Owing to work and family responsibilities, as well as weather and scheduled maintenance, I hadn’t flown my trusty Cessna 210 for a couple of months. When I finally found the time and energy, I picked a nice, clear day to go renew my relationship with the airplane. The flight was restorative and long overdue. It also pointed out why proficiency in the cockpit is both important and fluid. Let me explain.
The pre-flight inspection and run-up were normal, and soon I added full power and was off and climbing. It was a marvelous day, and I kept my eyes outside the cockpit, once again reveling in the magic of flying my own airplane. I went off to do some sightseeing and make sure everything on the airplane worked the same way it had a couple of months earlier.
