Page 28 - January 15 Volume 19 Number 1

26 • TWIN & TURBINE JANUARY 2015
From The Flight Deck by Kevin R. Dingman
Clouds in My Coffee
sunsets from, arguably, the best seat in the house. We witness drastic changes in climate – for better and for worse, and geographic features only visible from the air. In the U.S. alone there is Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Barringer meteor crater and views of major cities, oceans, lakes and the heavens.
UFO’s
Technically, we have all seen them, on just about every flight in fact. Airplanes from a distance are unrecognized at first; birds, party balloons, even what we assume are meteorites, could just as easily be space debris in the final stage of a decaying orbit. Until recognized, they’re all UFOs. Have I seen any? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked the question by non- pilots – usually airline passengers, hundreds I suppose. I answer no,
None of us got to where we are by avoiding hard work or tough decisions. But, when contemplating choices with potentially life-altering consequences, often times it’s rejuvenating to set aside the daily grind and embrace the visceral. My hangar office is just about finished; one of last year’s resolutions. Now I find myself at my desk, feet up with a cup of coffee, staring at the Duke, when, according to the calendar (and the IRS), I’m supposed to be writing, not staring. If my articles are a bit late to the editor, it’s the Duke’s fault. But, sometimes, writing can be like trying to get the last glop of toothpaste squeezed from the tube. After staring at the Duke, I often find a full tube is right there for the squeezing. Stepping back from the issue to get a fresh perspective can be revealing.
Perhaps a resolution to the question of whether to fly, or not to fly, is simple. We do things to elicit or avoid sensations: fear, joy, pain, exhaustion, discomfort, excitement, relaxation, gratification, love and hate. Why did we get into flying in the first place? And are those reasons still valid, or have they been replaced by new or better reasons? For many, it’s the emotions and the sensations of flying an airplane— particularly the gratification of completing complex tasks that combine mental and physical abilities, having control and the sights and the freedom. It’s also sharing these emotions with other pilots, family and sometimes even normal, wingless earthlings.
Altered States
One of the most enjoyable contrasts, and perhaps another of the main reasons we fly, is our
ability to alter the environment by choosing a destination that has a climate that we want. This can be either tropical or arctic. Some want to play in the sun and sand; others want snow; some want solitude and some want a crowd. Some want friends, and some want relatives— a condition that is occasionally mutually exclusive. All are rewarding possibilities and provide a change in scenery. Pilots are blessed to see many things that non-pilots and most passengers do not: the view out the front window. While in-flight we may see majestic panoramas or massive weather formations. We have seen countless sunrises and