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A man who carries a cat
by the tail learns something
he can learn in no other way.
– Mark Twain
Evaluate risk factors before each flight. Once airborne, any new risks must also be appraised. Like carrying a cat by the tail, sometimes we can only learn by doing. But stay away from the blurry edge of the envelope created by the safety margins everyone adds; this is the operational area where you accumulate risk. The original envelope is for a factory-new machine, flown in good weather by a test pilot. The true edge of the envelope may be inside the lines and not outside. If you end up near the lines, take action to ensure you limit future risk. When you find yourself beaten down by a malfunction or a mistake, take a breath and consider your options. And if your airplane, physical and mental abilities, or luck seem to be used up, when do you submit to defeat? Never. You are not only a pilot; you are a Captain. Keep your hands on the controls and work the problem. When told by Captain “Mal” Reynolds to “just get the ship on the ground,” serenity pilot “Wash” Washburne replied, “That part’ll happen pretty definitely.” Since our airplanes
will also get on the ground “pretty definitely,” our job is to get them there in as few pieces as possible. And when in the process of getting the ship on the ground, you need to deviate from rules, regulations or procedures – just do it.
Bob Hoover summed it up nicely: “If you’re faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible.” And Ernest Gann said, “If an airplane is still in one piece, don’t cheat on it. Ride the bastard down.” Sooner or later (see “Statistically Speaking,” T &T January 2020), we will all experience a critical event in an airplane. Be prepared but don’t fret. Most of our events will not be as challenging as landing a crippled Firefly-class spaceship or carrying a cat by the tail.
Author’s Note: The Duke Flyers Association annual fly-in will be in Dayton, Ohio September 8 to 11. All DFA members are encouraged to attend this type-specific gathering of friends.
Kevin Dingman has been flying for more than 40 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737, DC9 and CE-650 with 25,000 hours in his logbook. A retired Air Force major, he flew the F-16 and later performed as an USAF Civil Air Patrol Liaison Officer. He flies volunteer missions for the Christian organi- zation Wings of Mercy, is retired from a major airline, flies the Cessna Citation for RAI Jets, and owns and operates a Beechcraft Duke.Contact Kevin at dinger10d@gmail.com.
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