Short Answer: I wanted to bet on myself.

Exactly what did I want to bet or prove to myself? At that point in my life, I knew that if I didn’t step out on my own then, I never would. I didn’t agree with how we were teaching pilots at the school where I worked, and I wanted to teach my students a better way. So, you may ask, “Did it work?” The job didn’t, but I did. If you look online, you’ll find influencers telling you about how great it is to be an “independent instructor.” Let me share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the economics of this job.

The Good:

+ Flexible scheduling

+ Better Pay

+ Get to fly different planes

+ Can make north of $100,000 (I did)

+ No contracts

The Bad:

- Inconsistent schedule.

- You have to find your own students.

- You’re constantly changing airframes.

- Way more work (you’re running a service business).

- Extra liability (no school insurance to bail you out).

- Source your own aircraft to use.

- You only make money when you work.

The Ugly:

· Using someone else’s plane works only as long as you and the owner agree on a lot of things.

· Other schools and instructors will try to put you out of business.

· If you suck, students won’t keep coming.

· You now pay your own taxes.

The Economics:

I’ll save the economics of running a flight school for another time, but as far as an independent instructor goes, it’s pretty simple. The industry standard is to provide a service typically at $x/hr, but I, personally, prefer charging a flat rate for a specific outcome. The hard thing is to avoid getting your price sucked down by either the guys just looking for hours or by the retired guys looking for some side income. No shade, but if you’re a professional, charge what you think you’re worth. There is no “right price.” The market will tell you if you’re too high or too low for the services you provide. The law of supply and demand holds true in this industry, just as it does in every other.

So, let’s do some math to figure out how many hours you need to work to ensure you make that marketed $100,000+ income.

• $50/hr x 2000hrs = $100,000

• $65/hr x 1539hrs = $100,035

• $75/hr x 1334hrs = $100,050

• $80/hr x 1250hrs = $100,000

You save 750 hours by simply charging $30 more per flight instruction hour! The nice part about being completely independent is that you have basically zero expenses outside of taxes and fees. Depending on where you live, you could be doing pretty well, especially if you can actually fill all those hours. The hard part is that most of your students aren’t just going to walk through your doors.

Compare the rates above to the $ 20/hr many CFIs earn working for a larger school, but one of the perks of working for a larger school is consistency. You have a consistent number of students who you don’t have to source yourself. You also aren’t liable for most of the FAA, TSA, and IRS compliance. You show up, teach your students, do some recurrent training, and get a paycheck every two weeks. Students in, students out. Not a bad gig. You just have to be the best instructor you can be; however, you won’t see any extra on that paycheck for doing an excellent job.

So, should you join the ranks of “independent, CFIs?” If you think you can market yourself and want the extra responsibility, it’s an excellent job, but it’s certainly not for everyone. If you want to know more about it, let me know, and I can provide an in-depth breakdown of how I went from no students to flying almost 1,000 hours of dual instruction in my first year as an independent instructor.

CFI out

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Comments will be open this week until Friday, 8/21/26, at which point I’ll answer as many as I can in detail.

You can submit your questions one of these ways:
Substack comments (under this post)
Direct email: btcfi@gopilottraining.com
Twitter:

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What is changing?

As I said, Tailwind Tuesday will cease to be a regular weekly publication.
However, I will be changing the format to answering YOUR questions.

The New Format

Each month, I will post and open the discussion for you to leave comments with your aviation questions, and I will do my best to answer as many as I can. The floor is open, so anything involving learning theory, teaching practices, specific maneuver help, contract flying, or limited aviation business experience. I am happy to answer, and I can’t wait to see where we go.

I know it’s not the post I wanted to write this week, but it’s the post I needed to write.

So, look forward to the new format, and I look forward to your questions.

CFI, out.

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Three Strikes to Aviation Safety

So, what went so wrong to make me feel uneasy about this flight? Many pilots have a 3-strikes policy to ensure they make safe decisions. If three things seem to go wrong in the day, they call it. Aviation accidents rarely happen because of a single event, instead it is a chain of events which lead to the bad outcome. We like to call this the Swiss cheese model of aviation safety and accident prevention. When all the holes in our systems line up just right, that’s when we get an accident.

I had several things personally and while flying earlier in the day that gave me pause about this flight, but didn’t tip the scales towards canceling it. Had a few things break on a trainer airplane I flew earlier in the day, a cable snapped on my car, and I dropped my phone, decimating it in the process. While inconvenient, they aren’t the end of the world. When I arrived at my hotel that evening, the situation hadn’t improved.

After a few phone calls, the other pilot had to bail at the last minute, the owner couldn’t meet me to walk me through the plane, and I would be arriving in the desert mountains in the middle of the day. At this point, you would think I would call it, but none of these issues were mission-ending, but they certainly made me less comfortable. The final nail in the coffin was that insurance still wasn’t going to cover the airplane. That was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, and I called off the flight. Everyone’s risk tolerance is a little different, but that last part crossed a line in the sand. Especially, once you remember my most recent run-in with insurance and my personal trainer.

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What’s the moral of the story?

Have a line in the sand and DO NOT cross it. Early in your career (pilot or otherwise), someone will ask you to do something you don’t feel comfortable doing, but you say yes to because you don’t want to disappoint someone. I will tell you this: the only person you hurt is yourself. Learning to say no is a lesson that far too many people learn later in life. If your gut tells you it doesn’t seem right, trust it. Take a step back and look at the big picture, and look for the piece that makes you feel uneasy. Even if it’s hidden, it is there, and I want you to find it, because once you do, your decision becomes clear.

So, next time you have a flight you aren’t sure about, or someone asks you to do something you don’t feel right about, trust your gut. Until next week,

CFI out.

Steps to fix steep turns:

1. Shallow banks and rolls left and right like Dutch rolls, but your goal is to keep the airplane coordinated and nose level during the transition from left to right.

2. Do the same drill at 30 degrees of bank.

3. Do it in full steep turns, 45 degrees of bank, but only do 90-degree turns, focusing on rudder coordination and keeping the nose of the airplane in the same spot from start to finish.

4. Do a commercial-level steep turn at 50 degrees to feel the difference.

Pretty simple drills, right? The idea is to find the root cause of a problem and practice the skill you are missing. Instead of wasting 80-90% of your training time doing something that you already know how to do. When you break skills into their components, you shorten the time between feedback loops and improve your ability to learn and adapt.

Steep turns are just one example of this teaching technique. You can break everything down into its core skills, focus your training on perfecting each part, and then put them together. For complex skills, this style of learning dramatically increases a new student’s ability to grasp and master new concepts quickly. So, next time you’re learning something new, identify the small piece you’re missing and practice that part alone.

Until next week,

CFI out.

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Another time building accident?

Yes, another fearless pilot building time for the airlines, but not building his experience first. So, what happened? I got a call last week from a friend of mine who also rents his airplane to people. He said, “We need to start a club called People Break Our Stuff, and it’s not our fault.” Apparently, the pilot crashed a Cessna 150 about 30 miles short of his final destination. The pilot totaled the airplane, but he walked away from the accident with minor scrapes and bruises. Airplanes are replaceable, but the accident was completely preventable with proper planning.

Why did it happen?

Like most accidents, the majority of the blame falls on the pilot in this situation. The pilot in question planned one flight and changed his mind mid-flight. This decision pushed the airplane beyond its range without the pilot realizing it. He also decreased his range by climbing farther, burning more fuel. Is this a training error, or a lazy pilot? Like most of us in general aviation, he learned that the fuel gauges aren’t accurate. What he failed to realize, though, is that they are accurate when they read empty. A good pilot should also cross-check the time against the gauges to verify that you have enough fuel left. The FAA mandates that pilots have a 30- or 45-minute fuel reserve, depending on day or night conditions. Those regulatory fuel minimums are there to protect you. So, without going too far down this rabbit hole, the pilot failed to follow basic piloting practices and broke regulations trying to make it home.

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How can you avoid making the same mistake?

• Spend more time planning your flight on the ground.

• Check your fuel levels with a dipstick and visually before each flight.

• During your flight, check fuel levels and verify they seem accurate based on your planning.

• Avoid changing your flight plan without re-running performance and fuel planning.

You have so many tools at your disposal, and most students learn them in primary training. I’m afraid, though, that as pilots become more experienced, they can get complacent and forget the importance of their job. I know many pilots who passed a checkride but couldn’t explain why they did half of the tasks during their training. Foreflight doesn’t replace proper planning; it enhances it. Taking someone’s word that a plane can fly for X amount of hours is foolish. Run the performance yourself and verify it in the air. When the FAA comes to ask you questions, responding with “My instructor told me” won’t be an acceptable answer for why you crashed an airplane.

So, until next week,

Keep fuel in the tanks, and always plan properly. CFI out.

During a flight with an owner in his Cessna Conquest, I encountered the most common form of a runway incursion: a work truck on the runway. On our way to the airport, Air Traffic Control advised us of utility work 75 feet right of the runway. However, no trucks were supposed to be operating on the runway, and the airport was still open. So, when we popped out of the clouds on our approach and found a truck on the runway, we were a little surprised. The truck had no radios, no lights, and was driving away from us! If the weather had been worse, or if we hadn’t seen it, that combination could have spelled disaster for us. Following recent events, the FAA has issued guidance on how to prepare for reality during training. For many years, the guidance has been to always be prepared to go around and never assume you’re landing. However, many pilots train to say, “We see the runway, cleared to land.” At that point, the FAA now wants pilots to call “continuing the approach” instead of “landing.” This simple word switch prepares your brain like adding brake lights to the car ahead of you in traffic. When something shocks the brain, it responds much more slowly than if it's ready for it. We call this concept priming. By priming the brain to always go around, a pilot dramatically reduces their response time.

So, next time you’re out practicing approaches or landings. Prepare yourself to clear the area, even at a towered airport, and say to yourself, “Area clear, continuing the approach.”

Until next time,

CFI out.

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Always fly the airplane

The most important part in any situation for a pilot is to always fly the aircraft. We’ve all heard the saying: “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate,” but in an emergency situation, it’s easy to slide the term “investigate” in front of “aviate.” Pilots get themselves into trouble when they fail to designate someone as the pilot flying. Having two crew members, even during operations that only require one pilot, helps increase safety, as does automation. We can read the accident reports for days about how something minor turned into something major because the pilots forgot to fly the airplane.

What to do in an abnormal situation

Remain calm, realize that you freaking out isn’t going to help the situation. Trust your training and handle the situation calmly. If you have another pilot, hand the controls over to them or designate them to handle the abnormal or emergency checklist. It’s a technique, not a law, and your SOP (standard operating procedures) may tell you how to handle the situation. Then run through the checklist for the abnormality or emergency, and decide what you need to do. In most cases, you should return and land the airplane and let maintenance figure out the issue on the ground. What if you have passengers, though? Does that change anything? Well, it adds an additional step: brief the passengers. You must tell the passengers what you’re doing without giving them more information than they need.

Example: malfunction after takeoff

When you have two pilots, the pilot flying continues flying the aircraft, and then asks the other pilot to run through the appropriate checklist. After completing the checklist, the pilots inform ATC of the issue and make their request. After complying with ATC, the captain tells the passengers what’s happening and what they are going to do. Once the plane is safely back on the ground, the captain may instruct passengers to disembark while maintenance and the crew fix the problem. Maintenance then determines whether to ground the aircraft or release it to fly again if they have resolved the issue. The captain divided the tasks between the crew, informed the passengers without scaring them, and then gave the crew room to work without passengers breathing down their necks. In a single-pilot scenario, automation becomes your second pilot, but the whole process takes much more effort, reducing the pilot’s ability to scan for traffic outside of the aircraft. This scenario is just one of many reasons why I believe in two pilot crews, even when only one is required. They increase safety and efficiency, especially in emergency situations. I hope this week gave you a glimpse of how we, as pilots, handle stressful and emergency situations. Nothing is left to chance; we trust our training, skills, and each other.

So, until next week. CFI out.

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I had a local owner approach me to help him on a trip since he had installed a brand-new Garmin panel in his airplane. I have a lot of experience with Garmin products, including the exact setup he put in his aircraft. I love Garmin, and there’s a reason why they power the majority of General Aviation avionics systems. The interface is intuitive, clean, and consistent across their products. Nonetheless, if you aren’t used to them, you can get yourself into trouble real quick. So, even though the pilot could fly by hand fine, he brought me along to teach him how to run the new avionics. Thankfully, we had the opportunity to walk through a full instrument flight and approach procedure. Skipping the transition training to a new avionics setup is what gets many owners in trouble and ultimately what causes many of the accidents we see in turboprop aircraft. Pilots who aren’t proficient with the avionics make a mistake and don’t realize it or know how to fix it. If you rely on automation and advanced avionics without fully understanding them, you are no better than a passenger.

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Investing in automation

Do you want to reduce your workload? Do you want to avoid becoming a smoking hole in the ground? Then you need to invest your time in mastering your aircraft, avionics, and automation. Think of automation like an investment. You must temporarily take a hit to your income and spending so that in the future you have more leverage on your money and time. Think of skipping the transition education or practice like taking a loan. You’re borrowing from tomorrow’s safety to enhance your flights today. On the other hand, when you take time to learn your systems and automation with a qualified instructor, you invest in your future flights. You enhance your safety, speed, and skills.

Master your automation

1. Create a checklist of tasks to practice to proficiency before flying solo.

2. Add one new task each flight with a second pilot or instructor.

3. Review where you struggled.

4. Find a video or app to help you practice while you don’t fly. (Garmin has several.)

5. Don’t make assumptions based on older systems.

If you take your time, automation becomes a powerful investment in your pilot tool bag. You free up your hands while working the radios in congested airspace. Automation reduces your chances of spatial disorientation during approaches in instrument conditions. Automation is a fantastic safety tool, but you must master it. Learn when to use it, and when to turn it off. Learn how to program it properly and always monitor it. If you don’t know what it’s doing or why it’s doing it, revert to the lowest level of automation necessary. Instructors and the FAA preach this concept during initial and recurrent training; yet, we have accidents every year because someone lets the autopilot fly them into the ground. Don’t become a statistic. Use automation to reduce your work, not replace you as the pilot in command.

Until next week,

CFI out.

What happened?

I won the contract to operate the FBO at an airport in Great Bend, KS, KGBD. So, I have been occupied with getting everything set up for that, which is exciting! However, the commitment has left me with little to no free time for writing like I usually have.

The other unfortunate news is that while my training aircraft was in the maintenance shop for its annual inspection, a windstorm destroyed part of the hangar and totaled my aircraft. So, I’ve had that mess to clean up. No one was hurt, and everything will be okay, but that’s left me with even less time. Sometimes that’s just how the dice roll, and life moves on. I appreciate the continued support and look forward to being able to document the next step in my journey as I take on a few new businesses and expand my current operation.

Until next week,

CFI out.

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Pictures of the damage:

On my way back from a trip with a customer, I took a look at the predicted weather on our flight display, and we had a major thunderstorm over the airport. We were fighting a brutal headwind, so we knew the storm was moving towards us and away from our destination. We also saw that it was powered by a cold front, which meant it was moving faster than typical storms. Knowing all of this, we also saw the winds were pushing it out of our direct flight path. Taking all those things into account, we flew forward without deviating from our course.

Why did we not need to turn left or right to avoid the weather? Why did we not start planning to land somewhere else? Based on our preflight weather brief, we saw where the fronts were and knew that we were still far enough out that the storm wouldn’t get in our way. Depending on the weather and where the weather comes from, you can predict if it will end up being a bad storm and where it will go. The general rule in Aviation is to stay 20 miles from thunderstorms, but that’s merely guidance, and the actual safe distance could be much further. Remember, no matter how good you get at predicting the weather, you should always be prepared to change your plan. So, what’s the difference between the stuff we see on our screens in the plane, and what your local weatherman on the nightly news shows you?

Different types of weather radar

How Radar Works

Imagine you’re in a dark room and you yell “HEY!” at a wall. You hear the echo come back. The closer the wall, the faster the echo returns.

Radar does the same thing, except with radio waves instead of sound. The antenna sends out a pulse, it bounces off raindrops, and comes back. The radar measures:

· How long it took → telling us how far away the rain is

· How strong the bounce was → telling us how hard it’s raining

More raindrops packed together = stronger bounce = heavier rain.

Why the Colors?

The radar takes that “bounce strength” and turns it into colors so our eyes can quickly understand it. The scale is called dBZ (don’t worry about the letters — it just means “how much stuff is out there”).

So, what do the different types of radar mean, and how do you use them to help you plan your flights and when to run your errands around town? When we discuss weather radar, we (pilots) have three sources we use: Onboard, Ground-based (NEXRAD), and datalink or XM weather. Each has different things to know about and is a tool to help you make the best decisions possible.

Onboard Weather Radar

· The aircraft’s antenna transmits and receives active radar signals

· Real-time, your actual position relative to precipitation

· Shows what’s in front of you right now

· Requires interpretation skill (tilt management, gain, ground clutter)

· Latency: zero

Ground-Based NEXRAD (what the Weather Channel uses)

· Network of ~160 WSR-88D Doppler radar sites across the US

· Extremely powerful, long range, highly accurate

· What ALL datalink weather products are ultimately derived from

· Latency from scan to display: roughly 5–6 minutes minimum

Datalink/XM Weather

· Not radar at all — it’s a display of processed NEXRAD data

· Transmitted via satellite to your receiver

· Total latency can be 5–15+ minutes by the time it reaches your screen

· Excellent for strategic planning, dangerous if used tactically

We used the XM weather to help us forecast things 150+ miles ahead of us, but relied on the onboard radar once we got closer to the storm. The advantage of using both is that we can get a general idea and then confirm it with our own radar once we get within 50 miles or so. The onboard radar isn’t perfect, but it gives you an incredible advantage when trying to navigate through weather and make it home on time and in one piece. I firmly believe in not taking additional risk, and the simple rule from above is a good way to do that. If it’s green, you’re good; yellow, now you may want to deviate; anything more than yellow, and you should find another way around. The rain isn’t as much of an issue as what else comes with red. Ice at higher altitudes, hail, severe turbulence, I’ve heard many aviators tell stories of ending up upside down due to turbulence, trying to fly through a thunderstorm.

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How do you read the map and radar?

Well, that depends on what information you want from it. If you just want to know where you should and shouldn’t fly, that’s easy. If you want to know what kind of weather you can expect from an approaching storm and if you need to take cover, that takes a little more information. You need to know where the fronts are and what kind of air is mixing with them. If it’s cold air, is it cold and dry, or cold and moist? Is the warm air coming from the southwest or the southeast? I can’t get into all the weather that forms from those, but know that you’ll get worse weather during the summer, typically by warm air from the southeast mixing with cold, dry air from the northwest. You can tell that by the blue line coming from the northwest, and a red or red/blue line from the southeast, and by watching the winds. Storms will form on the edge of fronts and move along with the lines of pressure. So, watch for the H and the L on the screen to help you figure out where the storm will go. Typically, weather moves away from high-pressure (H) areas and towards low-pressure (L) areas. The colors help you out by giving you general information, such as whether the rain is light or heavy. The information comes from a much closer analysis of the weather.

Learn to read the weather and know when it’s a go or no-go. By becoming better informed and learning more about how weather works, and the technology we use to observe it, you’ll avoid getting stuck on the ground or in your house. The most important thing, though, is that sometimes it’s worth waiting and not pushing your luck. I’ve gotten caught in a few thunderstorms both in the air and on the ground, and I sure wish I hadn’t. So, next time you get a weather alert, know that they don’t issue them for fun, and you should go check the radar. If you see yellow and red heading your way, stay put and don’t push it. I wish you all clear skies and fast tailwinds this next week, and I’ll catch you all in the next post.

CFI out.

I had something like this happen the other week when I got a call from a student who said they found a new fuel leak on the rental airplane. At first, I was in shock because the airplane had never had a fuel leak before, and I knew that I hadn’t deferred important maintenance items. So, what did I do? I asked him a few questions. “When did you fuel the airplane?” “Has it been out in the heat?” “Is the fuel selector in the off position?” “Where does it look like the fuel is coming from?”

“Well, I fueled it earlier this morning, and I guess it did get hotter. The fuel selector is off, and the fuel is coming from around the fuel sump.” With that information, I told him to drain a few gallons out of the tanks and then wait 15 minutes, and it should be fine. Just to make sure, though, I went out to the airport to test it out on the ground, then in a local flight around the pattern. By the time I got out there, the leak had stopped, and the airplane ran as smoothly as ever. So, what happened?

The Physics of Fuel

Are you ready for some nerd talk? Don’t worry, I won’t go too far, but I think it’s important to understand some basics that we all know but often forget. Typically, as you heat a material up, it expands, and when you cool it down, it contracts in size or volume. If you measure the volume of avgas at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and then again at 90 degrees Fahrenheit, you will find that the fuel at the hotter temperature takes up more volume. Same fuel, different temperatures. The hotter fuel’s molecules move around more and take up more space than the colder ones. One way to visualize it is if you make a turn in a car at 60mph vs 90mph, you will make a wider turn at 90 than at 60. You need more space because you are moving faster. (I know this isn’t an exact one-to-one example, but it’s a good approximate explanation.)

Understand your systems

So, why did the fuel flow out of the fuel sump in the wing? How the Cessna C172 fuel system works is quite simple. Two tanks (one in each wing) feed to a fuel valve, which allows the fuel to flow from one tank or both tanks to the engine. You can also shut the fuel supply off at that point in the system. I want you to realize the importance of understanding your aircraft systems. If you don’t know how something works, how do you know if something is wrong during your preflight? I didn’t panic when I got the call because I knew the most likely issues. The worst-case scenario is that the aircraft is grounded, and I find someone to repair the fuel tank. The next serious issue would be a broken O-ring in the fuel sump, but the most likely issue was fuel expansion. If you don’t know what could happen or where the fuel can go, you don’t know what’s happening and will ground yourself, possibly without a good reason. If you ground the aircraft at home, but what if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere? How does that fact affect your decision? Do you accept a risk without fully understanding it? Do you try to diagnose it and do some furious googling, or ask AI? Before you do any of that, here’s an example of what Claude told me about my fuel system when I asked him a simple question for the sake of this example. Even in the age of AI, you must understand your systems, or risk making a decision based on bad advice.

Know when to accept the risk.

I am not an advocate for unnecessary risk, but sometimes the mission requires you to accept some risk. I don’t take unknown risks; that’s gambling, and I don’t like gambling with my life. Now, in aviation, we all take risks when we set foot on the flight deck. However, know what you’re getting yourself into and know the risks that you could face.

I took the plane out for a test flight after I confirmed the fuel tank wasn’t leaking anymore. I didn’t want anyone else doing the test flight because A) it is my airplane, and B) I knew what had gone wrong and weighed the possible problems. After a thorough preflight, engine test, and using all the runway available, I went up and did a few laps in the traffic pattern. No issues found, aircraft ran normally, no more fuel leaking even during a forward slip. So, we cleaned the airplane up and went ahead, and another instructor took it up for 30 minutes to drain a little more fuel.

Why did I accept that risk?

Because I knew the possible outcomes, and understood what could go wrong and how likely something was to go wrong. You accept risk every day in your life; do you understand each one? Every time we make a decision, we weigh the outcomes and decide whether the risk is worth it. Eat the apple or the cookie? Drive to work or walk? Everything has a risk tied to it, and it’s up to you to know them and judge if they are worth taking or not. So, until next week. Have fun and always learn something new!

CFI out.

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What happened? Did he crash? Did he land? Did I have to save it? Seeing as I’m writing this, I think you can probably assume that at least one of those things didn’t happen. So, here’s what did happen on that fateful day. I started by bringing him down to the office for a preflight safety briefing and a short discussion on what each control did. After that, we got out of the airplane, which I had already preflighted before he got to the airport. I ran the radios while he figured out taxiing and got ready for takeoff. I let him take off and fly around the pattern since no one was in the area. I didn’t provide any instructions beyond answering questions for safety. I wasn’t so sure he would do it because we were still screaming down on our final approach near cruise airspeeds. He began reducing power as we approached the runway. Then, right above a good roundout attitude, he pulled the nose level and bled off the rest of his airspeed. He kept holding it level, and then we touched the ground. Two soft squeaks followed shortly after the nose wheel touched the ground! I couldn’t believe it! He landed! Did he use flaps? No, but he did land it straight, on the centerline, and on the mainwheels first. I couldn’t believe it. Something that takes people hours to learn, this kid did on his first try. Why could he do it? What made his experience different from those of other students?

The Baseball Theory

Okay, this is only a theory of mine, and I haven’t done any formal testing, but I believe many baseball players make natural pilots. Piloting requires precise hand-eye coordination, and so does baseball. The landing speeds in a trainer aircraft are similar to those of a baseball. An athlete’s brain must predict and react to the ball’s speed rather than analyze it, then make a decision. If an athlete tries to think, they will miss the ball. The body instead learns to react and make small corrections. That’s the exact process that happens in a pilot’s brain during landing.

I see a similar trend across college baseball players I taught to fly. They all learned to land naturally early on during their training. However, when they start thinking about their landings or trying to put them in a specific spot, their landings fall apart. The active thinking brain is too slow to process the necessary information. To an inexperienced instructor, this backward progress may seem mysterious, but it’s only natural. The body tries to correct, but is too slow. It’s all a mindset issue, and once you get them to stop thinking so hard again, their landings will improve again. Again, no formal testing; this theory comes purely from limited observations of my students.

What do you think? Could you land an airplane without training? What about overthinking the landing? I know I struggled with this for a long time and still slip back into old habits. As Maverick says: “Don’t think, just fly.” The ability to stop thinking and allow your body to react is a game-changer for pilots. We call it a feeling; instead, I call it skill. The skill of switching from active analyzing and allowing the body to react. I had a ton of fun with this little experiment and was more impressed that he was able to repeat it twice more. Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, but three times is a pattern. Can someone land an airplane on their first attempt? Absolutely, but success may vary, and a Cessna 172 isn’t the same thing as a large airliner. So, next time you’re on a passenger plane, know that it’s possible, but unlikely, so just leave it to the professionals.

Until next week,

CFI out.

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Story

It’s a beautiful morning flight out west to the Rocky Mountains. I’m taking a new owner through his transition course into the Beechcraft Baron 58—a capable, comfortable family plane with plenty of power to get you there. To give him time to learn about aircraft systems and see a new place, we flew out to Leadville, Colorado. Leadville is the highest airport in North America, and he hadn’t experienced altitudes that high before. On our way out, we talked about some of what he could expect, as well as the different techniques we would use during landing and takeoff. Because the airport is so high, the air is quite thin, and it only gets worse as the afternoon sun heats up the atmosphere. The beauty of the mountains masks the dangers lurking for inexperienced pilots as they scream towards the ground on final approach. Thin air increases your speed across the ground but doesn’t change your indicated speed. The decrease in air density increases the landing distance, which, when faced with a cliff at the end of the runway, doesn’t exactly make you feel comfortable. That’s why knowing your aircraft and its performance matters.

I’ve flown to Leadville multiple times, and the part that always confuses students is that, before landing, we don’t really adjust the fuel mixture. On this particular trip, I instructed my student to push the mixture controls forward a little while leaving them leaned more than usual. He did exactly that, and once we were safely on the ground, I had time to explain why. The “why” is obvious once you look at the bigger picture. What altitude are we landing at? Almost 10,000 feet! It’s like being at normal cruise altitudes on a cross-country flight, where you have your mixtures set for best power and temperature per the manual. You enrich them slightly in case of a go-around, but if you add too much fuel, you could flood the engine and prevent it from producing optimal power. When you’re at an airport at such a high altitude, every bit of power you can get matters, and many a pilot has suffered from misunderstandings of high-altitude airport operations.

Once we were on the ground, I had the opportunity to look through the aircraft performance charts and have him calculate his takeoff and safety margin. He quickly realized that even if he wasn’t at max weight, he could be in danger, depending on the weather. My student commented on the takeoff and climb performance on our way back home later, “That was different. I see why you need to know that stuff before you go.” You may be able to get into an airport, but can you get out again?

The second story about Density Altitude

Why do I share another story about density altitude? If you remember the first one, I flew with a student in a Cessna C150 out of the Denver area and barely cleared the obstacles. If you haven’t read that story, you can do it here. ADD HOTLINK. My job as an instructor is to improve aviation safety through education, and we lose planes and pilots every year to density altitude. A rough estimate from NTSB aircraft accident data shows that around 50 accidents a year occur due to a pilot failing to account for density altitude.

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What can you do about density altitude?

Understand your aircraft. Ask why the performance chart ends at 10,000’ and understand what it means when you go beyond the tested data. Understand the risks associated with high-altitude airports and hot summer days. Run all your numbers and fly as professionally and as well as you can. The biggest thing you can do? Don’t go if the weather doesn’t favor you. Most accidents stem from the “get-there-itis” thoughts. Remember the old saying, if you have time to spare, go by air.

Air density and density altitude

As an aircraft climbs higher in the atmosphere, air density decreases. Pilots refer to this relationship as density altitude (DA). So, when we talk about a “high density altitude,” we mean that the air is thinner than usual. Temperature, humidity, pressure, and altitude all affect air density. Air density decreases as temperature, humidity, and altitude increase, but increases as air pressure increases.

Why does performance decrease with DA?

The air is thinner at higher altitudes. There, that’s your answer. Not happy? Okay, let me explain without getting too technical. The air closer to Earth’s surface has more stuff above it, pushing it down and making it denser. As you go further away from the ground, the air gets thinner for two reasons: there is not as much air compacting the air beneath it, and the air has to fill a larger space with the same amount of air that you find at the ground.

Less air means you can fly faster through it and burn less fuel, which is great for cruise, but not so much for takeoff and landing.

Wings and Props:

With less air to push against, the wings and propellers make less lift. Think of it like trying to swim through the air vs the water. Your hands move more easily through the air, but you aren’t going to go anywhere. When you swim in the water, it’s harder to move your hand, but you can actually go somewhere. That relationship is like what happens on a smaller scale when your propeller and wing try to create lift at higher altitudes.

Engines:

Think about how it’s harder to breathe when you’re climbing a mountain? No, it’s not just because you’re out of shape although that might be part of the problem. The real issue comes from thin air. Each breath you take at higher altitudes contains less oxygen than down low. Likewise, the engine can’t get enough oxygen to burn with the fuel. That means it can’t make as much power at higher altitudes as it could at lower altitudes. Just like you running out of air on a mountain hike, the engine runs out of air faster and can’t push as hard. The other often-overlooked problem is engine cooling. Thinner air doesn’t cool the engine as well, so pilots sometimes have to reduce their climb rate or power settings to keep engine temperatures within limits. All of these factors limit the airplane’s ability to create power, and sometimes that’s enough to make a flight impossible.

Wrapping it all up

As summer approaches and people push their limits, I want you to remember something. You can always go later, you can always go tomorrow. Sometimes, even if the math says it’s possible, the weather shifts slightly and makes it impossible in reality. We lose too many planes and pilots each year due to people pushing past their personal minimums or underestimating Mother Nature. Density altitude isn’t just something you learn to pass a test. It’s a real silent killer, so know when your number is up. Don’t end up hot, high, and heavy, with regrets. It’s always better to be on the ground wishing you were in the sky than in the sky hoping not to hit the ground.

Until next week,

CFI out.

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A few weeks ago, I took a couple of kids on their first flight. Both of the boys were excited and taking pictures before the flight. I gave them a briefing, and then we were off to the runway! Now, think of a small plane like a small fishing boat. Small planes get pushed around by the air more than large airliners do. Some people love it, some people hate it, but you eventually grow accustomed to it.

When we took off, everything seemed to go smoothly, but as the bumps from the afternoon air began pushing the aircraft around, a formerly-excited passenger looked less and less thrilled. I’m not new to motion sickness, but I hoped that he would only have a little discomfort. Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario happened, and I had to break out the sick sacks. The motion sickness got the best of him, and I was glad our flight wasn’t too long. You can try to mitigate motion sickness by finding smoother air, but sometimes there’s nothing you can do for a passenger. So, let’s look at what causes it.

What causes motion sickness?

Without boring you with all the medical and scientific details, motion sickness occurs when the brain and body are out of balance. Your brain uses multiple ways to figure out where it is in space. The three systems it primarily uses are called the somatosensory, vestibular, and visual. Those are all fancy ways of saying, “The body keeps itself oriented using the eyes, organs in the ears, and the nerves in the body.” If, for whatever reason, the brain receives conflicting signals from one or all of those systems, it can lose its balance and succumb to motion sickness or spatial disorientation. The brain will then trigger the same pathways it uses to remove toxins from the body, which can lead to nausea.

Dehydration

You may also become more susceptible to motion sickness in very hot environments and when you’re dehydrated. Dehydration stresses the body and reduces its ability to cope with nausea or motion sickness. Staying properly hydrated will help your body feel more relaxed and comfortable, further reducing the risk of motion sickness.

Concussions

Another secret danger that you may not consider is the aftereffects of a concussion. The concussion can damage the brain’s visual and vestibular systems. This damage impairs a person’s ability to interpret motion signals properly, increasing the risk of motion sickness.

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How can you prevent it?

Medication

The simplest remedy is taking a medicine to relieve or prevent the feelings of motion sickness. It may not always work, but if you have a history of motion sickness, they are worth a try. You can get many over-the-counter remedies, such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), meclizine (Bonine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), promethazine, and scopolamine. If you’re a pilot or an aspiring pilot, you may not be allowed to take these medications as the FAA heavily scrutinizes medication use. If you do, always consult an aviation medical examiner who can guide you down the right path.

Looking forward

Looking forward helps keep your eyes engaged and aligned with the aircraft’s motion. Remember, your brain registers motion sickness when the vestibular system is out of sync with your other senses. Looking forward helps your brain predict where the aircraft is heading and cross-checks what it feels inside the ear. I know several people who can fly an airplane or sit in the front without an issue, but those same people will feel sick if they aren’t in control or able to see out the windshield. Everyone is a bit different, but that’s one thing you can try to help reduce the sick feeling.

Proper rest and hydration

Motion sickness is one way the body responds to stress. Dehydration and fatigue increase the body’s stress. If you want a better chance at fighting motion sickness, give it all the support you can. Drink plenty of fluids and add some electrolytes, especially if you’ve been outside all day. Your brain and body need water and essential minerals to function. Help it recover with sleep, and give it the proper fuel during the day.

Fresh Air

The last thing you can do is try to get some cool, fresh air to the person experiencing motion sickness. If you search online for this one, you may find several answers. How effective or beneficial this one is, I can’t say for sure. However, fresh air should stimulate the brain, lower its temperature, and help remove any unpleasant odors from the area. It’s not perfect, but if you’re sick, I would try anything at that point.

Ways to think about turbulence

Often, what makes someone feel motion sick is the little rocks, bumps, and bounces during a flight. They may feel anxious (stress), and that then puts their mind and body in a compromised position. So, to help you understand what turbulence is, I want you to imagine something.

Picture a lake. Now, picture yourself in a small boat on the lake. Now, imagine the wind is blowing, and you have some waves in the water, causing the boat to rock up and down.

The same thing happens with an airplane. The air is like the water, and the plane is like the boat. The air moves around, and the airplane gets pushed a little bit by it. The small bumps can be unpleasant, but they aren’t dangerous. Turbulence, unless it’s severe, won’t cause an issue for the airplane. If you aren’t expecting it, it may be a bit startling, but just put the plane back where you want it and keep going about your day. Eventually, it becomes like riding a bike, and you don’t even think about it anymore than you do balancing on a bicycle.

Hopefully, this week has helped inform you about some of the effects and remedies for motion sickness. When your brain falls out of balance, so does your body, and it reacts by trying to remove anything that might have caused it. That’s why you feel nauseous. Medications like Dramamine and scopolamine can help reduce the body’s response, but may not work 100% of the time. Motion sickness isn’t weird; in fact, it’s quite common. Give yourself the best shot by preparing beforehand. If you’re flying, avoid stressing about turbulence; thinking about the bumps won’t make your symptoms better. The plane is like a boat on the water; it won’t suddenly fall out of the sky. Trust the pilot; they don’t want to be in turbulence any more than you do. It’s going to be all right. So, until next week, keep your head straight and fly smoothly.

CFI, out.

If you’ve flown commercial in the last year, the term “maintenance issue” is familiar. Maintenance issues vary substantially, from a minor issue like an inspection door not closing properly to a major issue that grounds the aircraft. The pilots make the best safety call they can and try to keep things running smoothly, but sometimes that’s not possible. So, is aviation safe? Should you worry when you get delayed? Why didn’t they fix the plane before you boarded? If you find yourself asking these types of questions, then let me try to answer them today. Buckle up and get ready for another Tailwind Tuesday and a lesson from the flightline.

Why aren’t you moving?

The pilots from the flight deck apologizing for a maintenance issue after everyone boards isn’t anything new. The pilots avoid specifics to avoid liability and to keep passengers comfortable. Even if a pilot explained the issue, most passengers wouldn’t know what that means, and it would cause panic. So, if you ever hear a PA announcement before your flight about a delay, keep this in mind: your pilot won’t depart in an aircraft that isn’t safe because their life is at risk just as much as yours.

Now, to answer the question: you aren’t leaving the gate for any number of reasons— maintenance being one of the most common. Traffic delays, weather, crews, maintenance, dispatching issues, fuel, and a host of other factors can cause delays. ATC and airlines will keep you on the ground rather than in the air for delays since it’s cheaper and safer.

What about the maintenance?

If the airplane landed here, why would anything change between flights? Let me introduce you to the third truth of life: death, taxes, and broken airplanes. Thankfully, the FAA regulates the industry heavily to ensure your safety. Each airplane has a certificate called an “airworthiness certificate.” An airworthiness certificate never expires, but it can become invalid if something breaks on the aircraft. What if it’s something minor, though, like a light bulb? Then the pilots refer to the MEL and follow its instructions.

What is an MEL?

The MEL, a document that you can get for an airplane by working with the FAA, allows you to fly with nonessential systems broken. This document guides pilots through a set of steps they must take before they can fly the airplane. If it’s required or not in the MEL, then all the flight crew can do is wait for maintenance to fix the issue, if possible.

Pilots, mechanics, and airlines all have their certificates on the line when something breaks. A pilot won’t fix something on an airliner, which is why even minor things often need maintenance to take a look and say that they are okay. The most annoying issues are often electrical, and sometimes a faulty sensor can ground an entire aircraft. So, have patience and know everyone is working their hardest to get you where you need to go.

Next time you’re sitting, waiting to depart, remember that there is a good reason. As annoying as it is to get stuck on the ground, I would always rather be on the ground wishing I were in the air, than in the air wishing I were on the ground.

Until next week,

CFI out.

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Why do we restart checklists?

In the airline industry, pilots must restart a checklist if they are interrupted while completing it. Why do they have this rule? Well, humans tend to have spotty memories at best. Our brains make up information and fill in the gaps that we’re missing, which is called “confabulation.” Just like the example above, when we get distracted, our brains can’t jump right back to where we were.

How many times have you been reading something, been asked a question, and then had to reread things because you lost your place?

It happens all the time.

When a pilot gets interrupted, they can miss critical pieces of equipment, just like that oil dipstick and cap. You can trace many gear-up landing accidents to a distracted pilot during approach. The cockpit is a complex and unforgiving environment. Pilots use checklists to address memory issues. Sure, some things are committed to memory, but if it’s routine, pilots use a checklist. Human error accounts for the majority of aircraft accidents. That’s why we need systems that factor in our shortcomings. Restarting from the beginning isn’t efficient, but it’s a whole lot safer.

How many times have you checked your phone, answered a message, or looked at something else while reading this article? Your focus is fractured. Our brains “task switch” so quickly in our digital age. Most people lose focus on their task within 13 minutes. If you search online for “How long does it take to refocus after a distraction?” You’ll find countless articles claiming 23-25 minutes. I can’t say how true that estimate is, but it should warn you about how costly distractions can be to our focus. When a pilot is interrupted, they restart their checklist. When you get distracted, you don’t have a clear restart point in your daily life. You waste time, energy, and focus trying to remember where you left off.

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Ways to stay focused

1. Outline your day

2. Remove the phone

3. Go to a less distracting environment

Outline your day

I’m far from a perfect optimizer, but there are some simple things I’ve done to improve my focus throughout the day. I’ve borrowed it from flying. I create a checklist of things to do before the day begins. Just as writers outline their work before they write, I outline my day. That list serves as a reference.

Remove the phone

Our phones rob us of countless hours every day. Notifications, calls, texts, videos, and doomscrolling all interrupt our focus. Some ways I’ve mitigated distractions are by removing my phone during certain times when I’m doing deep work. If that’s not possible, turning the screen to black and white can help lower our desire for it. The easiest way is to put it in do-not-disturb mode. Anything that decreases your need to check it will help here.

Go to a less distracting area.

You want to be in a room with white walls, no windows, a soundproof door, and a ball and chain around your ankle to keep you focused. I say that half-jokingly. For some people, that’s what they need. For other people, a busy coffee shop and earbuds are a better environment. The idea is to remove distractions from your environment. Whatever that environment is for you, you should do what helps you focus. For pilots, we use a rule called “sterile cockpit.” Below 10,000 feet, the crew should communicate only as necessary for flight safety. Create an environment where it’s difficult to get distracted and miss a checklist.

Distractions plague our society. Everyone suffers from a lack of focus, but for a pilot, that can mean death. Fight for your focus like it’s life or death. As we continue to see with major headlines, a lapse of focus for even a few seconds can spell disaster. How will you push back against distractions this week? I hope you take it seriously and find ways to reclaim your attention.

Until next week,

CFI out.

Free Resources?

Before the Terminators get turned on or Jarvis takes over the system, we need to understand how we benefit from this technology. Single-pilot resource management uses all available resources to handle situations as we discussed last week (TWT - SRM). I want us to look at how we use automation in our lives outside of aircraft this week. So, buckle up and get ready for take-off into another Tailwind Tuesday.

SRM examples in our lives

Technology, long before the rise of AI, dramatically changed people’s lives. Things like washers and dryers, freezers, and even typewriters revolutionized people’s lives. Now, those things may seem trivial to you and me today, but for their time, they completely changed how people organized their lives.

Today, we use technology as a part of our everyday SRM flows. Instead of going to the library to look up a piece of information, you can pull out your phone and Google it or ask an AI. Instead of carrying a paper calendar (no shade if you still do), we use a calendar app. Most people would agree that these advancements are fantastic! You don’t need to memorize phone numbers, you don’t need to memorize your favorite recipes, or even your friend’s birthday. You get the picture? Technology augments your abilities, but when you rely on it too much, you begin losing pieces of your life.

Complexity beyond the Cockpit

Our lives beyond the cockpit have become much more complex in recent times. Over the last 100 years, technology has allowed us to spend less time on boring chores and more time on passion projects or at work. We have gradually increased the number of things we do. Much like a frog in boiling water, we didn’t notice the gradual increase in the complexity of our lives. We’ve become reliant upon technology to handle certain tasks and give us time to manage our busy schedules. It’s still possible to task-saturate yourself. Today, you mustn’t drown yourself in productivity. There’s the temptation to put one more thing on the list, because it’s possible. It might be better to first ask if it is helpful. Will this make my day better or move me forward in a meaningful way? When you use automation and technology to improve your life, you’re using SRM. Sometimes you need to use CRM (crew resource management) instead. If you feel as if you’re bouncing from one task to the next without a second to breathe, ask for a holding pattern and talk to your crew (friends, family, or coworkers).

What about adding AI to your CRM or SRM toolbox?

AI is an incredible tool, not perfect, but powerful enough to handle many of our boring computer tasks. However, AI is NOT some magic bullet. Treating it like something that can compensate for your lack of skill will only hurt you in the long run. AI is a multiplier. AI will multiply your current skills. If your skills are zero, even if AI can multiply your skills by 100, anything multiplied by zero is still zero. Now, if your skills are a 10, congratulations, it’s like you’re at level 1000 now! Listen, if all that math didn’t make sense, remember: AI is a lever, a tool, it is only as good as you are. It can’t make up for a lack of skill. It won’t be able to replace someone exceptional. It can’t replace original thoughts either. If you want to use it to offload your creativity, be extremely careful.

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How to use AI in your SRM

AI is useful as a quick sounding board. If you want fast feedback, it might be helpful. Always make sure you vet its answer, though.

I use AI to help me reformat documents and convert documents. It’s a very good tool for data collection and pattern recognition. Right now, AI is a predictive algorithm. It will do what you tell it to do, based on what you or other people have done in the past. Strict logic and safeguards govern AI, so you must understand what it can and can’t do.

Unless you give it every single piece of information about a situation, you shouldn’t ask it for advice. That would be like asking an autopilot whether to climb or descend, but not telling it there’s a mountain ahead. It would be madness to rely on your autopilot without some guidance. That’s why pilots still program it, then the autopilot handles the fine controls to meet what the pilot told it to do. You should treat AI the same way. Give it clear objectives, with specific instructions and information for each part. You can use AI to automate some of the fine controls, but you still ultimately need to make the decision and provide guidance.

AI will revolutionize the world and add another tool to your SRM toolbox. Your responsibility is to learn how to use it and integrate it into your life. Remember, like every other form of automation, AI is only as good as its user. The ones who will benefit most from technology are those who learn to augment their capabilities without replacing human abilities.

CFI out

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The addition of technology to the cockpit isn’t new, but the level of automation and information can be overwhelming. I find that too often, people try to put automation and technology into things that don’t need them. Flight training aircraft have become more about learning automation management than building flying skills. I see the argument; it’s what students will need later in their careers. However, recent reports show that many pilots rely heavily on automation on each flight.

The FAA and examiners place a heavy emphasis on SRM and the proper use of technology during check flights. I’m a huge proponent of technology and love how much safer and easier flying has become over the years. I want you to ask yourself something: “Am I accepting tighter margins because of technology?” In other words, do you take more risks because you have technology? In our personal lives, this could mean cramming more activities in our schedules until we rush from one thing to another, and if something goes wrong, our day feels ruined. Thanks to technology, have you accepted more risk than necessary?

“Darn, there’s a chance of snow and low cloud ceilings coming in this afternoon.” That’s what went through my head when I woke up for a contract trip in a Cirrus SR22 earlier this year. The weather forecasted light snow and some lower clouds at my destination. I knew that the technology available to me on the Cirrus would protect me from most of the weather, assuming it didn’t get worse. I had a full day of flying ahead of me and passengers counting on me to get them to their destination safely. I didn’t have another pilot with me on the trip; I would be flying solo.

The Cirrus makes flying super simple. Heavily automated systems, advanced avionics, and anti-icing capabilities make it the king of the skies for single-engine piston aircraft. Between the screens, weather radar, and my iPad, I knew my flight inside out and backward before even encountering any weather. During one of my legs, I planned to fly just below the forecasted clouds, but I ended up flying through snow and some precipitation and requested a lower altitude to avoid the clouds. I knew from my icing and cloud forecasts that I couldn’t climb above the weather, so I immediately requested a lower altitude from ATC. They assigned it, and while the autopilot began the descent, I ran a quick fuel calculation on my notepad using the Cirrus’ engine page. I was able to handle everything in less than 60 seconds from encountering the precipitation, thanks to the tools available inside and outside the aircraft.

I share this story to give you an example of proper SRM and the use of technology. SRM helped me avoid a dangerous situation with an aircraft that can lull you into a sense of invincibility. As it turns out, the “light snow” the forecasts had predicted instead dropped a heavy 6-8 inches just a couple of hours after I left. SRM is an active process that—if used properly—will ensure a successful outcome each flight. Use the tools available to enhance your decision-making, not as a replacement for it.

What is SRM

According to the FAA, “Single-Pilot Resource Management (SRM) is about how to gather information, analyze it, and make decisions.” Simply, SRM helps pilots make decisions using all available information. The success of SRM relies on the pilot’s proficiency with equipment and resources. It does a pilot no good to have all of the information in the world but have no idea how to access it. Likewise, a pilot can know how to get all the information but not understand what it means. Both of these situations greatly increase the risk of each flight.

The 5P approach to SRM

Plan, Plane, Pilot, Passengers, and Programming

The 5Ps aren’t another aviation mnemonic to memorize. They are a process to help you sort through information and make better, faster decisions.

The Plan

The plan includes all your basic flight elements: weather, route, fuel, weight and balance, current charts, updated NOTAMs, etc. Your plan can evolve, and you should update it as you receive new information. A bad plan will lead to a bad outcome. You should spend the extra few minutes on the ground planning to ensure the rest of the flight goes smoothly.

The Plane

The plane includes all components and systems. Is anything broken? Are my databases up to date? Is there a weird sound during preflight? You want to check everything with your plane and discover anything that could go wrong while you’re still on the ground. You should know everything about your aircraft before departure; this will ensure your safety and help you address any problems mid-flight. As a wise examiner once told me, “Son, there’s no place to pull over in the sky.” You can’t stop your flight like a simulator or pull over to the side of the road while you’re flying. If something goes wrong, you must deal with it, and sometimes you don’t have great landing options.

The Pilot

The majority of aircraft accidents involve human error. This part of the 5P model addresses the pilot’s ability to handle the aircraft. Are you current for the flight? Are you proficient in the aircraft? Do you have any Illnesses, Medications, Stress, Alcohol imbibed, Fatigue, or Emotions that would jeopardize the flight? Performing the IMSAFE self-assessment can help you make safer decisions later by helping you understand your current limitations.

The Passengers

Passengers can increase a pilot’s stress by imposing deadlines and expressing fears about flying. A pilot must realize they are the PIC of the flight and take the appropriate action to ensure everyone’s safety. Sometimes, when you have good passengers, they greatly enhance flight safety by watching for traffic and helping with radio communication. Understand the types of passengers on board and tailor the plan to their needs.

The Programming

Programming refers to aircraft systems, autopilots, and portable devices. When used properly, these resources greatly reduce a pilot’s workload. However, if programmed incorrectly, they can distract the pilot and lead to disaster. Many aircraft accidents result from pilots forgetting to fly the aircraft while they sort out a computer glitch. Learn to use these systems to lighten your workload, but never become reliant upon them to do your job. If it’s not doing what you want, remember: your first job is always to fly the aircraft. Know your limitations, and get some extra training to help you manage the systems.

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When SRM breaks down (Pitfalls!)

Complex environments, Fatigue, External Pressure

Complex environments

When everything happens all at once, the information overload can be too much for a single pilot to handle. Many business aircraft are certified for single-pilot operations, but the statistics don’t lie. Two pilots make flying safer. When the automation fails, a pilot can quickly become task-saturated, especially in difficult conditions.

Fatigue

One of the major pitfalls in aviation is a fatigued pilot. Fatigue decreases a pilot’s ability to solve problems and multitask. They react more slowly, and sometimes fatigue is worse than being drunk. Performing an IMSAFE checklist before you fly is vital to ensuring a safe flight.

External Pressure

Get-there-itis wrecks good SRM, whether from a pushy client, bad weather, or the need to get to a meeting. Those external stresses create an environment where you ignore possible dangers because you don’t want to think about them. Many high-profile crashes happened because of a pushy passenger. You must not let your ego or job get in the way of making a safe decision. At the end of the day, your life is on the line. If you don’t feel safe doing something, and you still do it, the outcome rests on your shoulders.

Whether you’re a professional or a hobbyist, SRM will lay a foundation for a long and safe aviation journey. The concepts here aren’t just good thoughts: they will save your life. They can transform you from a weekend warrior to a professional aviator. SRM goes far beyond the cockpit, if you let it. Next week, I’ll explain how you can use SRM in your daily life to manage that seemingly chaotic environment. So, stay tuned, remember to have fun, and learn something new today!

CFI out

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