Backcountry Culture

I appreciate David Jack Kennys take on the value of keeping up with performance and ground-reference maneuvers after the checkride (Maneuvers, September 2018). Ive found that they definitely help me to build confidence when Ive been out of the left seat for a while, and can quickly restore the feel of the airplane. The same is true when confronting an unfamiliar type or when assessing skills of a new pilot-acquaintance.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Effective communication is critical for aviation safety, extending from backcountry flying to busier airspace through active listening, FBO interactions, and online pilot communities.
Pilots should regularly practice performance and ground-reference maneuvers post-checkride to maintain proficiency and confidence, using ACS standards for self-assessment and occasional instructor input for validation.
Thorough IFR flight planning goes beyond direct routings; it involves anticipating expected approaches based on weather and traffic, and proactively communicating intentions to ATC.

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Thanks for Mike Hart’s article on all the goings-on in the backcountry flying environment (“Backcountry Safety Culture,” September 2018). I knew pilots engaged in flying those areas were a tight-knit group but I had no idea how organized their culture seems to be, and how important active communication is to reliable flight operations in rural, mountainous areas.

How can pilots flying over more-forgiving terrain and in busier airspace adopt some of these techniques?