Quote:
Originally Posted by matthew-s
Tim - what is your definition of "flat terrain"? Open fields of Nebraska? Anything other than mountainous? I've seen you say this before, and I keep going back to it when I think about getting my license.
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I live in NW Ohio in an area that is predominately farm country. If an engine quits in a single engine airplane around here during daylight hours and in clear weather, there is always some place available to do an off airport landing. Even if it is a field with crops growing in it, at least I know I will likely walk away fom the forced landing.
All bets are off when flying in areas like northern Michigan that is covered with forests or in places like Kentucky/Tenessee that are mountainous. Small light aircraft have touch down speeds of 30-60 mph.
Touching down in a rough field means possible flip over at maybe 30 mph prior to grinding to a halt, but is very survivable. Attempting the same into trees or a mountain side is not as fun to think about.
I have of course flown over wooded terrain and mountains but I always do it with as much altitude as possible while keeping a lookout for roads/clearings to attempt a glide to in case the single engine goes tits up. That is fine for the occasional cross country trip, but I do not think I would enjoy aviation nearly as much if I lived in terrain that meant every $100 hamburger or pancake breakfast flight meant exposing myself to periods of time that an engine failure might mean death or severe injury.
A helicopter that can more or less autogyrate down to a vertical landing in the event of engine failure alleviates "some" of the the risk over cluttered terrain, but over flat open country like where I live, I feel completely safe (even safer than driving 40 miles each way to work every day) flying my little fixed wing aircraft around with no worries of catastrophic failure turning me into a lawn dart.
So I guess I am saying that fixed wing light aircraft over open terrain are safer IMO than rotorcraft, but rotorcraft have the edge when operating over hazardous terrain. I would not hesitate to fly in a certified helicopter with someone with Seahawk's experience at the controls, but I simply do not trust the mechanicals of small kit built rotorcraft.