When I’m flying, what thoughts and actions can I leave out? What is excess, noise, waste? I have to prune, it allows me to see and do the things that are truly important.
Tag: awareness
Life is Denied By …
If you don’t pay attention when you are flying, you miss the things you can do better next time, you miss the things you are doing good, and forget to enjoy the whole thing. Photo is by me, Dave English, on an LAX overnight. Quick Uber ride to Dockweiler Beach and the California home of hang gliding. Perfect geography for …
Happy Sunday!
See you in the sky . . .
Know What Comes Next
Know what comes next. Captain Harry Linfield Harry Linfield, Concorde captain & instructor, when I asked him in the Brooklands Concorde simulator what good pilots did well. He has instructed in RAF Jet Provosts, B707s, Concorde and after retiring, in piston Cessna’s. He told me whatever the speed, stay ahead of the aeroplane. And know what you are going to …
Jeff Clark on Mavericks
Jeff Clark is a surfing legend. He discovered the huge wave surfing site Mavericks in California, has surfed there 40 years, and has been featured in several super cool surfing movies. I was reminded of his eloquence and deep insights into managing moving mass by an article in this month’s The Red Bulletin magazine. He also is quoted in the …
Meditating Military Helicopter Pilots
A peer-reviewed scientific study published this year shows the positive impact of meditation on personnel in two Norwegian Air Force helicopter squadrons. This was not new-age wishful thinking, or sloppy science self-reporting that some people felt good. No, this was university and Air Force doctors and scientists taking chemical measurements of salivary cortisol, testing performance on computer-based cognitive tasks, and comparing the …
Checklist Complete! Or is It?
This airline training slide explains ‘active monitoring’ – visualize, act, compare. You must look for something, not just at something: It’s easy to say we should be mentally flying the aeroplane, but it’s also kind of a cop out. So it’s a nice addition to have some concrete ideas on how to actually do it.
Being a Good Stick is Not Enough
Being a “good stick” is not enough. Good pilots are thinking their way through the air as well as simply moving controls. What comes next in flight is absolutely as important as what is happening right now. Jack J. Pelton EAA CEO, Sport Aviation magazine, Nov 2016 “Being ahead of the plane” they call it. And if you can always …
Paul May on Good Pilots
Paul Day had a long career with the RAF, flying Tornados and spending 20 years in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, eight of those as commander. After retirement he continued to fly private Spitfires. This quote is from the book ‘Supermarine Spitfire Owners’ Workshop Manual’ (Haynes 2007).
Preflight Like a Zen Master Drinking Tea
It’s hard to do a good preflight. It’s hard to see all that is in front of us. One thing that may help is to preflight like a Zen master drinking tea. Quote is from Thich Nhat Hanh. Photo is Capt. Andy Alfiero and a KC-135R Stratotanker before flying a refueling mission over the Persian Gulf, Aug. 30, 2013. (USAF …