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Don’t Let Personal Pride Interfere with Currency Training

Anyone who holds a pilot certificate already meets minimum FAA standards. Achieving more than that demands personal drive. David Massey – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • True pilot pride stems from a continuous effort to maintain high proficiency, actively combating human tendencies towards complacency and self-delusion.
  • The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) define the essential knowledge, risk management, and practical skills, serving as the benchmark for demonstrating true pilot competence beyond initial certification.
  • Pilots must be self-disciplined to sustain checkride-level abilities, regularly reviewing the ACS, practicing tasks to its standards, and incorporating ACS evaluations into their annual flight reviews to ensure ongoing proficiency.
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Pilot pride comes with the certificates and ratings achieved through successful checkrides. But like flying itself, maintaining one’s pilot pride properly is a never-ending effort. Human nature is an ever-present foe. Complacency replaces striving to be better on every flight, and boastful delusions take the place of yesterday’s abilities. Proper pilot pride abhors such delusions, and the Airman Certification Standards can help.

Rob Mark

Rob Mark is an award-winning journalist, business jet pilot, flight instructor, and blogger.

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