We all take huge risks driving to work. Take a drive around Miami any day at
any time and  you will see what I mean. I would much rather be flying it is
much safer. Like most things we enjoy, there is always a risk. I scuba dive,
I take boats hundreds of miles offshore, fly as much as I can and
unfortunately I have to drive with thousands of people that cant use a phone
and drive. I am quite sure if you cant look at a phone for a second and not
run off the road, I will never fly IFR with you. VFR either for that matter.
Every time I land I have to brief my passengers, lower flaps, drop my gear
and talk on the radio in addition to just flying the plane. And thats VFR.
Pilot workload goes up exponentially with even marginal IFR conditions.

Our experimental planes are no different- we build them and fly them. If we
did it right we fly again tomorrow. If not, we don't. These race planes are
designed, built and maintained to much higher standards than our
experimental planes, and even our certified planes. And yet they break. As
will every mechanical item on the planet at some point. In case you dont
know, we have a satellite that is scheduled to "come home" at the end of
this week. It has a 1 in 3700 chance of hitting someone and they are not
even sure of where yet. Does that mean that we wont send any more up? I
doubt it.

Acceptable risk. Its up to the individual in most cases. In the case of the
satellite, its up to the Government deciding for us.

Have any one of you guys and girls ever attended an air show or air race and
not had the thought "what if he loses it, I am front row center"?
Come on now, be honest. Every time I am at the 1000 foot line, I think how
fast I go 1000 feet at my 160  knot cruise. I know how fast 5000 feet of
runway goes away when my wheels fold up. Get off the ground, wheels up,
flaps up, and I am already past the end of the runway climbing at 2000 fpm
at 150 kts. IF the engine doesn't quit. I lost my last engine over the
Florida Everglades and down there there is nowhere to land. I made the
airport, and as soon as its fixed I will go up again.

If you cant accept the risk, watch it on TV, and never get in a car!

Captain Kevin Alderman
M/V Sol Sal Mar
Private Pilot N4839V


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