When Are Pilots the Most Dangerous?

Complacency can often get the best of you, so do your best to avoid it.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 10:58 AM ET

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There appear to be a few times in aviation careers where pilots might get a little too complacent. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are often most vulnerable shortly after private pilot certification due to complacency and skill degradation, or when training for advanced ratings where focus on new skills can lead to the neglect of existing ones (e.g., landings during instrument training).
Overconfidence can manifest at various career stages, prompting both low-time pilots to attempt maneuvers beyond their capabilities and experienced pilots to take unnecessary risks, especially around certain flight hour milestones like 500 or 1,000 hours.
Flight instructors face unique challenges, including skill atrophy (e.g., VFR landings, instrument procedures) from primarily demonstrating maneuvers, and increased risk-taking or burnout during the monotonous time-building phase, particularly around the 750-1000 hour mark.

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When are pilots the most dangerous? This is a topic of discussion at many flight schools and anytime you get a group of seasoned CFIs together. Based on anecdotal evidence, there appear to be a few times in their aviation careers where pilots might get a little too complacent, or too cocky and overconfident, resulting in an accident or incident.

50 Hours After Private Certification

An experienced CFI once told me: “They are at their sharpest when you sign them off.” I share this knowledge with my learners, and I caution them to work hard to maintain their skills. It is not uncommon for the private pilot—as they gain more hours and experience—to become more relaxed, and procedurally, they may start to get sloppy. It starts slowly. Maybe it’s forgetting to use the checklist during the preflight inspection or engine run-up. Or maybe it’s using the “look out the window” technique to check the weather.