Pay attention in the cockpit and treat aviation with respect, for inattention and complacency can kill you, especially when you operate in the instrument
environment. [Credit: Adobe Stock]
Key Takeaways:
Pilots frequently become complacent with familiar routes and technology, leading to neglected navigation database updates, overlooked NOTAMs, and insufficient backups for electronic flight instruments.
Complacency also manifests as skipping essential pre-flight briefings and rushing descents, even on familiar approaches, increasing the risk of procedural errors.
Underestimating changes in airport environments or attempting "scud runs" into non-IFR airports based on outdated visual memory poses significant dangers for instrument-rated pilots.
In theory, the more you fly, the more proficient you become. But you can also become complacent, especially when doing the same approaches in the same airplane over and over again—then one day, something changes.
Here are some IFR gotchas to watch for:
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![Pay attention in the cockpit and treat aviation with respect, for inattention and complacency can kill you, especially when you operate in the instrument environment. [Credit: Adobe Stock]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/FLY0326_1.jpeg)
