The Risks of Routine

One of the great joys of flying is a routine flight. Im not referring to a flight that went as expected, which undeniably is the greatest joy, Im talking about flying a routine route. If you hop in your plane on a Saturday afternoon to fly to your favorite $100 hamburger location and get a respite from your weekday worries, or a cargo pilot plying a daily route, you probably know the pleasure I am talking about. Pilots who fly routine flights can feel at one with their aircraft, heightening their sensitivity to any little deviation, like unusual engine noises or subtle performance changes with different loads.

Mike Hart

Saturday, November 18, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Routine flights, while comfortable, can foster complacency in pilots, leading them to overlook critical details or unexpected deviations from the norm.
Complacency is a significant factor in aviation incidents, often manifesting when pilots fail to adapt to novel circumstances such as unexpected weather, changed aircraft configurations, non-routine training, or unusual ATC instructions.
To ensure safety, pilots must actively combat complacency by rigorously performing pre-flight checks, paying close attention to all information (like NOTAMs and ATC), and maintaining a questioning attitude, even on familiar routes.

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One of the great joys of flying is a routine flight. I’m not referring to a flight that went as expected, which undeniably is the greatest joy, I’m talking about flying a routine route. If you hop in your plane on a Saturday afternoon to fly to your favorite $100 hamburger location and get a respite from your weekday worries, or a cargo pilot plying a daily route, you probably know the pleasure I am talking about. Pilots who fly routine flights can feel at one with their aircraft, heightening their sensitivity to any little deviation, like unusual engine noises or subtle performance changes with different loads.

But, like everything else, risk is just around the corner. While you enjoy feeling pleased with yourself because you’re on top of things, you are just a whisker away from complacency. And once you start feeling satisfied, maybe even congratulating yourself on your achievements, it’s too late. That’s when you are most unaware of your own deficiencies and potential dangers.