Aero-Tips!

04.01.06 'Special' Edition: 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.") It's part of what makes aviation so exciting for all of us... just when you think you've seen it all, along comes a scenario you've never imagined.

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, and as representatives of the flying community. 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.

HOWEVER, Tom was unavailable this time around due to, as he put it, "an unforeseen circumstance involving a heavily armed Bonanza and an SR22" -- so ANN Associate Editor Rob Finfrock offered to step in and proffer a bit of the wisdom he's gathered from his, well, 50+ hours as a student pilot.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network. Suggestions for future Aero-Tips are always welcome, as are additions or discussion of each day's tips. Remember... when it comes to being better pilots, we're all in this together.

Aero-Tips 04.01.06

Ah, the dream of flight. Attempted by many, mastered by few, rubbed in our noses by a select handful (Fossett, I'm looking at you.) Hardly a person exists that hasn't dreamed of soaring among the birds and the clouds, throwing off earth's surly bonds and all that claptrap.

Many have already fallen victim to this sensation's siren song, spending untold amounts of money, time, and tears in hopes of obtaining some valuable training, a credit-card sized piece of plastic that could be replicated at any Kinko's worth its salt for about six bucks, and maybe, just maybe, even an airplane to call their own... whether it flies (yet!) or not.

There are many questions pilots regularly ask themselves. Only a handful are shown below... but perhaps you've experienced a few of these yourself:

• Why did I ever get involved in all this?
• What the heck was I thinking when I first thought "gee, it would be kinda neat to learn how to fly?"
• Why did I spend my daughter's college fund on a Cessna 150 that needs a little paint... and, oh, ailerons?
• When did I stop fantasizing about marrying a supermodel, and start having nightmares about Lycoming Airworthiness Directives? And don't get me started on the recurring "Help! The ADIZ is chasing me!" dreams...
• Why don't my friends think its cool I can spot the difference between a PA-28-180 and a PA-28-235 from 50 yards?
• Where is my significant other going with that briefcase and the family dog? And, most important, are they going to take my plane, too?

So... Are You Nuts?

This is also a question we must constantly ask ourselves as pilots, if only to validate that no, we are not crazy. The mark of a sane person is the ability to ask themselves if they might be insane, after all.

When you're a pilot, you need to ask yourself that question A LOT. Like, about two to three times per day, plus at every fuel stop.

Aero-tip of the day: Get professional help now. Or, go flying. Pretty much the same thing, really.

FMI: Aero-Tips