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 undertook dedicated training to enhance his proficiency in instrument flying and multi-engine operations, admitting his skills had atrophied despite holding relevant ratings.
He effectively utilized both desktop and FAA-approved motion flight simulators to rebuild instrument scanning techniques and familiarize himself with multi-engine aircraft before transitioning to actual flight.
A key takeaway was the significant distinction between merely meeting minimum FAA legal flight requirements and possessing the genuine skill and confidence necessary for safe operation in diverse conditions.
The article emphasizes that true aviation safety demands pilots acknowledge their limitations and continuously practice well beyond regulatory minimums.

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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.