The author recounts a personal pilot deviation stemming from misinterpreting a departure chart and receiving incorrect confirmation, highlighting human error from both the pilot and air traffic control.
This incident underscores the pervasive nature of human error in aviation, further illustrated by recent close-call incidents at major airports involving professional pilots and controllers.
The article emphasizes the difficulty pilots face in self-identifying subtle precursors like fatigue or distraction that lead to errors, suggesting that standard checklists often fail to capture these nuanced changes in mental state.
“November 1750 Whiskey, copy this number down and call when on the ground. Possible pilot deviation.”
Yup. The dreaded words, and just a couple of weeks before the 10-year anniversary of getting my private certificate. It happened earlier this year, departing VanNuys (KVNY) in California.
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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.
