Always be prepared to cancel your plans, even if that means unhappy passengers and a bruised ego and wallet. [Illustration: Joel Kimmel]
Key Takeaways:
A young private pilot, early in his career, learned a critical lesson about aircraft weight and balance after agreeing to fly significantly overweight passengers and their luggage in a Cessna 172.
Despite recognizing the severe overload and high density altitude, the pilot proceeded with the flight, leading to a harrowing takeoff where the aircraft barely lifted off and struggled to climb, narrowly clearing obstacles.
This near-catastrophic experience underscored the importance of never assuming passenger weights, meticulously knowing aircraft capacity limits, and always being prepared to cancel flights for safety, even if it means inconveniencing passengers.
Shortly after getting my private pilot certificate in 1966, I began my real learning in the form of a near-catastrophic mistake.
Looking back now, it dawns on me that most of what I know today did not come from the normal, required syllabus training but from life experiences, along with an occasional hair-raising event, one of which I can finally share.
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Raymond Hedrick is an 81-year-old retired private/instrument pilot, aircraft owner, and air traffic controller residing near Bakersfield, California. He now weighs 135 pounds.
