How many of you have flying stories you rarely or never share because they spark embarrassment, regret or shame?
Maybe it was an item overlooked in preflight, a miscalculation on a trip, a spastic reaction at the controls, a blown check ride…or perhaps it was a totally unpreventable, unpredictable scenario that left you scrambling or head-scratching.
Of course, if we are being honest, every hand is (reluctantly) raised right now. While our instinct might be to hide such stories, it is the Twin & Turbine way to dive right into them. These stories best connect us, humanize us and teach us. And they are the premise of some upcoming articles you will see from our brave contributor Joe Casey.
Joe has willingly offered to write about experiences where unexpected lessons resulted from unexpected circumstances – situations no POH or training course could have labeled or accounted for. His first “Pilot Confession” found in this issue is the perfect example (page 12). He prefaces the article below:
It has been said that confession is good for the soul, and I believe my soul is about to be refreshed, for I’m going to tell a story that will implicate me in a bad choice. Not a bad choice that displays poor character, but one that highlights how little things can cause big problems.
If the truth be told, we all have stories we wish others didn’t know, but these stories are sometimes the best at helping others avoid our mistakes. Sometimes an outside event causes an abnormal situation, and sometimes it is induced by our stupidity. On my day with the panel blackout (covered in this first article), my carelessness was the cause.
What will be the next problem you encounter in flight? You can’t know, but you can set the conditions for a good outcome by seeking lots of experiences, learning from others’ mistakes, and being really knowledgeable about your airplane. So, with full understanding that I will bare my soul, here’s my story and lesson learned with the hope that it helps someone else.
Joe’s words perfectly depict our greatest goal at Twin & Turbine: Provide editorial that makes you a better, safer pilot. Pilot Confessions is meant to have you walking away with fresh insights, new considerations and applicable lessons for your own flying (and some laughs too). As always, please feel free to write to us with your comments and feedback – or even your own flying confessions if you’re feeling brave!
