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From: padraig@utastro.UUCP (Padraig Houlahan)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: safety statistics
Message-ID: <48@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Apr-85 21:14:06 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.48
Posted: Fri Apr  5 21:14:06 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Apr-85 00:24:59 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
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How safe is flying? I am not a pilot but am considering becoming one
in about a year or so, and am curious about the degree of risk involved.
I obtained the statistic that fatal accidents occur in small a/c at
a rate of about 1 - 5 for every 100,000 hours. To put this in perspective
I have read in a newspaper that the average motorist, in a lifetimes
driving (50,000 hours) runs a 1% chance of being killed. On this basis
flying is considerably safer since the average pilot flies for a shorter
total amount of time. Is this conclusion reasonable? Am I overlooking
anything?

Padraig Houlahan.