In Greek mythology, Telamon is son of the king Aeacus of Aegina. He accompanied Jason as one of the Argonauts, and was present at the hunt for the Calydonian Boar. I don’t think he ever flew airplanes. But his words are forever true. It’s good to study aerodynamics, regulations and hydraulic systems. But study is never enough. We must also do. The preflight at 04:30. In the cold. In the rain. We must live the warrior’s life.
I just finished the great book Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe by Mike Massimino. (It came out earlier this month, hardcopy, kindle, iBooks.) It’s an easy engaging read, the personal story of his cool travels through colleges, companies, and on to two amazing Hubble rescue missions on the Space Shuttle. Best astronaut book I’ve read in a while. Along the way, ‘Mass’ shares some of the secrets learnt getting a PhD from MIT, learning to be an astronaut, and actually fixing the Hubble telescope in high Earth orbit. Here are some of my … Continue reading Spaceman Mike Massimino
“If an error is possible, someone will make it. The designer must assume that all possible errors will occur and design so as to minimize the chance of the error in the first place, or its effects once it gets made. Errors should be easy to detect, they should have minimal consequences, and, if possible, their effects should be reversible.” Donald A. Norman, The Psychology of Everyday Things, 1988. Pilot error in many cases can also be described as design error. As pilots, not designers, we should be aware of cockpit actions that are NOT easy to detect, do NOT … Continue reading If an error is possible, someone will make it
Concentration, time, work, art. Lots of time and lots of work. But it’s worth it. You will experience what others never see, never know. (quote from her 1997 essay collection Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry)
Juan Manuel Fangio was F1 World Drivers’ Champion five times. And clearly someone who understood the perpetual pursuit of perfection.
