Page 31 - TTFebruary2018

The first law of thermodynamics, the one we all remember, says that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. The lesser discussed second law applies to us control freaks and says, in essence that the universe gets more and more disordered over time. It’s referred to as an increase in entropy (disorder).
As control freaks, an increasing level of disorder is scary. The principle that control freaks should really fear, however, is not the second law, but the third. The lessor quoted and more obscure third law states that the entropy of a system only approaches a constant value as temperature approaches absolute zero. In our controlling mind, the disorder around us would stop, or at least stop getting worse. So, if we fix and organize everything and everyone, our control-freak universe would be at absolute zero. No disorder, no movement, no mistakes, no making a great golf shot and no making a smooth landing.
Control Freak Paradox
Despite the assertions of non-control freaks that we aren’t actually in control, it’s clearly the destiny of control freaks to allow an increase in entropy in the universe by not fixing everything and everyone; theoretically keeping the temperature above absolute zero. By tolerating imperfections in others, we acknowledge that they can’t all be like us.
But we can still unleash our own control freak and take control of the arrival, approach and landing. Let’s not allow the airplane to run out of gas or ruin the landing as
Your in uence on the golf ball ends once the club strikes it. You can try to assert control by leaning left and right while the ball is moving, but it will not change the
we yield to the third law of thermodynamics. After all, imperfection and perfection are a control freak’s entropic paradox and we must be cautious to not upset the delicate balance of the universe. T&T
trajectory despite our b•
est efforts.
Kevin Dingman has been flying for more than 40 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 23,000 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 orga- nization Wings of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beechcraft Duke. Contact Kevin at dinger10d@gmail.com.
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February 2018 TWIN & TURBINE • 29