Regarding the recent spate of light aircraft accidents, the following points should be remembered.

Firstly, these accidents should be looked at in perspective since they form an extremely small part of overall light aircraft operations. Shoreham alone expects to have up to 80,000 movements this year.

Secondly, C Williams (Opinion, May 21) is quite correct in saying that these pilots are not heroes. We are trained to turn any size aircraft into a glider and have a legal requirement to clear built-up areas.

Thirdly, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will prosecute in every case where fuel starvation causes an accident.

Finally, light aircraft maintenance is tightly regulated by the CAA. Checks have to be carried out every 50 flying hours and on an annual basis.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you. The majority of airline pilots are now sourced from general aviation and train at airports such as Shoreham.

Any curtailment of this activity on a nationwide basis would result in the airlines funding training at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds per pilot, resulting in significantly higher costs for flights and holidays.

-S P Hale, Eley Drive, Rottingdean