CEO Risk Takers

[Woofie 0]

Quote: "An interview on Notre Dame’s Newswire quotes Cain explaining the findings of the study, “Cleared for Takeoff? CEO Personal Risk-Taking and Corporate Policies,” which included 179 CEOs who were pilots and 2,900 CEOs who were not. His topline was this:

“Firms led by CEOs who are pilots exhibit corporate policies that differ substantially from those led by non-pilots. For example, CEO pilot–led firms are more likely to engage in mergers and acquisitions, have more debt in their capital structure—meaning higher leverage and greater overall stock return volatility. Thus, thrill-seeking CEOs bring a certain element of this personality trait into the executive suite, as reflected by more aggressive corporate policies.”

He went on to note:

“Piloting small aircraft as a hobby is more risky than driving a motorcycle, flying a helicopter or even crop-dusting. Thus, the research shows, these CEOs exhibit a clear willingness to engage in risky activities for the sake of pleasure.”

Link: http://havaspr.com/us/?p=11315

I reckon skydivers who run businesses are probably much the same.

[Arvoitus 1]

I have absolutely no statistics to back up my claims but there is now way in hell piloting a small air-craft is riskier then driving a motorcycle.

Your rights end where my feelings begin.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

How the hell is piloting a small aircraft more risky than crop dusting, which you do WHILE PILOTING A SMALL AIRCRAFT?!

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[CanuckInUSA 0]

FlyingRhenquest

How the hell is piloting a small aircraft more risky than crop dusting, which you do WHILE PILOTING A SMALL AIRCRAFT?!

That's a little messed up for sure. But keep this in mind. Perhaps when they reference piloting a small aircraft they are fixated on low time single engine land pilots versus crop dusters who have to be commercially rated, are not low time and are used to flying low to the ground. But still messed up. LOL

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[quade 3]

FlyingRhenquest

How the hell is piloting a small aircraft more risky than crop dusting, which you do WHILE PILOTING A SMALL AIRCRAFT?!

I believe you'll see the clue bolded below.

Quote

“Piloting small aircraft as a hobby is more risky than driving a motorcycle, flying a helicopter or even crop-dusting.

Hobby pilots, let's call them the guys who make the weekly $100 hamburger run (although that's more than likely $200 or more today even in a cheap aircraft), simply aren't as proficient or current as the guys who fly for a living.

This would be roughly analogous to the situation you have at a DZ. The pros, the camera fliers for the school and the instructors, do it a dozen times a day five days a week. Compare their safety record to the guys who only jump in fair weather and come out to the DZ to make a half dozen jumps one day on a weekend.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Ooh! This makes sense. Still, I was watching a crop duster this morning and that looks dangerous as hell! Heh heh heh.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[quade 3]

FlyingRhenquest

Ooh! This makes sense. Still, I was watching a crop duster this morning and that looks dangerous as hell! Heh heh heh.

It's a dangerous job. Not for the flying. They're probably some of the best nap of the earth pilots around. But for the invisible hazards like electrical wires and other nonsense.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[JohnMitchell 14]

Flying isn't risky, but it is dangerous to the arrogant. That descriptor probably fits many CEO's, doctors, lawyers, etc.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Arvoitus

I have absolutely no statistics to back up my claims but there is now way in hell piloting a small air-craft is riskier then driving a motorcycle.

I know/knew four pilots who died at the controls. No one I know has died riding a motorcycle although that hobby is a lot more common among my friends and acquaintances.

I'd bet currency plays a role. You can ride your bike every day between garage and office if you feel like it for less than it costs to drive your car. Flying takes getting to an airport, ends up being a two hour commitment for an hour in the air, and costs over $100 an hour when you go some place. Understandably people spend more time on bikes and are more current.

[Nataly 38]

Arvoitus

I have absolutely no statistics to back up my claims but there is now way in hell piloting a small air-craft is riskier then driving a motorcycle.

Intuitively, it seems wrong to me as well, but I suppose how current you are and other factors come into play...

Still, it's possible they just aren't comparing like-for-like - isolating "fun" flyers but lumping all motorcycle riders together... I'm guessing they did the same for skydiving as well. Just a guess.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[Stumpy 256]

quade

the guys who make the weekly $100 hamburger run (although that's more than likely $200 or more today even in a cheap aircraft),

That's a thing - buying a plane just because of a hamburger craving? What sort of hamburgers are they?!

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

That's a thing - buying a plane just because of a hamburger craving? What sort of hamburgers are they?!

Expensive burgers, that's what pilots buy. It's just an expression in the GA flying community. I know when I was flying, I never actually flew somewhere for a burger. That would involve leaving the airport and unless you had someone on the other end there to meet you, there was no way to leave the destination airport and the only thing you can buy at most GA destination airports (if you are lucky to be able to buy anything) is fuel and other aviation related products.

Nope it's just an expression widely used in the GA aviation community and for me when I was flying in Colorado it cost more than my $100 burgers because of Colorado's elevation, and the need to rent a bigger airplane like a modern 172, a 182 or something like a Piper Dakota (I always liked flying that plane).

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[quade 3]

Stumpy

***the guys who make the weekly $100 hamburger run (although that's more than likely $200 or more today even in a cheap aircraft),

That's a thing - buying a plane just because of a hamburger craving? What sort of hamburgers are they?!

Sort of. The issue is flying small aircraft, while incredibly fun in and of itself, as a hobby is infuriatingly frustrating once you get somewhere because there is rarely good transportation to anywhere fun off the airport and if there is, it can still be a hassle.

Look at Los Angeles. It's a flying mecca of sorts. There are all sorts of interesting places to go; San Diego, Santa Barbara, Catalina... So, you hop in your plane at Santa Ana and fly to Santa Barbara. Awesome. Only the bus service sucks balls between the airport and downtown, so what do you end up doing? That's right, you go to the Elephant Bar at the airport or maybe walkover to the pier, but what can you really do at either of those? You can't drink, so you buy a hamburger, coke and fries and chat about airplanes and whatnot and you fly back home to SNA. You do the exact same damn thing at pretty much every airport within a 300 mile radius. You've visited a lot of airports over the years, but what have you really done?

You've had really expensive hamburgers.

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The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[dzswoop717 5]

I like to introduce people to aviation and the $100 hamburger trip is always a nice introduction. I don't have the time to go as often as I would like. It is just a fun way to take some friends or business associates out for lunch. It is an adventure to them. Sometimes it opens up there eyes to the possibilities of them becoming pilots.

[quade 3]

Quote

Sometimes it opens up there eyes to the possibilities of them becoming pilots.

And just that right there can be a life altering experience. So THAT is absolutely worth it. I was just explaining the general concept behind the term.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver