I Learned About Flying From That: What Now, Richard?

David G. Waller

Friday, June 24, 2011 at 05:56 PM ET

Verified

** To see more of Barry Ross' aviation art, go
to barryrossart.com.** Barry Ross

Key Takeaways:

An inexperienced pilot learned about rapid, unexpected weather deterioration (dense smoke) despite favorable forecasts, emphasizing that conditions can change quickly.
He made a crucial decision to turn back and divert when faced with deteriorating visibility and unreliable navigation, rather than pressing on into hazardous conditions.
The pilot discovered the necessity of adapting standard flying techniques to non-normal conditions, specifically adjusting his landing approach for an unfamiliar, short private airstrip after multiple go-arounds.
The ultimate lesson was the importance of prioritizing safety by cutting losses and landing at the first suitable field rather than gambling on conditions improving down the line.

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(June 2011) For an 80-something-hour pilot, the Sacramento Valley was like a giant flying playpen for me. The foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains border the eastern side while the Coastal Range separates the valley from the Pacific Ocean on the west. The Cascades, including 14,000-foot Mount Shasta, form the northern boundary of the valley.

One weekend in October 1978 a friend and I decided to take a Cessna 150 from the local flying club at the Yuba County Airport (MYV), not far from Marysville, California, for a flight to Redding, California. It’s at the northwest end of the valley and is the last stop before heading into the Cascades. We heard there was a decent restaurant on the field. For two young airmen looking for something to do, we needed no other excuse.