Extreme Sport

You Should Try Whitewater Rafting

Get in some IV class rapids... And see if you can stay in the raft

What Extreme Sport Should You Try?

A life saving attitude

Peculiar as this topic may be, some may find it interesting. A friend asked in an email whether I or other pilots ever ponder death by crashing an aircraft. Maybe I can speak for most pilots. I think it's a remote possibility, but it's not something we normally think about. Still, I hope I won't have to experience those few seconds some day and if I do a lot will flash through my mind before the moment. It sounds odd talking about that, but personally I'm very safe and methodical and do everything to minimize the possibility. A very experienced pilot acquaintance of mine has a one-of-a-kind attitude... I don't necessarily subscribe to his method, but it could help him. He says that you stay cool in an emergency and can perform better if you are not scared. So he's programmed himself to enjoy emergencies or life threatening situations. He said you might as well enjoy dying than die scared anyway. This attitude has helped him get through a few incidents already. He had a multiengine aircraft with the gear stuck in the up position just a year ago. Fortunately there were no passengers on the flight because he was joking with the controllers and news crew while they were all concerned about him. After he landed it on a taxiway and calmly got out he was annoyed that the fire crew drenched him and the airplane with foam when they didn't have too. They asked him if he was alright and he just said.... are YOU alright? They were shaking more than him. Anyway, for what it's worth. Aviation has inherant dangers, it is adventurous and surprisingly safe. I've had a couple close shaves, but I do everything possible to minimize the danger. This guy's attitude is quite his own.