The Real Fun

It usually begins with a shrill, pre-dawn alarm clock. That’s never been my favorite part. Then a slow trudge to the shower to shake off the sleep. Breakfast? Nah — I almost always trade it for a few extra minutes of rest. Once “up and at ‘em”, there’s also the trip to the airport, the weather check, the preflight inspection, fueling, catering, baggage, paperwork, clearance, FMS programming, and a big bill to pay. We might even throw a few passengers in there for good measure. But once that’s done? Then the real fun begins. (Recommend watching this in full-screen, 720p or...

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The Hello Kitty Jet

I’ve noticed that most people not directly involved with the aviation industry assume that anyone who is (or aspires to be) a professional aviator wants to fly for a major airline. Even military pilots are believed to desire an airline career. The logic behind this assumption has always escaped me. There are certainly many pilots for whom an airline job is the proverbial brass ring, and I say more power to them. Someone has got to fly those things. If it’s what you love, do it. For me, however, when I consider the seniority system, financial instability, surly passengers, tough working conditions, low pay, terminal & gate congestion, unions, strikes, and poor management of most scheduled airlines, it doesn’t hold much appeal. Nevertheless,...

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Limitations

I think Harry Callahan said it best: a man’s got to know his limitations. Loathe as we may be to admit it, we all have limitations. Our bodies can only go so long without food, water, and sleep. The mind can only process so quickly, the memory retain so much, the senses absorb so much input before they cease to function properly. Likewise, the equipment we fly has limits, too. Airspeed, temperature, pressure, altitude, RPM, weight, center of gravity, and other limitations must be understood and respected if we want our aircraft to respond in a predictable manner. This is something every pilot learns from the very first day of training, and those limitations look him or her square in the face on every flight. From color coded markings on the gauges to those...

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