The simple pleasures of life are all around us, if only we are able to receive them, in the moment, in their natural state, as they are, without editing. A simple airplane and a quiet runway on a lazy Sunday afternoon. A good friend and a warm smile. A belly laugh and a wink. A [...]
Posts from ‘April, 2010’
Fun in the sun.
It’s been a very interesting weekend. This morning I’m preparing to leave Lakeland, Florida, where I’ve been attending the Sun and Fun general aviation expo. I flew down here on Friday with my friend Pete in his Baron, a nice twin-engine airplane. I had a little bit of work to do here yesterday but mostly [...]
Yesterday morning’s commute.
Flying over the Chesapeake Bay yesterday morning shortly after sunrise, I thought about the dozens of times I’ve seen this very same scene from several thousand feet. I thought about the millions of people below me who were just waking up to greet the day with a cup of coffee, get in their cars and [...]
Don’t work too hard.
Being a safe pilot requires dedication and hard work, but sometimes I think people work too hard at it, and in doing so, actually degrade their performance rather than enhance it. Consider the often misused and neglected trim wheel. Even if your airplane has an ultra-capable autopilot, you’re going to have to make friends with [...]
Precautionary landing.
Some of the best flight lessons I’ve ever had (or given) have been the shortest in duration. Such was the case this evening, when I arrived at the airport, admittedly a little bit weary from the work day, for a lesson in a Piper Seminole twin-engine airplane. In the interest of safety and risk management, [...]
Muscle memory.
When I pushed the throttle forward, felt the surge of 310 horsepower and gave a gentle squeeze on the control stick with my left hand, as the plane lifted into the air, it all just felt right. The tiny muscles in my hands and arms sensed the forces in play, and they responded effortlessly. My [...]