Milking It: How to Extract Every Last Bit From Airplane and Pilot

The aircraft’s state of utility must be measured only once before a flight, but the aviator’s is a moving target.

Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 08:55 AM ET

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FLYING contributor Ben Younger says a flight from New York to Birmingham, Alabama, is about the limit for his Beech Bonanza as far as nonstops go. [Courtesy: Ben Younger]

Key Takeaways:

The author utilized his personal aircraft for efficient travel and cargo transport to a race, highlighting the utility of private aviation compared to lengthy ground transport.
Challenging flight scenarios, including a demanding approach after a break from flying and an intense IFR return, underscored how pilot skills can diminish without regular practice and the critical importance of constant vigilance.
The article emphasizes that while an aircraft has fixed limits, a pilot's capabilities are a dynamic "moving target" that requires continuous self-assessment and adaptability, especially when conditions change mid-flight.

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For my birthday this year my buddies transported my bike down to Alabama for a race weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. That’s Brooklyn to Birmingham. Pulling a trailer, it takes more than 17 hours. I know, as I’ve made the trip more than a few times myself. Drinking interstate coffee, eating caloric garbage, filling the tanks every 300 miles, sleeping fitfully at truck stops when fatigue finally overwhelms you. I chipped in for gas, but they did all the heavy lifting.

So, how did I get down there? I’m sure you can guess.

Ben Younger

Ben Younger is a TV and film writer/director, avid motorcyclist and surfer—but it’s being a pilot that he treats as a second profession. Find him on Instagram @thisisbenyounger.