year than are lost in accidents. The human toll, and the damage to GA's reputation are probably larger concerns.
 
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