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The Speed of Stupid
by Scott Kraemer
During my time as a professional pilot, I was amazed how frequently Newton’s third law of physics was proven. And just how often Newton’s “ghost” revealed itself in the avia-
tion world. I found that the compound effect of that particular theory mixed with the element of time can either take the form of a welcomed blessing or an unwanted curse. Hence, things in motion can be subject to unexpected and devilish cause and effect. Here is a case in point.
After several years working for Beechcraft, I had elevated my status to Demonstration Captain and Regional Sales Director. In those days, I was covering five Midwest states (in which I spoke four of the five languages). It was a dynamic and incredible ride. But make no mistake, simultaneously flying and selling demands extreme professionalism as they are two
very different responsibilities.
Selling required product knowledge, personality, honesty and relationship building. While performing pilot duties required training, discipline and intense check rides. But once you passed this gauntlet, the ability to perform both roles was especially useful in two cases: when single pilot operations were necessary, and when demoing an owner-operator. It also presented a great opportunity for customer bonding as long as you kept it safe and used good judgement. The fol- lowing is a true “Newton ghost story” that took place many years ago when the King Air B200GT was first introduced to the market.
The mission was simple: depart Wichita (ICT) at 6:30 a.m. CST; arrive Centennial Denver (APA) 7:30 a.m. MST for an 8:30 a.m. owner-flown pilot demo. The demo would be followed by a client meeting then I would return to Wichita by early afternoon. The weather was clear and calm, how- ever, there had been forest fires near Colorado Springs which had died down overnight.
For every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction.
– Newton’s Third Law
12 • TWIN & TURBINE
August 2018
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL BOWEN PHOTOGRPAHY