Newbies report and High hrs dont.?????

[Tim]

I would be interested to know where these figures came from if possible, please.As an Operations Manager you quickly learn to take a critical interest in any statistics to do with the safe operation of Gyroplanes, whether it be pilot or technically related. These figures were Australian - US figures fared considerably worse, and I do not have any figures for the rest of the world.As far as fatalities are concerned, several years ago the safety record of “high” time pilots was approaching 1 fatality per 100,000 hours flown. This was an exceptional record and could be contributed primarily to mustering pilots and some high hour instructors. I do not have to tell anyone how dismal the figure was for newbies and “low” hour (or predominately social) pilots. More like 500 times that of high hour pilots (or 1 every 200 hours). The figures I quoted above were much more reserved than that because in more recent years there have been accidents involving high hour pilots in 2 seaters, which brought the safety record of high hour pilots down considerably. It could be argued though that a newbie could well have been at the controls and contributed to the accident, in some cases we will never know.The non-fatal accidents and incidents, although ten times the number, followed roughly the same ratio. Of course many others were never reported but I would conclude they would have also followed the same ratio.The trick of course is to get the low hour pilots safely through to high hour status, and only the high hour pilots know how to do that.

[birdy]

and only the high hour pilots know how to do that.Solong as they were taken notice while they were clockn up them hours Tim.

[Brian]

and only the high hour pilots know how to do that.Solong as they were taken notice while they were clockn up them hours Tim. Anyone Rosco taught would never forget his elbow. ;D

[birdy]

I was refern to "self learned" things Brian. [ experiance]Its amazn how many pilots, no matter wot they are flyn, have little or no idea of the whys n wots, they just blindly putt along.

[tonydenton]

i remember a waddles item in the mag nearly 2 yrs ago stating : danger time for new pilots 0 to 20 hrs and 80 to100 hrs . so i am a regulation pilot. crashed at 5 hrs and 98 hrs .it"s an interesting topic. i did want to keep mine quite, mainly ego! most people think i"m stupid for flying them anyway,but i have a few wanting to go for flight again now. i think you should be made to have a flight review at say 5 hrs and again at 80 to see if you have picked any bad habits. yes you would have to pay the instructor/ review.

[Disco]

Tim,In the danger period of 80-100 hours, what are the majority of accidents caused by?

[Brian]

I know that in my case, I flew fairly aggressively for the first 100 /200 hours even though my first gyro was underpowered. The thing that got me about gyros was that they were so precise to fly and such a adrenalin rush and the gyro just seemed to beg to be chucked around at maximum everything.I wonder if other pilots had the same experience.Yes, I knew what you were talking about Birdy, you get to learn what keeps you alive the longer you fly and then the longer you live, the better you learn to keep away from what gets you in trouble, least, I think thats how it went.

[Tim]

In the danger period of 80-100 hours, what are the majority of accidents caused by?

[birdy]

Dean, id like to add to wot Tim said.I think wot catches most low hour blokes out is ignorance of conditions.Once you are confident with your abilities and relaxed and enjoyn the ride, you start to loose the life saveing fear facter, and start to fly in SEEMINGLY rougher and rougher air, with ease.The reason i stated seemingly, is coz its not the rugh gusty unpredictability of air, but the rarer suddeness of sum of the more agressive bumps. You can fly all day in calm or windy conditions and never feel light in the seat.But you can hit the stronger ones in any conditions, usualy wen you least expect it, and youll be light in the seat or off the seat. Now your in unfamiliuar conditions suddenly and fear takes effect instantly, and this is generaly at lower ASs wen taken off or landing, and the result is over correcting or worse, freezing the stick.IOW, it dont take the average jo long to get a handle on flyn gyros.Wot will take a life time to understand is that meadium we cant see, air.