Thorough preparation and thoughtful execution are key
The for-real flying comes later, after we've earned the certificate and can use it to go places for reasons other than to just go flying for flying's sake. We practice so that we can do the for-real stuff safely, and with confidence. Confidence is important. It keeps us in the proper frame of mind to tackle the dynamic process that is flying. A confident pilot puts passengers' minds at ease, too.
Practice flying typically involves repetition. If we want to sharpen our ability to handle crosswind takeoffs and landings, we'll spend an hour or so making circuits to a crosswind runway. We fully expect to make mistakes as we practice; it's how we learn. Recognize the error, analyze what caused the error, think about what's needed to avoid making the same mistake next time, then test your theory by making another circuit. And another. Practice makes perfect, or so we hope.
For-real flying is taking the family to the beach for a weekend, calling on a customer in a distant town, or attending a big event. Unlike practice flying, when we're doing it
For-real flying does not offer the comfort zone of repetition, of being able to make mistakes and then trying to correct them on the second, third, or fourth attempt. For-real flying is out-and-back, no-excuses, get-it-right-the-first-time flying. It's why we do the practice part.
Let's say you're planning to fly to a town some 150 miles north to call on a customer. The town is served by a small general aviation airport with a 3,000-foot-long, 50-foot-wide runway carved out of a woodsy hilltop. The forecast calls for good--not great--VFR for the entire flight. The latest weather for an airport near the destination--which does not have weather observations or forecasts--reports a seven-kt crosswind component, and the TAF promises that it will get stronger.
The practicing is over. It's show time. How do we go about conducting the perfect flight--or as perfect as we can make it--when it's for real? By putting together a winning combination of thorough preparation and thoughtful execution.
Be prepared. This is where a well-executed, for-real flight begins. The foundation is built on all of that practicing you've been doing. The next step is to gather all the necessary information about the trip including the weather, the destination airport, and the airplane you'll be flying. Being prepared with thorough knowledge instills confidence and precludes surprises.
Use all of your tools. Know how to use the equipment in the airplane, and then use it. This means not only the sophisticated GPS navigator, but also the communications radios. Contact air traffic control and request VFR traffic advisories. It's simple, cheap insurance toward collision avoidance, and ready assistance in the event you encounter a problem.
Check in with flight watch to get an update on weather en route and at the destination. Approaching the destination airport monitor the unicom frequency to get a feel for traffic and active runway.
Think ahead. The best defense against making mistakes is a good offense, and the best offense is built around thinking ahead of the airplane and the flight. Anticipate the next step, your next action.
Ask yourself questions about what lies ahead. "What is the next waypoint, and the outbound course? When will I begin the descent from cruise altitude? What speed and altitude do I want to be at five miles from the runway? What speed should I use on final given the likelihood of some turbulence--those trees--and the crosswind? Should I use full or partial flaps on the approach?" If you are reacting to events instead of anticipating them, you are already behind the eight ball.
Fly within your limits. "Well, of course," you say. "Who, other than a fool, wouldn't fly within their limits?" The fact is, lots of well-meaning pilots have busted their limits, with consequences ranging from a good scare to disaster. Busting limits is what can happen when we're afflicted by "get-home-itis"--a desire to see the flight through to the intended destination in spite of factors that should trigger better judgment and decision-making.
In our scenario, the weather en route could deteriorate to something approaching marginal VFR. The crosswind at the destination field may be much stronger than what is being reported at the nearby field. Either change in expectations should prompt the pilot to reevaluate Plan A.
Prepare for arrival. A cross-country flight involving a long period in the cruise phase can have an insidious effect on concentration. You set the airplane up for extended cruise by leveling off, adjusting power, and leaning the mixture. Your mind goes into a similar cruise mode. With little to do other than navigate and communicate, concentration can back down from the 100-percent power setting that prevailed for takeoff and climb.
This is especially true if the airplane is equipped with sophisticated avionics and an autopilot. The time spent in cruise is devoted to monitoring the avionics and instruments rather than in hands-on, stick-and-rudder aircraft control. The monotone drone of the engine, the warm sun filtering in through the windows--it's easy to drift into a semi-hypnotic state.
You've heard the airline captain come on the public address system and instruct the flight attendants to "prepare for arrival." You might consider making that same announcement--to yourself--as you prepare to transition from cruise to the approach phase of the flight. You'll need all your concentration for the approach and landing, especially if the destination features a narrow strip surrounded by trees and buffeted by a crosswind.
Perfect flights are illusory. Most are characterized by small but frustrating mistakes. The pursuit of perfection is a big part of the attraction of flying, and at no time is that pursuit more important and more rewarding than when we're flying for real.
Mark Twombly is a writer and editor who has been flying since 1968. He is a commercial pilot with instrument and multiengine ratings and co-owner of a Piper Aztec.
Related Articles
