Behind The Airplane

摘要

I've always been one to advocate getting as much airplane as you can afford for your mission. For example, if your analysis says a Cessna 172 meets your needs, seriously consider a 182. The operating costs aren't that much more, it's faster and it carries more. Plus, it's a good bet your mission will expand-mission creep-as you become more comfortable with the idea that, yes, you actually can drive to the airport, hop in and go somewhere on the spur of the moment. There's an obvious upper limit to this, though, and it's not an economic one. What we often forget is that the more airplane we get, the better we have to be. It's one thing to be comfortable and safe grabbing a $100 hamburger in your Twin Coman-che, for example, but quite another to strap on a Gulfstream and join a North Atlantic track for lunch in Lyon. Somewhere on this seemingly endless ladder, we all reach the point of diminishing returns and can fall into the trap of having too much airplane. The problem is that we may not realize it, or ignore the warning signs and those who helpfully try to point out the reality. Age certainly is a factor in this equation. While we may gain experience over the years, we also may lose acuity, in both our vision and our mental ability to manage complex avionics and airspace. Even if age isn't a factor, regular training and exercise of our skills-proficiency-likely are. Flying a fast, capable airplane in the flight levels demands more dedication, preparation and focus than we may be willing to devote.