Are Small Airplanes Safe?  
       Its not the size of the airplane that matters, but instead the pilot flying it.

Back in my days when I flew for a regional airline that had a small turboprop, I've always run into a few passengers that were nervous, or had anxiety about flying on a small propeller airplane. Most cases after they landed they would thank me, and say it was a smooth ride. The fact of the matter is smaller turboprops & pistons airplanes are as safe as commercial jets. Yes, you probably hear of a lot more smaller plane crashes. However, thats from the area of general aviation or recreational flying. That category of aviation had always had a higher accident rate compared to the airlines. But, their accident rate is still way below boating & car accidents combined. One reason general aviation has a slight higher accident rate is that its not as regulated as the airlines, charters, & corporate flight departments.                                                                                                 General aviation pilots are usually recent beginners with less flying experience. One interesting point is that general aviation is still much safer than boating & maritime. With that being said, once a general aviation pilot steps up the ladder to fly charters, then he steps into more regulated & better trained environment.The record for charter departments are very safe. Charter departments are FAA regulated as FAR 135 which mimic the airlines. Once a pilot moves further up to fly passenger airlines rather its a United Boeing 747, or a Continental Express regional jet with 30 passengers, then he or she steps into the highest regulated area. This is FAR 121 which is very strict on procedures & regulations.                                                                 When you reach the level of a 121 regulated airline theres less pressure on pilots, & mechanics to do anything unsafe. One reason is because everything is in black & white with no gray area. The 121 regulated airlines tend to be watched more by the government to ensure they don't cut corners in safety. The air carriers also have multiple military contract in jeopardy if they cut corners in safety. In fact, the Dept of Defense does surprise inspections as well as the FAA on airline operations. So theres even more of a reason to overcome your fear & anxiety. Getting back to small airplanes, most have an excellent safety record. Engines on small airplanes are reliable as jet engines. It really all depends on the shop keeper & how well they maintain the aircraft. Many general aviation airplanes I defined as forgiving or non forgiving. A forgiving airplane is the type of airplane that is user friendly and designed for abuse or rare & tear. A non forgiving airplane is one thats very complex & you need a lot of experience on it. It usually also require higher insurance premiums. Some newer pilots get into trouble when they get their new pilot license then jump into a high performance non forgiving airplane without patiently gaining the proper experience. Some people have the perception that smaller airplanes go through more turbulence. Well the answer to that is yes & no. Yes, if you happen to be already in turbulence you will feel it more on a smaller airplane. But, turbulence is a byproduct from weather & how stable the air is. It has nothing to do with the size of the airplane. So there is really no need to have anxiety about small airplanes. They are as safe as jets. The next time you go on that puddle jumper to go island hopping just remember that pilot is following the same rules as a Boeing 747 pilot.