The seduction of safety
Embracing a constantly shifting continuum of uncertainty is more work than smiling because you passed a safety audit last year. But good flying demands we do just that.
mindset
How you do the little things
How you do the little things everyday is important. Why is explained by former RAF Tornado F3 fighter pilot and Red Arrows display pilot Justin Hughes in his 2016 book The Business of Excellence. The full quote is: How you do the little things is how you do everything. You don’t choose a different behaviour just because it’s a big important job and you’re under a lot of stress. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; when you’re really under a lot of pressure, you revert to default wired-in behaviours because you have too many other things to worry about than … Continue reading How you do the little things
Aeroplane does all the work
This quote comes from Mike Riley’s little gem, The Concorde Stick and Rudder Book. You don’t fight an plane — you understand its ways and set the controls to let her fly well. Even, as it turns out, Concorde. Mike Riley was a British Airways captain who instructed in the B707, VC10 and Concorde. He also instructed in light aircraft, and flew/trained/judged World Championship aerobatics.
David Lama on managing risk
“Regardless of the outcome, any expedition still offers hundreds of experiences you can learn from.” David Lama is an elite climber who has scored many ‘firsts’, but seems grounded in a deep understanding of risk, rationality and unforgiving reality. Both these quotes come from an article in this month’s Red Bulletin magazine that’s well worth the short read. Like pilots, mountaineers must understand the consequences of bad choices. “In mountaineering, you constantly have to check your perceptions against reality. After all, a plan is only an idea. And an idea is a fleeting thing.”
Jeff Clark on Mavericks
Jeff Clark is a surfing legend. He discovered the huge wave surfing site Mavericks in California, has surfed there 40 years, and has been featured in several super cool surfing movies. I was reminded of his eloquence and deep insights into managing moving mass by an article in this month’s The Red Bulletin magazine. He also is quoted in the article as saying: You could break something, you could lose your life. That’s not why I’m in it. I surf big waves because I am motivated and excited to dance with that power and make it back successfully to the … Continue reading Jeff Clark on Mavericks