Michael Brown, a 23-year-old instrument and seaplane rated pilot from Tennessee, is the winner of this year’s Richard L. Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots for his story, “The Wrong Stuff.” A distinguished panel of judges selected Brown’s story as the entry that best answered this year’s writing prompt, “My most memorable or important flying lesson.” Brown’s article recounts what he learned when he let his ego make the decision to impress his first non-familial passenger in a Legend Cub on twin amphibious floats. As he admits, “I didn’t want her to think I didn’t have the confidence or the right stuff enough to do what the plane was designed to do.” After landing the floatplane, he quickly realized safely taking back off was going to be an issue.
Michael Brown Wins the Richard Collins Writing Award
Key Takeaways:
- Michael Brown, a 23-year-old pilot, won this year's Richard L. Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots for his story, "The Wrong Stuff."
- Brown's winning article recounts a critical flying lesson learned when his ego influenced a risky decision to impress a passenger during a floatplane operation.
- The prize honors the legacy of prolific aviation journalist Richard L. Collins and is funded by royalties from his book sales and contributions from his children.
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