| SAFETY PILOT LANDMARK ACCIDENT | PERCEPTION IS NOT REALITY This was not the place to be BY BRUCE LANDSBERG I L LU S T R AT I O N B Y NEASDEN CONTROL CENTRE TOO MANY TIMES WE ARE TOLD THAT “PERCEPTION IS REALITY.” Perhaps it’s true in politics or public relations—but in aviation, reality beats perception every time. The heart of primary instrument training is to ignore the perceptions of the body and be sure the eyes have it. It’s good to review the basics regularly, lest we be led astray by bogus sensations. It’s also important to look at the big picture and figure out if we’re up for a big challenge. Our ego’s perception may say one thing, but personal reality often depends on so much more. www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 61http://www.aopa.org/pilot