I am different when someone is flying with me for the first time. Even more so if that person shows an interest in or fear of aviation. I feel responsible for my passenger’s continued fascination or for assuaging their anxiety. I do this by exhibiting a high level of proficiency from preflight through tie-down. I might as well have four stripes on my shoulders and travel everywhere with a small black roller case. With a witness in the left seat, I take on the role of a teacher with an inherent obligation to pass on the knowledge I’ve acquired. The byproduct is useful to both pilot and passenger: By going over the rules for others, it fortifies them in my mind and—ideally—prevents future transgressions.
Beginners
Key Takeaways:
- The author highlights a significant difference in his piloting, being diligently professional and strictly adhering to rules when flying with new passengers, versus his tendency to bend rules when flying solo.
- He emphasizes that even minor deviations from established procedures, rationalized by context, dangerously erode one's commitment to the "letter of the law," which is crucial for aviation safety.
- An observant new passenger acts as a "human crew-alerting system," exposing the author's own creeping complacency and inconsistent flight practices.
- The article concludes by advocating for consistently acting as the ideal pilot at all times, reinforcing good habits and strict adherence to doctrine regardless of who is in the cockpit.
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