iscover
Is a single engine aircraft actually safer than a twin? Data in this article suggest that this is apparently so, particularly when the evidence available points to an engine-out twin being far more likely to actually crash as a result of it's losing one engine. Pictured is a single engine Cessna Stationair of Kakadu Air. (Natalie Thorn)
Are Singles Safer than Twins?
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Are Singles Safer Than Twins? Singles, twins and helicopters -A study into safety and survivability
The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there was any current statistical justification for government ministers, aerial ambulance services and certain trade unionists to charter twin engined aircraft rather than single engined aircraft on the sole premise that “two engines are safer than one”.
The results are quite self-evident in that single engined aircraft, in charter operations (including or excluding aerial ambulance), have a much better safety record than do twin engined aircraft which, only when the first six months of 1991 (disastrous for helicopter statistics) are included,finally achieve a better safety record than helicopters.
Aerial agriculture and mustering have not been considered in any category due to the obvious risks in these operations (well evidenced by their accident records) as have private flying operations which mostly involve pilots lacking the thorough training required of commercial pilots and aircraft which more often than not are neither equipped, maintained nor of as recent manufacture as charter category aircraft.
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