AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 85

Dulles International airports. Dave admitted he wanted me “to fly and land because you have more experience in this airplane than I do.” My experience, my knowledge, and my attitude are what gave me the calm and the focus to learn to fly the Cardinal all over again. Flying was hands-on all the time. No trim. Straight and level meant constant, firm pressure. Climbing involved releasing pressure; descending, even with a power reduction, meant pressing harder. Landing, coming in its own time—as landings always do—called for varying degrees of adding, then releasing pressure to level off, bleed speed, then touch down. Also markedly different was Dave’s attitude. No longer was he insufferably impatient or controlling, casual or desperate about his agenda. He now was open to dialogue. The 45 minutes home I practiced this unique piloting technique. I realized I’d better land on the first try since the full power of a go-around might make handling difficult. As Hyde Field hove into view, I prepared for landing. With each application of flaps, back-pressure increased. Powering back, easing pressure, I leveled off, easing off more and more as we slowed. In the perfect attitude, she chirped onto the tarmac. As I taxied, Dave finally confessed his fear. Apart from illustrating the importance of far exceeding minimum currency, the moral I finally accepted as a direct result of this experience is to trust myself—never again to let my assumptions of someone’s authority, skill, or experience, or especially his bravado, cause me to doubt myself, and what I know to be right. This attitude doesn’t imply arrogance on my part—that what someone older, maybe wiser, possibly more experienced or well-intentioned says is or is not the truth. It simply means consciously, intelligently, and assertively assessing the source of that information and comparing what I’m hearing to what I already know, and what I know to be reasonable. AOPA
DOREN K. WESTON of Alexandria, Virginia,

Photo: Timothy White

Leader of the Pack!
Performance, Capability and Reliability
Turn every weekend into an exciting adventure. HuskyFlight offers: 200 ft takeoffs, 50 to 140 mph cruising speeds, an 800 mile range and 300 ft landings. Roam the frontier like a free spirit.

New for 2012 Gross Weight Increase 2250 lbs Flexion Shock Absorbing Landing Gear - Enhances Ground Control G600 Glass Panel with the GTN750 Touchscreen GPS/NAV/COMM Husky. America’s Favorite Taildragger.
Log on to http://husky.aviataircraft.com. Check out the videos, get inspired and call to schedule your own Husky Experience!
HUSKY

has been a pilot since 1974. He worked at a Virginia flight school until 2007, when he was disabled in a car accident.

307.885.3151 AVIATAIRCRAFT.COM
PITTS EAGLE
Post Ofﬁce Box 1240 Afton, WY 83110

www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 85

http://husky.aviataircraft.com http://www.AVIATAIRCRAFT.COM http://www.AVIATAIRCRAFT.COM http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012