Proficiency Levels

Am I ready for this flight? Thats the question I found myself asking when I decided to resume flying in a rental aircraft after a six-month lapse. This was after selling the V35B Bonanza Id owned for eight years. Since I was due for a flight review anyway, I engaged an instructor and got checked out to fly a Cessna 172 from a local flight school. I was comfortable flying the Skyhawk after only an hour and three landings, despite not having flown in six months. That certainly wouldnt be the case for all the aircraft Im rated in: The last time I flew a jet was more than seven years ago.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilot readiness for flight is multi-faceted, requiring assessment across basic stick-and-rudder skills, attitude instrument flying, automation proficiency, and operating within the air traffic system.
• Proficiency is highly variable, depending on aircraft type, operational complexity (e.g., VFR vs. IFR), and recency of experience; while manual flying skills may be retained, cognitive skills for decision-making can degrade with over-reliance on automation.
• The article emphasizes risk management as the most critical dimension, requiring pilots to continuously identify, assess, and mitigate risks across all aspects of their operations to ensure safety.

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