Avemco Blog

As Safe As You Make It

Jonathan "JJ" Greenway, President

May 2012
I'll be honest with you. I'm scared of motorcycles. Not an irrational phobia, it's the thought of getting on one and cruising at highway speeds with other vehicles in close proximity just doesn't seem like a safe thing to do. I was on one just once in my life that I can remember. I was about six years old when a teenage cousin put me on the back of his green Kawasaki with the intention of giving me a ride to remember.

I remember!

Now in my fifties, I really have no reason to be on a motorcycle so, in spite of being generally interested in all things motorized, motorcycles and I leave each other alone.

My concerns might seem like an odd reaction from a guy who goes out and performs aerobatics in a two-seat fabric and tube airplane several days each week but that's just the way it is.

Actually, if I'm real honest with you, I'd have to say that I do have a tiny bit of interest in riding motorcycles. One of my favorite books is Robert Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I'm pretty sure that, if properly indoctrinated, I could overcome my fear and become a biker. (I could probably grow a ponytail too, I'm not sure though!) But if I did get into biking, I have a long list of things I'd do to make it as safe as possible. I would get competent instruction, I wouldn't ride at night, I wouldn't ride in the rain, I would always wear full protective gear, and I wouldn't drink and ride. You get the idea. You veteran bikers could probably fill me in on everything else I needed to do to stay alive. I'll consult you prior to jumping in though, I promise. (Note to Mrs. Greenway, I'll make sure the life insurance is paid up and I'll let you know before I do it!)

I try to keep an open mind about motorcycles because I realize there are many people who feel the same about general aviation as I do about motorcycles. Since I know a heck of a lot more about small planes than I do about motorcycles, I feel qualified to weigh in here. There is plenty that we can do to minimize risk in our general aviation flight operations. Probably most of us employ many of these practices every time we fly. If it's too windy, we might postpone, delay or cancel a flight, if the ceiling or visibility is too low, we might make alternate plans, if there is a forecast for icing and we're flying a plane that isn't equipped for flight in icing conditions, we scrub the flight.

I have a friend who as a low time, private pilot bought a rather high performance twin-engine turboprop for use in his business travel. Following the completion of his insurance company's requirement of 50 hours dual instruction with a CFI I was pleased to see that he was very careful about risk taking in his flight operations. Although instrument rated, he made his weather minimums "one thousand and three" for IFR flight and he didn't do approaches at night after a long day spent working. He was self-disciplined enough to recognize what could get him in trouble.

The term "risk management" gets thrown around aviation safety circles a lot. Maybe too much since, with as much discussion as the topic gets, GA doesn't seem to be getting any safer.

You'd probably be surprised at where the majority of our claim dollars go. And in far too many cases, the probable cause could likely have been preventable. You'd be amazed at how many claim dollars are spent on "hangar rash," improper ground handling, carelessness during startup/taxi and generally sloppy airmanship. Many of these incidents aren't reportable, either to the FAA or the NTSB so we're the only ones who hear about them. All of these types of claims indicate a higher probability that something "big" is going to happen and every claim contributes to the ever-increasing cost of flying.

Our flying can be as safe as we make it. If you think that limiting yourself to day/VFR within a twenty-five mile radius of home base, I applaud that! Over 90% of my personal flying these days fits that description. The NTSB accident database is full of accidents in which pilots got in over their heads one way or another.

Stop for a minute and make an honest assessment of your flying. It is as safe as you choose to make it. Do you need to make any changes?

Meanwhile, I might take my hangar neighbor up on his offer to go for a ride on the back of his motorcycle! (With a helmet, during daylight hours...)