Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 12.19.06

I ran into an acquaintance at a Wichita-area airport over the weekend. He owns a fixed gear, four-seat airplane, and in the course of our conversation he told me he's planning a flight to Myrtle Beach, SC next summer. A VFR-only pilot in a comfortable but not terribly fast airplane, he is concerned that he may have trouble getting all the way to the Atlantic coast and back in the time he can allot to the trip. Seven months before the flight, he's already getting stressed about possible weather issues. I suggested a simple strategy to reduce his stress during the actual flight.

Hub-hopping

Wichita is served by a low-cost airline that often has good rates even on walk-up airfares. I suggested that, in addition to plotting a nearly direct flight from Wichita to Myrtle Beach and back, that he also plan a route that takes him from one airport to another that is served by that low-cost carrier. On the day of the trip, if there's the slightest doubt whether he'll be able to fly VFR all the way to destination, he can instead fly the airline-based route. That way, if the weather closes in, he can abort the personal aviation option and board the airline to destination. On the return trip, buy a ticket back to where he left the airplane or, if adverse weather is still a factor, buy a ticket all the way home and plan to go back after the airplane later.

I'm not suggesting he necessarily try to fly into, for instance, Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport in his personal airplane. But he can plan to fly as close as makes sense, depending on ground transportation to the commercial airport if needed.

Potentially expensive, sure, but knowing the airline option exists may make it far less tempting to press on in deteriorating conditions.

Another backup strategy

I've had a number of students over the years who routinely buy fully refundable airline tickets for every "gotta be there" flight they plan to take by personal airplane. Most pilots in this category are flying highly capable, multiengine airplanes on income-generating business trips. Missing a meeting or failing to satisfy a customer could cost millions of dollars, making it extremely tempting to make an ill-advised "go" decision unless there is a solid backup. If the pilot, the weather or the airplane is unfit for flight, just drive to the commercial airport and use the ticket. Same goes for the trip home.

In most cases the personal aviation flight goes as planned, and the pilot cashes in the refundable ticket. But it's always there if needed -- a valuable stress reduction.

Aero-tip of the day: Get creative with ways to reduce your stress level when it comes to making go/no-go decisions.

FMI: Aero-Tips