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Is flying a SEP as easy as driving a car if you do it often enough?

Peter wrote:

I agree flying is easier than driving in that you can just sit there for hours, perhaps on autopilot, which you can’t do with a car and probably never will be able to do because there is no prospect of technology for self driving cars which will do all the fancy parking etc stuff.

I suggest an “FSD beta” search YouTube.

LPFR, Poland

Malibuflyer wrote:

And I would not think that landing a plane is really more difficult/complex than parking a car in a small slot. It’s actually easier.

Except that a mistake while parking a car in a small space will only result with bent metal (ok plastic nowadays), whereas a mistake on landing an airplane might very well have more dreadful outcome… Unless you meant trying to park a car while doing 80km/h :-).

ENVA, Norway

WingsWaterAndWheels wrote:

Except that a mistake while parking a car in a small space will only result with bent metal (ok plastic nowadays), whereas a mistake on landing an airplane might very well have more dreadful outcome… Unless you meant trying to park a car while doing 80km/h :-).

That’s exactly what I wrote: It’s easier to fly a plane but the consequences of individual mistakes are much more severe…

Germany

MedEwok wrote:

I bet that almost none of the participants of this forum spends more time behind a yoke/stick than a steering wheel.

You lost the bet. Last few years I drive only 10.000 km per year which translates to some 150 hours (or less) behind the wheel while I fly regularly more than 150 hours yearly. Of course, except this year but this year I drove less than 5.000 km, so it could be less than 70 hours I flew this year.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

@Malibuflyer wrote:- It’s easier to fly a plane but the consequences of individual mistakes are much more severe…
You forgot to factor in road rage when you calculated the consequences of hitting a parked car.:)

France

Emir wrote:

You lost the bet. Last few years I drive only 10.000 km per year which translates to some 150 hours (or less) behind the wheel

What’s the average speed in Croatia? 70kph? I spent hours doing traffic meditation in M25: looking at plates numbers like “BO55 CAR” in front of me

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

there are great many really bad car drivers too – perhaps 25-50% (ask any cyclist)

Peter, there are great many really bad cyclists – perhaps 50-100% (ask any driver). :)
While driving in Herts I’m usually surprised when a cyclist is polite and courteous. Typically, they are in the middle of the road (“they are” – regularly two cyclists ride together side by side) and very slow… And on the main road, even when there is a cycling path next to it.

EGTR

On occasion I’ve wondered whether cyclists weaving along on winding roads have any idea how quickly and decisively a motorcyclist has to react to miss them when they appear from behind a blind embankment, ‘on line’ a few meters ahead. Statistics prove its not hugely dangerous in practice, but it’s not something that would attract me.

Driving or riding a motorcycle on such a road is a very different job than flying. Much more dependent on split second actions and ingrained reactions. Landing a plane is similar (and equally fun), but most of flying depends more on forethought in preparation for acting out a deliberate process, allowing one to stay ahead of a complex mental multitasking challenge.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 16 Nov 16:27

Yes; a lot of cyclists are selfish (it’s a cultural thing; the cycling press tells readers they own the road, which of course they do) and so are a lot of horse-riders (it’s cultural, too; the riding press tells readers they own the road, which of course they do) and so are a lot of dog owners (it’s cultural, too; if like many owners “you” haven’t bothered to train your dog to behave and it jumps up on everybody and ruins their €500 goretex jacket, and you leave dog poo everywhere, or better still poo bags hanging on fence posts, etc, then you will eventually become disregarding of complaints) and living in the countryside, and doing a 1hr ride every day (tarmac+offroad) I am very familiar with these various issues

So we can debate whether flying a plane is as easy as riding a bike or riding a horse … I reckon I would die much sooner on a horse A really good rider would disagree, but there are few of them out there. Most horse riders around here only just manage to stop their horse going crazy when it sees a plastic bag flapping around in the wind.

It’s different skills for different activities.

Actually there are many parallels between aircraft ownership and horse ownership (which I was very familiar with via my ex, many years ago), in terms of the hassles, and how many participants struggle to hang in there, but that’s another topic.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I don’t think cyclists are particularly selfish, they’re just doing their thing on the public road, mixing it up with other traffic, and taking their own risks in doing so. That’s fine, we all choose our own risks and enjoy the associated benefits.

I’m in awe of the say 60-70 year old cyclists seen on alpine roads… not their skill but their fitness. They’re Incredible.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 16 Nov 17:23
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