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For a Pilot, It’s Always Better to Be Safe Than Sorry

This was not a get-there-itis moment but a mere get-up-itis moment.

[Illustration: Joel Kimmel]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The pilot's return to flying after a six-week break was fraught with challenges, including frozen airport access, a stubborn aircraft engine, and getting stuck in a snowdrift while taxiing.
  • Driven by an intense desire to fly ("get-up-itis"), the pilot neglected the pre-flight checklist after getting unstuck, leading to an open aircraft door during takeoff.
  • Despite a day of escalating mishaps, the pilot ultimately prioritized safety by landing and grounding the aircraft for inspection, reinforcing the critical lesson of never letting the urge to fly override safety protocols.
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Two hundred years! At least it felt like that long since I flew the last time on that day in January.

 In reality, when looking at my logbook, it was a mere six weeks. But that feeling of it being forever since I last flew would haunt me for the rest of the day. And weeks to come too. But on my drive to the airport that Sunday morning, I knew nothing of it. 

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