You’re not a pilot unless you are flying. Maybe you once were a pilot, or are one in spirit, or perhaps continue to be a pilot on paper (compliant in satisfying regulatory definitions). But in my eyes, until you pull back on the yoke and defy gravity’s ancient pull, you aren’t one. I did not fly for 198 days this year—the longest gap between flights since earning my certificate seven years ago. During that time, I fortified my status as an aviation aficionado, but I stopped being a pilot.
Leading Edge: Act As If
Key Takeaways:
- After a severe accident in 2017 shattered his confidence, the author experienced a 198-day hiatus, feeling he had lost his identity as a pilot.
- To overcome his reluctance and fear, he undertook a six-month, comprehensive restoration of his new Beech Bonanza, questioning if it was a genuine mission or a delay tactic.
- Despite initial anxieties, he meticulously prepared and successfully returned to flying his fully restored, "brand-new" aircraft, gradually reclaiming his confidence and identity as a pilot.
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