Airmanship: Legal VS. Safe

I hope it wont come as a shock to learn magazine editors dont always practice what they preach. Kind of like fat-cat politicians urging austerity for the proletariat, we arent always as prolific in our flying as we may seem, or as we encourage others. In fact, over the last couple of years, competing and conflicting priorities conspired to keep me and my airplane on the ground much more than was good for either of us.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Chinese and international airlines are canceling cargo and passenger flights at airports such as Shanghai Pudong International because of COVID. wikimediaimages/Pixabay

Key Takeaways:

The author, a pilot, shares his experience in regaining proficiency in instrument flying and multi-engine operations after a period of infrequent flying.
He found flight simulators to be highly effective tools for rebuilding fundamental skills and confidence before transitioning to actual aircraft.
The article emphasizes a critical distinction between merely meeting minimum legal flight requirements and possessing the actual proficiency and confidence necessary for safe flying, particularly in challenging conditions, advocating for continuous practice and acknowledging personal limitations.

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I hope it won’t come as a shock to learn magazine editors don’t always practice what they preach. Kind of like fat-cat politicians urging austerity for the proletariat, we aren’t always as prolific in our flying as we may seem, or as we encourage others. In fact, over the last couple of years, competing and conflicting priorities conspired to keep me and my airplane on the ground much more than was good for either of us. I recently decided to fix that, and came away with some observations that long-time pilots may have forgotten, and some newbies may hear for the first time.