Based on the provided reference, no, private flights appear less safe than scheduled commercial flights when comparing fatality rates per flying hour.
Comparing Aviation Safety Rates
Safety in aviation is often measured by fatality rates per a standard unit of time or distance, such as per 100,000 hours flown. The reference provides a direct comparison using this metric:
- Scheduled Commercial Flights: Experience fewer than 0.01 fatalities per 100,000 hours of flying.
- Private Aircraft: Have a fatality rate that reaches 2.3 fatalities per 100,000 hours.
This data indicates that, hour for hour in the air, private aircraft experience a significantly higher number of fatalities compared to scheduled commercial flights.
To illustrate the difference more clearly:
| Aircraft Type | Fatality Rate (per 100,000 flying hours) |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Commercial | Less than 0.01 |
| Private Aircraft | 2.3 |
While the reference also notes that most private fliers only spend about 42 hours in the air per year, this fact relates to an individual's exposure to risk over time, not the inherent safety rate of the flight per hour compared to commercial travel. The fatality rate per 100,000 hours flown is a standard measure for comparing the safety performance of different types of aviation operations, and by this metric, private flights as described in the reference have a higher rate.
