After reading, rereading and ruminating over an article on the direction of relative wind as affected by slips and skids, I still wasn’t getting it. Because I don’t have Peter Garrison’s number, I called another friend who has written extensively about all things aeronautical, and as expected, he patiently dumbed it down to where even I understood what the guy was trying to say. Our conversation then morphed into a discussion about readers who assume that because an aviation writer is so knowledgeable about the art and science of flying, he’s a de facto great pilot. My friend inferred he wasn’t—at least not anymore.
Unusual Attitudes: Head in the Clouds
Key Takeaways:
- The author, an experienced aviator and safety advocate, candidly shares her long history of flying mistakes and minor accidents, admitting to "bending more metal" than most pilots she knows.
- She recounts numerous specific incidents, from taxiing mishaps and landing blunders to more serious encounters like a runaway aircraft, often attributing them to inexperience, poor judgment, or carelessness.
- Through her self-deprecating honesty, the author emphasizes the importance of learning from errors and continuously improving decision-making and risk management, rather than assuming expertise equals infallibility.
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