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Pilot’s Discretion: Take Your Pick

In previous eras, the “best” pilots were those who could will the airplane through any circumstance, planned or unplanned. Today, better judgment wins every time. Flying
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Modern aviation prioritizes sound judgment and the use of technology to *avoid* dangerous situations, a shift from past eras that valued heroic flying skills to *navigate through* them.
  • While technology has dramatically improved safety in areas like weather avoidance, it has not reduced accidents related to fuel management, often due to pilot complacency, over-reliance, and failure to apply basic judgment and verification.
  • Pilot training must evolve to prioritize the development of critical judgment and decision-making skills through scenario-based learning and risk management, alongside traditional stick-and-rudder proficiency.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Imagine I asked you the following question during your next flight review: If you had the choice, would you rather fly directly through a line of embedded thunderstorms along your planned route of flight or use datalink radar imagery on your iPad to deviate around the weather system?

Bret Koebbe

Bret Koebbe is a flight instructor and oversees the production of pilot-training courses and mobile apps for Sporty’s Pilot Shop. He flies for fun in a 1963 Piper Aztec and professionally in a Cessna Citation.

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