Microlight Plane
Do you feel safe flying some thousand feet above in the sky over a strange terrain or you weigh your well cushioned armchair in at the corner of your bedroom more? (The student is expected to answer this question as an exercise).
How dangerous does it seem actually?
Just have a look at what can happen:
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Your plane may get involved in a mid air crash with another plane.
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The body may breakdown.
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Engine failure.
The entire above are considered one by one as below:
1. You can hit (or be hit by) another aircraft.
This will be fatal in most cases. There was a case of a Cessna light aircraft which bumped into the back of a microlight wing. The microlight helicopter pilot lived to tell the tale while the Cessna light aircraft’s pilot died on the spot. Although it can’t be considered as a sample to draw a conclusion but still says that not all accidents are fatal. But still, your mind will say that the odds of you surviving a mid air collision are astronomical. You might also ponder upon the fact that the sky is big and vast and the pilots go through intensive training before flying one aircraft. Feel a lot safer now, do you?
2. The microlight airplane can fall to bits in some way
There is always a possibility that the planes crack up or develop a minor snag. This will lead to an uncontrolled fall with death a looming possibility. This is the reason why the standards for microlight airplanes maintenance have been set high by the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK. The Microlight Airplanes have to pass through stringent and regular inspections so that they are safe. Pilots are also instructed and taught to inspect the plane before flight. Most of the problems can be eradicated with a thorough visual inspection (like a frayed wire).
The bits which are of critical importance like the ‘hang-bolt’ always have a standby arrangement. Although, the odds of it failing maybe miniscule, there is always a secondary strap holding the Trike and the wing together until the plane lands.
3. The engine can pack up
It’s the worst nightmare of a pilot but still doesn’t mean that you have no option. After all, your plane is as good as a glider so a good pilot will always try to make a emergency landing in a nearby makeshift airstrip. A considerable portion of the pilot’s training is to learn landing with engines off or the ‘glide approach’. So you can bet on the pilot’s skills to land the aircraft safely at a landing site which is in close proximity.