With the economic downturn and unemployment and underemployment that ensued, many Americans are enjoying less disposable income. As a result, your flying budget may not be what it was a few years ago. And meanwhile, the cost of flying has risen. We all know that staying proficient is equivalent to reducing the risks associated with flying. And nobody wants to compromise safety. So with a trimmed flying budget and higher costs, how do you stay proficient?
Being proficient means different things to different pilots. So the first thing you need to do is to specify what proficiency means to you. To some it may mean simply being able to safely take off and land. To others it may mean being able to land without power, touch down at an exact point and roll to a stop at a specific location. Others may desire the ability to fly a perfect instrument approach, exactly on the glideslope and localizer (or GPS approach with vertical guidance). And of course it is important to stay proficient with in-flight failures. There are also many regulations to keep track of and other aviation-related knowledge that should be considered as part of the proficiency package.
