Page 25 - Volume 20 Number 8

Mastering your aircraft (not just “being safe”) requires mastering each of these areas: The specific aircraft, including its technology. The environment, including airspace, air traffic control (as required) and weather. Human factors, including fa- tigue management and situ- ational awareness. And something given very little attention in pilot training but that is the essence of mastery of flight, pilot responsibility and command.It’s important to note that “earning your stripes” is equally applicable in a Light Sport or Piper Cub as it is in a twin Cessna, a Baron, a PC-12, a King Air and a single-pilot Citation Mustang. The only distinction is the topics and tasks you must address to develop mastery of the specific airplane you fly, in the way you fly it.At times, you may be master of one airplane but not another, or master of one set of conditions (night, IFR, etc.) but not others. It takes constant practice and constant self- evaluation to determine when you are truly captaining your aircraft and not merely flying it.Mastery is not something you pursue and then “graduate.” It is a life-long process of retaining existing skills as you develop new ones. Whether you are paid to fly is irrelevant; the goal is to attain and retain a level of professionalism regardless of the airplane you fly... to satisfy your own goals, but also to live up to your responsibility to passengers, your family and others who depend on you, and to the industry as reflected by the public’s perception of personal aviation. It’s always appropriate to consider positive “how can we do this better?” messages from recentair crash reports. Learning from the experiences of others is a key factor in achieving mastery of your own aircraft.If you fly with mastery you will still not be completely safe. You accept risk in all things, and in personal and business aviation you freely choose to take on much more risk (and responsibility) than many people are willing to accept. But you will be as safe as the circumstances that arise in the conditions you choose to face will permit. It’s up to you to make a masterful decision about the conditions, and be ready to masterfully handle any circumstances you then face.So, the time has come for us tostop think about flying safety. Weneed to think about attaining andretaining the skills and experiencesneeded to master our aircraft and theenvironment in which we choose toyou will be as safe as possible. T&T •fly. If you master your airplane, youand those who place their trust inAUGUST 2016TWIN & TURBINE • 23Thomas P. Turner is an ATP CFII/MEI, holds a Masters De- gree in Aviation Safety, and was the 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year. Subscribe to Tom’s free FLYING LESSONS Weekly e-newsletter at www.mastery-flight-training.com.