From the time I was a teenage recruit in the Navy I had always wanted to fly. Some five years later I had my opportunity to get my private pilot’s license. That wasn’t enough for me, so I applied for a G.I. Bill benefit and began working on advanced ratings, eventually earning my CFII, AMEL and ultimately my ATP.
A Wannabe Corporate Pilot Learns a Lesson
Key Takeaways:
- The pilot learned the critical importance of independently verifying airport suitability, runway length, and operational restrictions rather than relying on second-hand information, after a dangerous landing and takeoff at an unfamiliar, restricted airport.
- A harrowing winter flight underscored the necessity of meticulous cold-weather preparation, including thorough defrosting of the entire aircraft and ensuring all systems, such as engines and landing gear, are fully warmed and operational before attempting flight.
- Both incidents reinforced the overarching lesson in aviation to never make assumptions and to always conduct thorough pre-flight checks and independent verification of all flight conditions and airport specifics.
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