Most of us did not become pilots to expand the limits of science or technology. We took that leap in an effort to expand our own horizons. To learn new skills, adapt to new information, and accept the challenge of taking fate for a walk around the block to see if we could perform at a level few ever attempt.
Politics for Pilots
An intellectual wandering
Because of its incredible pace of improvement, aviation is perhaps the best example of how the impossible becomes possible.
Jumping for joy
Flying still fills me with a sense of awe. Even after all these years I have never become blasé about the moment the wheels get light and the wings take the load uphill. I’m acutely aware that I am nothing more than an average human being, well out of my element. On my own I have no business being thousands of feet in the air, cruising along at speeds my ground-bound counterparts can only dream of as they sit in traffic.
The past, present, and future of one chunk of dirt
About 100 years ago the place we recognize as Tampa International Airport, one of the largest, busiest airports in Florida, was nothing more than a strip of grass on a farm.
Why doesn’t somebody do something?
As pilots, aircraft mechanics, aviation business owners, and interested residents, it is in our best interest to offer ourselves for public service. Establish an airport advisory committee that puts effective and beneficial utilization of the field at the forefront of its agenda. Discuss development of the airport as an asset to the community — a place where learning, recreation, business, and personal fulfillment all converge for the betterment of the residents and visitors to your area.
Uncomfortable parallels deserve consideration
The question each of us must ask ourselves is this: Do I really want to be minimally qualified? Would my friends and family be comfortable flying with me if they knew I was actively avoiding situations where I would have to prove my worth as a pilot?
Living in era of technological breakthroughs
For all the fear, negativity, and derision we hear in the news and on social media, I continue to believe we live in amazing times. Our lives are immeasurably improved by access to increasingly inexpensive, more reliable, more capable technologies.
Avoiding self-induced emergencies
While we might like to believe we’re on top of things and fully competent, the truth is well over half of all general aviation accidents are caused by pilot-related issues. Nearly 70%. Which invites the question: Are we really aware of the risks we face?
The devil’s advocate
The devil’s advocate in me thinks the better lesson is: “You want to land and takeoff with a headwind whenever possible. However, there will be times when you find you have no choice but to land or takeoff with a tailwind. This is where your PIC judgment comes into play. It’s up to you to decide if you can make that landing or perform that takeoff safely, or whether you need to land somewhere else, or whether you should put off your trip to another day.”