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Remarks: Conservatism

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author, initially a less disciplined Part 91 pilot, adopted a highly conservative flying philosophy influenced by age and experience operating under Part 121 airline regulations.
  • This conservative approach leads him to proactively choose safer options, such as canceling flights or filing IFR on marginal VFR days, and refusing to embark on trips with compromised system redundancy for critical functions like pressurization or de-icing.
  • His guiding principle is that "you don't die by making conservative decisions," advocating for pilots to consistently prioritize safety and caution in their flight choices.
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Back in the January issue, my Remarks outlined how I try to look at my flying choices through the lens of an accident report if the choices don’t work out. There is a corollary to that and it’s worth exploring; consider this an extension of my January Remarks.

I got my private certificate when I was an indestructible 21-year old and behaved accordingly. Approaching a vast 100 hours of experience, I’d do things that, well, many of us have probably also done but none of us should. You know the list: scud running, stretching currency, not being as scrupulous with weight and balance as the FAA expects, etc.

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