The number of our landings must always equal our takeoffs, or so goes the old adage. But sometimes the safest way to ensure equality is to do neither. Unlike birds possessing the gift of flight and whose skills are instinctive, we have the hard-won gift of thought. We earn our skills through repetition and reason. Yet, it is precisely the former of these-repetition-which sometimes can work against us. I am thinking here about expectations (with apologies to Charles Dickens) and, in particular, those affecting us while were still on the ground. 288
Takeoff Expectations
The number of our landings must always equal our takeoffs, or so goes the old adage. But sometimes the safest way to ensure equality is to do neither. Unlike birds possessing the gift of flight and whose skills are instinctive, we have the hard-won gift of thought. We earn our skills through repetition and reason.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots often develop complacency from repetitive uneventful takeoffs, leading to an "expectancy bias" that can hinder decisive action when unexpected problems arise.
- Unlike multi-engine or transport category aircraft with formal go/no-go training, general aviation pilots must proactively consider "what-if" scenarios and be prepared to abort a takeoff.
- A "healthy suspicion" and pre-takeoff review of abort procedures are crucial to ensure pilots can make timely and decisive actions if issues like poor acceleration, unusual noises, or control problems occur.
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