For most of us, flying is a passion we absolutely do not want to give up. This article will discuss clues on when it is time to reconsider your flying status. Even in our prime, we humans are not good at self-assessment. To be a pilot requires self-confidence, but when might that become self-delusion?
During my career, I had the opportunity to work with the safety department of a major airline. They had multiple safety initiatives, and they had an excellent safety management system overall. In one study, they surveyed all their line pilots and asked them to assess their ability vs. their peers. Interestingly, 80 percent of the pilots graded themselves better than the average pilot at their airline. Said another way, 30 percent of the airline pilots thought they were better than they were.
