I’ve owned seven airplanes over the course of my career. Every one of them was a joy to own. Each gave me headaches and heart palpitations when major repairs were needed. Yet the lessons I learned, the experience I gained, and the freedom of having an airplane at my disposal whenever I got the urge to fly was priceless.
Politics for Pilots
When The Rumors Aren’t True
Being wrong is normal. It’s part of the learning process. Being confident we’re right when we’re demonstrably wrong is a problem.
Well, That’s Different
When we find ourselves saying, “well, that’s different,” perhaps we could step back, consider the situation seriously, and acknowledge that seeking insight into how to best deal with an unusual situation is the smart move. And it’s the smart move every damn time.
Aviation ain’t what it used to be
Nope, aviation ain’t what it used to be. Frankly, it’s better. Much better. It’s more affordable, more accessible, more dependable, and far less prone to failures than it was in the past.
What if trivia isn’t trivial at all?
Would a Trivial Pursuit version that focuses on aviation help expand pilot knowledge?
It’s a money thing. Or is it?
Like so many who ultimately succeed in obtaining a pilot certificate, I struggled for years with limited funds, unproductive flight lessons, less than helpful instructors, and flight schools that were happy to accept my payments while putting little effort into helping me achieve my stated goal. That story is all too common. Those of us who persevere, however, tend to learn a valuable lesson.
How fast is fast enough?
The history of travel has been long, slow, frequently unsafe, and undeniably tedious. Until the Wright brothers got us airborne.
Losing weight the easy way and the hard way
One of the immutable aspects of flight that is that weight cannot be finessed out of our calculations. It must be measured carefully, placed in the appropriate location, or discarded. There is no wiggle room. The airplane itself has mass and weight. As does fuel, baggage, passengers, and the pilot. Weight matters.
Papers please
Having our paperwork in order is important. Sadly, the vast majority of general aviation pilots have developed the unfortunate habit of ignoring that requirement.