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.
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It is interesting to me how many people think of doing things like flying and think of danger and dying. Yet they will get into their car every day and speed down the road without a second thought. Most pilots that I know are very methodical and safe and before every flight they have a long list of things that they check. Everything in the air is done by a check list and close calls come but for the amount of flights everyday the amounts are very small. How many people actually take the time to look over their cars before they drive? How many would know what to do in the event of an emergency and how many have emergency supplies with them at all times in their autos? I was pondering these questins on Friday as I found myself sitting in traffic because of two different car accidents.
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