Safety Spotlight: Pilot in command

I had met Rich, the Eurocopter pilot, at a bar the night before. We were both on vacation, and struck up an interesting conversation about the joys of low-altitude, slow-speed flying. We could relate, since that’s the kind of flying I’m doing the most of recently in my Piper Super Cub: wandering the countryside, immersed in the joy of flying. It’s rarely directly point A to point B, and time just seems to slip by pleasantly.

I’m careful with whom I fly, especially in an aircraft that I am not trained or proficient in flying. Once, during my time as flight leader for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, I was home on vacation, bumming around our local airport, and met a pilot about to go flying. We chatted for a bit and when he offered the right seat to join him, I took it. After engine run-up he concluded his pretakeoff briefing by stating that if we had any problems, he would give “Thunderbird 1” the airplane and I would get us down safely. Whoa! I asked him to pull to the side of the run-up area and made clear to him that he was the pilot in command: The success of this flight would depend on him. If we had a problem, I could offer some support from broad aviation experience, but our success would depend on his knowledge, his analysis, and his actions. I asked him to pause and let that sink in before we took off. The flight went well, and he later mentioned it was a valuable learning experience for him on the responsibility of being PIC.

I love flying with this kind of pilot: fun when conditions allow, all business when it’s appropriate.I immediately felt at ease with Rich, the Eurocopter pilot. We flew out of a place he frequents, and the line personnel are top notch. Still, he closed his own fuel cap. It’s too critical an item to leave to anyone else. This self-described “couple hundred hour pilot” was already showing good judgment. As we strapped in, he instructed me on the seat adjustments, the seat belts, and the emergency exit. As all of us know, these are required briefing items, but they’re frequently dismissed. Rich demonstrated the flight controls, reminded me to keep clear, and noted the dangers of inadvertent interference. He didn’t hesitate on any of these items for fear of insulting my intelligence; he went through these preflight items smoothly and confidently. No doubt in my mind, this is always his routine.

We chatted amiably, but at start time, he was all business. We departed in silence as he climbed up to 500 feet and we began cruising.

I love flying with this kind of pilot: fun when conditions allow, all business when it’s appropriate. As we cruised the Florida Keys, he offered me the controls and didn’t hesitate to point out errors and offer suggestions and techniques. At one point over a desolate stretch, I asked what we’d do if we lost our engine. Without hesitation, he pointed me to a small mangrove forest just off our starboard side, and then discussed where we’d go if that weren’t available, and how he’d handle a ditching. It was clear: Not only was he thinking about it as we flew, he had put a lot of thought into this contingency.

As we returned to the airport, he took the aircraft and flew a fixed-wing pattern to more easily flow into traffic without disrupting operations. Managing winds of five gusting to 13 knots, he taxied to our parking spot and rotated us 270 degrees, settling perfectly aligned on our tiedown spot. He talked me through his shut-down and explained how he always engages the rotor-brake at a certain blade position as a sign his shut-down is complete.

I learned Rich is a true “couple hundred hour pilot” and not just a one-hour pilot, a couple hundred times. The flight was immensely enjoyable and a reminder to me that there’s no shortage of good pilots who serve as an inspiration to all of us.

Go fly—and no matter who you’re flying with, if you’re pilot in command, embrace all that stands for. You earned it.

Email [email protected]