Decisions, Decisions

Tuesday, March 02, 2021 at 12:25 PM ET

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Retired Army Lt. Col. Lott Lawson inspects a Cessna 172 aircraft March 29 Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. He is a site manager for the maintainence of Iraqi air force aircraft. As coalition forces continue reaching benchmarks to rebuild the Iraqi air force, this former U.S. Army helicopter has helped foreign pilots earn their wings throughout his military and civilian career during training programs in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Eric Schloeffel)

Key Takeaways:

Aging pilots, despite increased wisdom from experience, may find decision-making in the cockpit more challenging due to age.
The AOPA suggests proactive remedies such as spending more time on preflight and contingency planning, having a realistic Plan B, and getting thorough weather briefings.
Pilots are also advised to be flexible in scheduling to avoid pressure, be realistic about their skills and proficiency, and fly only when well-rested.

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The AOPA has amassed a wealth of material on how pilots change as we grow older. Among other challenges aging pilots may face, decision-making skills may not be what they once were, and a brief section on decision-making caught our eye. As AOPA notes, “You have grown older and gotten wiser through experience. However, aging can make it more difficult to handle the kinds of decisions that sometimes have to be made in the cockpit.” Remedies AOPA suggests are worth exploring include:

• Spending more time doing preflight and contingency planning;