At a recent social gathering of non-pilots—yes, I still have something of a life—an inevitable question popped up: “What do you do for a living?” After explaining that I edit this magazine, am a pilot and aircraft owner, etc., another inevitable question popped up: “Are small airplanes safe?” The questioner was a professional who had flown on airliners, even a few turboprops, but never a personal airplane. I suppose the questioner was expecting a yes or no answer. They didn’t get one, however, because safety is a relative thing and I was on my second glass of wine.
My answer went something like this: “If you took out of the accident statistics Alaska Bush flying, aerial application, training, aerobatics and stupid pilot tricks, and concentrated on well-maintained airplanes flown in the en route environment in decent weather by a qualified pilot, absolutely they’re safe.” My answer probably didn’t convince anyone in the room, but it was based on my flying experience and what I’ve seen when editing this magazine.
