Navigating the 'Scariest Moment' as an Aircraft Owner

When purchasing one’s first aircraft, buyers often spend little to no time evaluating their checklists and flows.

Jason McDowell

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 11:53 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Most aircraft buyers painstakingly evaluate and analyze every mechanical aspect of their new-to-them aircraft. But sometimes, old, outdated, and obsolete checklists are accepted and utilized without much thought. [Courtesy: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

The article details two types of critical in-flight emergencies: an electrical fire during pilot training where the author's vigilance led to a safe emergency landing, and dangerous takeoffs as a new aircraft owner due to forgotten settings like incorrect flap positions or carb heat.
These owner-related incidents were attributed to a poorly designed, combined "before takeoff" checklist that led to oversights during repetitive operations.
To prevent future errors, the author created a concise, dedicated "takeoff flow" performed from memory, ensuring critical pre-takeoff items are checked.
The article recommends that new aircraft owners proactively evaluate and customize their checklists and procedures, ideally with an experienced instructor, rather than assuming existing ones are optimized for safety.

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As a pilot transitions from aircraft renter to owner, several significant changes occur. Most notably, their savings account—once a lush wonderland of excess funds and interest—becomes a financial wasteland rivaling the most bleak postapocalyptic films ever created. Similarly, their mental catalog of “scariest moments” begins to revolve more around the results of annual inspections than any situation in the air.

That said, scary moments in flight indeed still occur.