Are women pilots 8 times safer than men?

[A Squared]

One of the columnists on AVweb has repeatedly made this claim, that women pilots are statistically 8 times less likely to have an accident as men.

Here's a sample:
http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/182683-1.html
The claim is down toward the end in the paragraph entitiled Men VS. Women.

I've been reading Avweb for quite a few years and this claim is repeated frequently by Mr Durden. Most recently, he brought in up a forum discussion regarding one of his columns on an unrelated subject. http://www.avweb.com/common/msg/dsplymsg.cgi?base=/export2/webroot/avweb/data&msg=msg&msgid=57923

(Nonmembers may have to join AVweb to view this thread)

When questioned, he claims "many" studies have shown that men are eight times more likely than women to have an aircraft accident, but is unable (or unwilling) to be more specific.

So, has anyone else heard this? Anyone know of any studies which show this? Any which disprove it? Well kept secret or femi-nazi lie?

 

[English]

No, they are only 7 times safer.



-that was sarcasm in case you didn't recognize it-

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

Women fly?

 

[Ryanb5005]

Please move this to the humor thread where it belongs.

Thanks

 

[vetteracer]

Well if he is generalizing the pilot group and looking at accidents overall compared to gender, then women are probably more safer, as there are probably 100 male pilots to every 1 female pilot. So the odds of an accident involving a male are probably 100 times more likely, Since there are many more male pilots to female pilots.

I have worked with probably 100 different pilots and only 2 were females. 1 of the females had an "incident" and probably 5 males had an "incident". So in my corner of the world the statistics would be 50% for women and 5% for males.

Mark

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

deleted

 

[minitour]

I don't get it

 

[A Squared]

Well if he is generalizing the pilot group and looking at accidents overall compared to gender, then women are probably more safer, as there are probably 100 male pilots to every 1 female pilot. So the odds of an accident involving a male are probably 100 times more likely, Since there are many more male pilots to female pilots.

Yeah, that is something that pops into mind, but he has clarified that he means 8 times safer when adjusted for ratio of women pilots and hours flown. In other words; statisticly any given woman pilot is 8 times less likely to have an accident than any given male pilot.

Not to suggest that women are *less* safe, but 8 times *more* safe seems a bit unlikely to me

 

[English]

Not to suggest that women are *less* safe, but 8 times *more* safe seems a bit unlikely to me

I think anyone can skew statistics to prove any point they want. I just spent a few minutes trying to find statistics on this, and I can't find anything legitimate.

I'm with you, A squared, on the bs alert...

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

How can a plane be flown safely with a 3-inch crack in the seat?

classic
but I gotta admit, controllers always soften up when a chick checks in and frankly, a hot sounding sector momma always makes my morning