AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2021 - 104

FLY WITH AOPA
NEW FROM ASI /
'There I Was':
ASI TIPS /
Attention, please
The ups and downs of the GA pilot
BY ALICIA HERRON
WHILE AVIATION TECHNOLOGY gets more sophisticated every year, easing pilot workload with
proper training, some things about aviation always stay the same-like the challenge of performing
perfectly smooth takeoffs and landings. You know, the ones that would've earned
you praise or at least a " not bad " from your favorite instructor. This quest for consistent and
safe departures and returns has been around since Orville and Wilbur's era (they did crash a
few Wright flyers, after all). Takeoff and landing continue to be leading phases of flight during
which accidents occur, and they deserve extra attention.
As with many facets of aviation, the best way to improve is to practice. Ask yourself:
* When did you last practice takeoffs and landings?
* What performance parameters do you monitor?
* What is the strongest crosswind you're comfortable with?
* How much do you know about your airplane's takeoff and landing performance?
More than other maneuvers, takeoff and landing skills can quickly decay if not used.
And with the proximity to the ground naturally required for takeoffs and landings, there
is inherently a smaller margin of error for mistakes. In between those pancake breakfasts,
GA travel adventures, and flight reviews, make time for some pattern work. Even an
hour a month will put you better in tune with the airplane, increase your proficiency, and
make you a safer pilot. Include the book work, too, and calculate your takeoff and landing
performance. If you're already feeling confident with normal landings, up the challenge
with crosswinds, new airports, or shorter fields, and take a CFI along if necessary or just
to help refine your skills.
Keep practicing and stay proficient. Remember: the takeoff is optional, but the landing
is mandatory. Strive to make it a good one every time.
Watch the AOPA Air Safety Institute classic tutorial From the Archives: The Ups and
Downs of the GA Pilot and learn more about takeoffs and landings. alicia.herron@aopa.org
airsafetyinstitute.org/Archives/UpDowns
104
AOPA PILOT / November 2021
Ocean engine failure /
In the summer of 2017, pilot
Brian Lloyd began a solo
round-the-world flight in his
Mooney to commemorate
Amelia Earhart's famous
equatorial route 80 years prior.
While on a leg from New
Zealand to American Samoa,
Lloyd experienced an engine
failure over the Pacific Ocean.
airsafetyinstitute.org/
thereiwas
Post-maintenance
flying /
Flying an aircraft directly after
maintenance is associated
with certain risks. These risks
can be both minor and major
and often can be mitigated.
Join experienced instructor,
designated pilot examiner,
and longtime manager and
owner of aircraft, Jason Blair,
in this archived webinar as
he leverages many of his own
personal experiences, stories,
and strategies of how to avoid
post-maintenance dangers
and costs.
airsafetyinstitute.org/
webinars
MIKE FIZER

http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/therelwas http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/therelwas http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/webinars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/webinars http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/Archives/UpDowns

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2021

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