SAFA Skysailor Magazine

40 SKY SAILOR June-July-August | WINTER 2026 times. Six were incidents or near-misses without injury, but the other three involved real pain. The last one was in Spain and thank the stars I was insured to the hilt for the trip. The disruption for my wife has not been trivial and it’s no wonder she’s dark on my continued aviation activities. She hasn’t issued the order to stop, yet. Serious accidents occur throughout all our pilot qualification levels. Some of our most seasoned, experienced and qualified pilots have suffered serious injury and death. Some of these have been overseas with the difficulties of repatriation thrown into the mix. Nobody is immune. The pull we all feel to get in the air can influence our decision-making more than a proper appreciation of the risks. The point is, you don’t know when it will be you, so be prepared. You’re not indestructible and you’re not immortal. If you haven’t realised that, please, stop now, go somewhere and have a long hard think about it and discuss your choices with those close to you. Every time you make that final decision to launch, or apply take-off thrust, you must have front and centre of your mind what is required to achieve the task and balance it against the worst possible out- comes. As you progress through the flight, keep that decision process in mind so that you make it to a safe landing. There is only so much that we, SAFA, can do to keep you safe. We have our training syllabi and instructors to ensure you get the best possible start in our aviation activities. We run AIRS as a learning tool so that we can all learn from others’ mistakes. Our clubs and their volunteers are there to manage the sites and provide Are you prepared?