It’s hard to do a good preflight. It’s hard to see all that is in front of us. One thing that may help is to preflight like a Zen master drinking tea. Quote is from Thich Nhat Hanh. Photo is Capt. Andy Alfiero and a KC-135R Stratotanker before flying a refueling mission over the Persian Gulf, Aug. 30, 2013. (USAF photo 130830-F-YL744-259)
No better place to practice laser-like focus than the cockpit.
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?
YouTube has a great 15-minute video of an Airbus A340 crew running ECAMs and checklists that results in shutting down an engine in flight. For real. It’s been viewed a bunch of times, but I hadn’t seen it till today, so maybe you haven’t either. It’s an interesting, thought provoking experience. The Swiss airline crew were being filmed by PilotsEye.tv for a high-quality video production of their Zurich to Shanghai flight. But during climb out the number three engine oil temperature starts to gently rise. It’s not TOPGUN, but rather a rare invitation for an intimate look at how professional … Continue reading A340 engine shutdown video
Peter Isler won the America’s Cup twice, and has a long amazing biography of sailing achievements. He also wrote a book of sailing secrets. I just read it, looking for seamanship secrets we can use as pilots. And guess what, the secrets really aren’t that secret! There were some ideas that directly translate to flying. Here’s one that resonated: Behind every great sailor is an awful lot of time spent practicing the basics back home—putting in the long hours in the cold of the spring and fall off-season—honing the skills they need to win on the racecourse. The same applies … Continue reading Peter Isler’s sailing secrets
