Page 34 - Nov22T

FThe High Cost of Insurance
atal accidents in twin and turbine aircraft are tragic and costly. And although
infrequent, they grab our atten-
tion on the nightly news. But far
more frequent and financially
significant are non-fatal inci-
dents. My unofficial analysis
indicates that multiple times
each month, a twin or turbine
aircraft is substantially dam-
aged before it even gets into
the air. For the purposes of this
rambling, I have divided the causes into three categories:
Bad Drivers
Probably the biggest piece of the puzzle, bad drivers come in all shapes and sizes.
• The unlit tug operator towing a Citation at Midway airport at night colliding with a pickup truck.
• The startled Chevy Suburban driver impaling the wingtip of a Falcon 50 through his windshield.
• The distracted TBM pilot rear-ending a King Air on a taxiway.
• The driverless Tesla being summoned by its owner, plowing into a Cirrus Vision Jet.
The list could go on for quite a while. As pilots, we don’t seem to be much better on the runway than the freeway. But the financial cost of repairing an aircraft is astronomical. A “dent” in a Citation Mustang wing can exceed $1 million in repair costs, often totaling the aircraft. And while we often get away with distractions while driving our car, a few seconds of inattention
on the taxiway can wreak havoc with our checkbook and insurability.
Stupid Pilot Tricks
We are often in a hurry to get to point B.
• The jet blast from a Global Express powering up on
the ramp seriously injuring a passenger walking
behind the airplane.
• Attempting to take off with the parking brake
partially engaged.
• Leaving the cockpit with both engines running
and finding your jet running loose on the service center ramp.
On Final
by David Miller
• A rushed preflight leaving several loose engine fasteners unnoticed until the cowling departs the aircraft and strikes the tail of the jet during flight.
We need to slow down. Think two steps ahead of the situation. Ask ourselves, “What could go wrong?” As you watch entertaining pilot videos on the internet, think about how you could make your next flight safer.
Weather and Birds
The least controllable aspect of flying as both are “where we find them.”
• Freak tornadoes, like the one in Nashville, Tennessee, destroying the entire contents of a single hangar.
• A Pelican colliding with a Premier jet wing, totaling the airplane.
• A record-breaking snowstorm in the northeast collapsing the roof of a hangar full of biz-jets.
Consider delaying your takeoff for a few seconds when the tower reports birds on the runway. Choose the sturdier hangar on the airport if you have a choice. We are all paying for the costs of our behavior. We need to be more aware and help each other out.
Fly safe.
David Miller has owned and flown a variety of air- craft from light twins to midsize jets for more than 50 years. With 6,000 plus hours in his logbook, David is the Director of Programs and Safety Education for the Citation Jet Pilot’s Safety Foundation. You can contact David at davidmiller1@sbcglobal.net.
32 • TWIN & TURBINE / November 2022