The number of our landings must always equal our takeoffs, or so goes the old adage. But sometimes the safest way to ensure equality is to do neither. Unlike birds possessing the gift of flight and whose skills are instinctive, we have the hard-won gift of thought. We earn our skills through repetition and reason. Yet, it is precisely the former of these-repetition-which sometimes can work against us. I am thinking here about expectations (with apologies to Charles Dickens) and, in particular, those affecting us while were still on the ground. 288
Takeoff Expectations
The number of our landings must always equal our takeoffs, or so goes the old adage. But sometimes the safest way to ensure equality is to do neither. Unlike birds possessing the gift of flight and whose skills are instinctive, we have the hard-won gift of thought. We earn our skills through repetition and reason.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots often develop a dangerous complacency and "suspicion extinction" due to repetitive uneventful takeoffs, leading them to expect all future departures to be problem-free.
- It is crucial for pilots to actively plan for and review potential takeoff abort scenarios before every takeoff roll, rather than solely relying on a "can-do" attitude or past success.
- While low-speed rejected takeoffs are generally safe, high-speed aborts are more critical and demand quick, decisive action and pre-rehearsed responses to manage the increased risks effectively.
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