Doing The Hard Yards

Practice makes perfect, especially when we go out to do things we don’t usually engage in for our everyday flying.

Matt Johnson

Sunday, September 01, 2024 at 06:23 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipovic

Seaman Dominick A. Cremeans, U.S. Navy

Key Takeaways:

Pilots, regardless of expertise, must continuously practice the "hard parts" of flying, as routine operations alone do not maintain proficiency for complex or challenging situations.
The author's personal IFR flight experiences highlight the necessity of deliberately practicing complex procedures like non-towered airport clearances, dynamic weather avoidance, and effective radio communication under pressure.
Self-awareness of skill gaps and intentional "hard yards" practice are crucial for safety and preparedness, emphasizing proactive decision-making, such as deviating for weather well in advance.

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As I watched the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team fly a fingertip-formation loop during their recent appearance at the 2024 edition of the Fargo (N.D.) Airsho, it suddenly occurred to me: I used to fly fingertip formation in a T-38 almost daily, and it’s not all that hard with a lot of practice.

I bet parts of the Blue Angels show are easy for them—play, really. Like flying fingertip formation, doing turning rejoins. Maybe when the last guy of the six comes diving down at like 450 knots, nose buried, to rejoin the other five, and then tucking into place in the tight formation. Horseplay for those guys.