My dad was a Vietnam veteran and wasn't a guy to get scared about much. The only time I really saw him get really visibly nervous was right after I got married, a buddy of mine offered to take my wife and I for a flight around Virginia. We were visiting dad in D.C., and when I told him what our plan for the day was while he was at work, I instantly saw the concern in his face. All he said was, "Call me the minute you land."

ThunderCougarFalconBird said:

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BBRex said:

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Jugstore Cowboy said:

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W said:

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sad story

between this crash and the one in North Carolina last month...

if your rich friend invites you to take a ride on his or her small private airplane...um, er,

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I've grown pretty averse to small craft travel.

Lost a buddy in a solo flight while still in our 20's, and have known others that survived crashes or emergency landings. I understand statistical aberrations, but it would probably have to be a real necessity for me to get into something smaller than a commercial shuttle.

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My dad was an Army aviator for 20+ years then flew for DOE for another decade or so. He was always nervous about private pilots. His concerns were pilots who didn't fly enough to really be proficient, having to answer to impatient clients, and whether privately owned aircraft were completely maintained. It's an unforgiving occupation when things go wrong.

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I have a friend that litigates airplane crash cases as part of his job. With respect to maintenance, after everything he's seen, he refuses to get on an airplane unless it's operated by someone approved by the FAA/JAA or a company whose insurance requires them to maintain their aircraft to OEM specs. Apparently there's a LOT of "deferred maintenance" out there.

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I've never understood this thought process. It's like saying you won't date a supermodel because of the downside.

There isn't a thing you can say about private planes that isn't exponentially worse every day on the roads and invalidates the argument unless you walk everywhere. The only real difference is there's a lot more requirements, training, and barrier to entry in private aviation. Not to mention the vast majority of the time you are actually in control and not worried about a drunk driving the wrong way or Jennifer on her phone.

I'm such a Lolpoor that it didn't occur to me that he'd have his own pilots.

Mas89 said:

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W said:

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sad story

between this crash and the one in North Carolina last month...

if your rich friend invites you to take a ride on his or her small private airplane...um, er,

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Yeah I would have expected at least a Gulfstream 5 for a firm like that. Have to wonder if they had a better jet in the hanger broke down perhaps.
Sad event regardless of the politics mentioned. Prayers to the families.

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Challenger 600 is a VERY nice ride.
Former employer briefly operated a 300. The KingAir 200s comfortablely accommodated 6 pax. The Challenger 300, was furnished differently with a 3 seat sofa and seated 9 in a cabin tall enough to stand straight. As I recall the 600 is a stretched 300. Both are very capable of trans Atlantic travel.