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What Plane Do You Feel The Safest In ?

Widebody

Widebody

Registered User
ND/AZ
Weather is marginal at best, possible low ceilings enroute, maybe some snow, let's just say it could turn IFR.
I have a choice of a 250/Comanche or a 180/Cub.
I am Instrument Rated and the Comanche is IFR Cert.
But without a doubt, I will always choose my Cub. It is the one airplane I always feel safe in, because it gives me a multitude of options. In your choice of airplanes that you fly which one do YOU choose ?
 
Widebody,

I share the same opinion with you, with only slightly different choices. Between my Super Cub and my C-180, I would take the conditions you suggest in the Cub everytime, because it can be slowed up to 50-55 in cruise, and worked into 10 times the places on a moments notice. Yes, I will grant that with a quicker aircraft on a long cross country, I can get there quicker, maybe with less weather exposure on the route. But in the current moment with the conditions you suggest, I'll take the Cub.

Of course, given a King Air in fine mechanical condition (hypothetically, of course), I might just climb up through the weather, and thus my opinion might change - in some areas of the country. But actually, I think I'd rather just stay VMC, and just land the Cub if it gets too scuzzy, and do something else until it is again a pretty day to fly.

A 20,000+ hour (all GA) pilot who owned both a Bonanza and a Super Cub, told me once that the Super Cub was the best aircraft ever built. I will add that there is something about the intuitive, practical, tactile interface between the Cub and human pilot.....

Bob Breeden


www.AlaskaAirpark.com
 
Freezing rain and I stay home toasting my tootsies in front of the fire.

Ifr, I go in the Commanche. The cub has no AH or approach gadgets but capability for landing almost anywhere in my part of the country if the ceiling comes down but I would rather be on the gauges than sitting weather out on the ground.
Nasty turbulance and my RV6 feels the most secure.
 
I prefer a helicopter over the Cub, but the Cub over any other fixed wing I have flown.
 
If there's freezing rain involved I ain't flying anything!

Having said that, if I'm going on a trip I'll take the Cessna 180. It offers me the most options and the greatest flexibility.

Joe
 
I said maybe some freezing rain. But yes, I am with everyone else and wouldn't go if there was icing conditions for sure. So I'm editing that out of the original post. Let's say that things could get ugly along your route, whether it was forecasted or not. When the weather comes down what do you feel the safest in.

Taledrger, Jets don't count come up with a different one :D

martin baker naces seat :eek: what the heck is that? long hand for ejection seat. Never heard of it.
 
At Greenwood Lake NY, there used to be a Constellation they turned into a Restaurant (maybe it's still there). I felt reasonably safe in that. :D

Rich
 
Bob Breeden said:
Between my Super Cub and my C-180, I would take the conditions you suggest in the Cub everytime, because it can be slowed up to 50-55 in cruise, and worked into 10 times the places on a moments notice. Yes, I will grant that with a quicker aircraft on a long cross country, I can get there quicker, maybe with less weather exposure on the route. But in the current moment with the conditions you suggest, I'll take the Cub.

Of course, given a King Air in fine mechanical condition (hypothetically, of course), I might just climb up through the weather, and thus my opinion might change - in some areas of the country. But actually, I think I'd rather just stay VMC, and just land the Cub if it gets too scuzzy, and do something else until it is again a pretty day to fly.

A 20,000+ hour (all GA) pilot who owned both a Bonanza and a Super Cub, told me once that the Super Cub was the best aircraft ever built. I will add that there is something about the intuitive, practical, tactile interface between the Cub and human pilot.....

Bob Breeden
Click to expand...

This is what I was looking for guys/gals. Don't anyone like discussing airplanes & flying and which ones make you feel safe. Or is everyone flying around scared to death all the time :D
Hasn't anyone got in a jam where they wished they were in something different or glad they were flying what they had at the time?
Let's here some experiences. Talk a little flying :up
 
WB,
I think your lack of response can mainly be credited to the fact that a majority of the members only fly one kind of airplane, their Cub, When the weather is crappy they either leave it parked or go scud run. And the scud running stories are better saved for campfires and adult beverages say at N' olsein.

Also I said Boeing because it's the "only" airplane I fly in bad weather....anymore.

BTW I'm originally from the Langdon, ND area. Flew ag, etc out of there for a few years before I got a coat and tie flyin job. Still have the farm up there.
 
Widebody,

When I learned to fly I did so because I was afraid of it and it bugged me that I was afraid of it. So my first 100 hours (which included my first accident) I was pretty much sweating bullets. I was uncomfortable, just waiting for something bad to happen. I later realized just how dangerous a feeling that is, and that more knowledge,training and experience is the only thing that is going to get me over it.

For a long time, after running out of gas in a Cherokee and landing in a field in Iowa as a 100 hour pilot, I hated Cherokees. They scared me, I felt unsafe and I knew the darn engine would quit (this later proved to be not such an ill placed fear, but that is another story). It's hard sometimes to remind yourself that YOU are the thing that caused the last accident, not the type of plane you are in.

Now I am very comfortable in any plane I fly. If I am not, I either don't fly it anymore or I get instruction or information to make me more comfortable. I gave up instructing (and flying for that matter) light twins because I just don't stay current enough in them and they give me that uncomfortable feeling.

To be clear (at least for me) there is a BIG difference between comfort and over confidence. Most people that meet me think I am a confident person and I approach things with a can-do attitude. However, I never forget the words of the guy who checked me out in taildraggers "He who runs away lives to fly another day".

sj
 
To be serious for a moment, I think each mission has it's own answer. Until I did the sport pilot thing, I always had 2 airplanes. One to travel in and one to play with. On certain trips, I would file IFR in my Comanche and get there when no VFR airplane could, legally. But sometimes I would go VFR in the comanche, because I wanted to be able to dodge T-storms and such without asking permission. And sometimes I'd fly the J3, just because I wanted to.

The bottom line is, I always felt safe once I was in the air, because I made my decision based on the factors that day. And, yes, there were many cancelled trips because there was no airplane I was going to feel safe in that day.

Rich
 
What ever your in, fight the instinct to speed up but instead slow down. I'm been in some pretty nasty stuff with my 12 and the first thing I do is slow down to about 55. Obviously it allows greater see and avoid time before towers or any obsticles for that fact. Nasty is defined as 300 broken,light to medium rain and 600 overcast and level 3 and 4's three directions -2 years ago transitioning Chicago Heights opening day at New Holstein. The worst of it was behind me. I've since raised my flight minimums as all smart pilots should. But slowing down helps whether in your Z06 or cub.
 
Now we got something going.

Steve, That is one hell of an accomplishment to overcome a fear like that,
I'm sure it makes you just a little bit better CFI than most too, being able to understand ones fear. Not many ever shake that one.

Fortysix12, Good post, someone here will learn from that.

Rich, I've done the same things you describe. What gets me is the trips when the wx brief was more than a little off. Some I had to turn back, others I was able to get underneath. Don't much care for bad weather and shooting low minimum approaches. I'd rather have my Cub then.

Taledrger, Mickey Jordan was my High School BB Coach, led us to a State Class B Tournament in 1981. When you get home sometime give me a call.

I'll ad to Steve's in saying a Good pilot is a Confident pilot with maybe a touch of Cockiness(can do attitude) it adds an edge. Which most professionals have.
The Best ones can also evaluate the days conditions and say nope, gonna drive today.
 
loaded ice on 206, 180, cub on wheel skis, champ on wheel skis-(90 hp :oops: ), pa-12 on wheels and even had a bit built on the old stinson v-77 once.

I DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN ANY OF THEM UNTIL I WAS ON THE GROUND!

The cub had enough ice that I used the axe handle to break it off in sheets from the frontal areas of everything. I hit freezing drizzle in most cases listed above, the cub was in it for just long enough to turn and get back, less than a miniute. I felt fortunate to get it on the ground in one piece.

Without Ice I have been in uglys with cubs up to 206, lots of ugly weather in the 180 and cub on floats. To tell the truth, I feel safe when ever the plane can make a safe 180 turn and go back :crazyeyes:

Otherwise, if I feel safe in ugly weather, I need my head examined.
 
My cub, for sure. I can plunk it down just about anywhere and walk away from it....well, maybe crawl....except for that deep, dark fear we all have of a midair, where we wouldn't have control of the descent....I like to take my sweet time during the preflight, then go into the 'zone' and check the 'Force' for a 'disturbance' before I climb into the saddle. Hate to have someone 'help' me get going....last time that happened I checked my dipstick at the destination and found it unsecured! (by me!)
 
Interesting timing that I opened this post today.

Today 30 miles from home I ran into unforcast lousy weather . Wet snow, low ceilings and poor visibility.

I was in a C-185 with a full IFR package and 2 GPS's. I was wishing I was in my VFR only cub.
 
Safe in Bad Weather, Quote...

Marc Krier's Uncle Harold has been quoted "When you Absolutely, Positively have to be there,,, Drive"... Marc and His Dad, Larry, both told me that little saying...
Champdriver
 
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