mindset

Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

By Dave English

There are loads of self-help books. Boat loads, as they say. Some are good. Most are not. This new book—part self-help, part popular science—won’t help you lose weight or find inner peace; but if you want to learn to fly, or get better at piloting, or be the best pilot in the world in some airplane or mission—this is the best book you will read this year. It’s written by Anders Ericsson, the lead psychology researcher who’s spent his career studying how humans acquire expertise, and Robert Pool, a science writer. How the good become great. It was his research … Continue reading Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

You don’t want to fly like Donald Trump

By Dave English

Donald Trump might not want to take up flying. I say this knowing nothing about the gold-plated multi-millionaire’s eye-hand coordination or his ground school scores. What triggers this is a single word I’ve found while researching NTSB accident reports—all of them sad events where a pilot destroyed a perfectly good airplane. The word that links these accidents isn’t about bad weather, fatigue, aerodynamics, IFR procedures, or indeed any of the normal suspects. It is however something entirely preventable. The word is: Ostentatious. My dictionary defines ostentatious as “characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others.” Synonyms … Continue reading You don’t want to fly like Donald Trump

What’s the goal of aviation?

By Dave English

What is the goal of aviation? That’s the title of an intriguing blog post on The Aviation Guy. Commercial operators want to make money. Normally by moving people or goods quickly. Or for a few tour operators, the method is by giving great views of our planet. More than all this however, there are two things that strike me about the goal thing: One. The goal of aviation is not safety. Whatever the stated mission statement or the company’s “number one value”, the goal is never safety. The goal is production. Doing it reasonably safely is part of the process. … Continue reading What’s the goal of aviation?