life assurance

[gyronaught]

I fly a gyroplane. I have owned three aircraft and have accumulated reasonable hours. I do fly outside our borders, I do the odd Batteleurs mission and do not instruct. However, I am not able to obtain life assurance without being penalized with a loaded premium due to my aviation activities. My information is that there has never ever been a gyro pilot fatality where the gyro and pilot is fully compliant with the rules and regulations that govern aviation, ie the aircraft and pilot being current with all documentation, inspections etc. I certainly am aware of a few fatalities over the years but, to my knowledge, in all instances, there have been factors that have contributed to these tragic fatalities that rendered the pilots non compliant with current aviation legislation. In such circumstances, the life assurance companies are excluded from any life cover liability due to the non compliance. This suggests minimal risk and no need for loading premiums for Gyro pilots. I am led to believe that actuaries have simply classified gyros into general aviation or helicopters, thereby denying and excluding the specific and relevant statistics and records of relevance to the Gyro classification. Does the forum agree with these comments and are there any suggestions or advice on how one can overcome this dilemma? Furthermore, any information that substantiates the lack of fatalities by totally compliant pilots will be welcomed.
Regards
Mike

[t-bird]

I don’t agree.

Gyro flying is dangerous, 4 fatalities and at the most 500 active gyroplane pilots in South Africa.

Compare that to motor vehicle accidents and you will see why they load the premium.

I had the same arguments that flying is safe until I lost 2 friends. One in a Gyro and one in a Micro light.

You are referring to flying to other African country’s.
- Fuel contamination
- Animals on runways
- Fuel theft/replacement
- Damaged runways
- Bird strikes
- Sudden weather changes in an unfamiliar area
- Not a lot of options if you have an engine out in the bush

Rather pay the extra premium than leave your family with no income.

[gyronaught]

You sound like an insurance actuary? (Only joking.) It is all about the history of gyro fatalities and associated risk. There has never been a fatality across our borders due to fuel contamination, bird strikes and the remaining items that you list, hence no risk and need for loading by the ins. houses. My research is that some finance institutions do not load gyro pilots. However, not sure which ones. Also did some research a few years ago going back as far as 1960 which confirmed my statement that there has not been one fatality where the pilot was totally compliant. Not sure about the "fire accident " about a year ago on the east coast. If these facts are made available to one particular finance institution, they advise that they will review their policy of loading gyro pilots, hence my mail. Does anyone know where these statistics can be obtained that presents a defendable and credible case. Have not yet tried CAA but will do. Many thanks. Mike

[jungmann]

I accumulated proximate 2000 hrs flying gyroplanes, include night and instrument approaches (Air and Space 18A), I brought the first modern gyrocopter to SA in form of VPM, latter known as a "Magni Gyro" and become the dealer known: "VPM Gyrocopters South Africa cc". I did run the first gyro flight school in SA at Meyerton in 1993, created first training syllabus. Present SA Dealer of Magni Gyro was my SA gyro student number 6. What it does help me with the life insurance?

Recently I discussed with my insurance broker, my life insurance policy. On behalf of his underwriter he told me that flying gyrocopters is at VERY HIGHT RISK and he requested for this reason about 80% premium increase! Such ignorance, he never saw even gyrocopter in his life but he is arrogant enought to decide what is safe and what is not in aviation....I refused to change my last 33 years life style and stop flying and I refused to pay extra premium....my wife is used to this. And just think. Last five years I operated M-16 in my flight school, she flown just above 1200 hrs, no incidents and about 30 fully trained new gyro pilots, I never paid any insurance, just Third Party. Today this blood suckers asking R 3000 p/m for gyro insurance! Ridiculous! The choice? Absolutely personal....

[gyronaught]

Jungmann, Thanks for your valuable input, despite your vast experience and impeccable safety record, you are still expected to pay a loaded premium for life assurance. Not fair at all. The problem is that actuaries who determine the risk of Gyro aviation do not have any statistics to go on so they use hearsay and other categories of aviation to determine "the apparent risk." I believe that it is up to us to formulate accurate statistics which WILL prove that Gyro aviation is very safe, provided you adhere to " the rules." Life assurance policies contain clauses that excludes any payment liability if the pilot and his aircraft are not totally legal. My findings are that ALL fatalities had contributing factors that rendered the pilot" non compliant." There is thus minimal risk for the finance houses. We just need the facts to prove it to them and they will respond. I have tried CAA to obtain the stats but with little success. Is there anybody out there that is able to compile a list of the fatalities for the past 20 years and the reasons attributed to them. ( Sorry folks, I realize that this is a sensitive subject and mean no disrespect.) Many thanks
Mike

[Vertical Tango]

Hi Mike,

You are counting on the fact that you will always be legal. The job of the SACAA and the Insurance company is to prove that you were not legal and in the end they always succeed. This is why the stats that you are probing will be always innacurate as just about 100% of the time the pilot was somehow blamed for being in the wrong, even if you and I know that it was not the case.
So now to pay a loading for insurance that you wife will never be able to have a claim is useless.
For example, you were recently at the B... Lodge. God forbid that you had a problem there, the insurance company would have said that that airfield is not registered. I wish you luck in your battle, but I must say that you might come up with something that will benefit the whole gyro community.
By pure coincidence, I am seeing an assessor next week who claims that they are the only insurance covering gyro pilots. They told me today that they paid out yesterday to the estate of a well known gyro pilot who died recently (name withheld as it has no purpose here). I'll keep you informed after my meeting and see what they offer.

Regards.

Jean-Pierre