Fly like a professional?

Most of us are not commercial pilots nor do we fly as our profession, so it would be very easy to immediately move to the next article in Air Facts thinking this article doesn’t apply to us.

However, I would argue that flying like a professional does matter. Instead of thinking that professional flying is for those with lots of hours or ratings, I want to encourage you to approach your flying with the attitude of a professional. From Merriam-Webster: “A professional is characterised by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession.”

Here are three reasons why I suggest

you think this way:

The feeling of accomplishment. It is a proven fact that when we approach things thoughtfully, with purpose and a plan, we are much more likely to succeed. Isn’t that we all want? The feeling that comes from a flight well planned and conducted. I think we would all answer yes. The safety that will result.

Flying is serious business and there are many ways to end up hurting ourselves or the airplanes we fly. If we are more deliberate about our flying; as the pros are, we are much more likely to emerge from flights safely and that is a requirement if we want to continue to enjoy this privilege, we all have. Our reputation and the example we set. Like it or not we are being watched. Other pilots at the airports we visit and encounter en route, air traffic controllers, people standing at the airport fence and people that watch our ADS-B data are all aware of what we are up to. Each of us has the opportunity to add to or subtract from our reputation as pilots on every flight. It is important to fly well whether we are being watched or not. It is said that exhortation without education that leads to implementation, produces frustration. With that in mind I will share two things that will help us become better pilots.

Flight instruction

You have to start with an honest assessment of your skills. Being aware about our skills today. We need to know where we are beginning our journey to have the best chance of getting to our desired destination. Improving a skill like flying is no different.

How are we flying now? What are we most pleased about our skill level today? What do we think we need to improve? Have we had a close call recently? Is there an aviation concept that we don’t quite get? The answers to these questions are all clues that a good detective can use to assess today’s reality. By the way, we all have areas like this. Bob Gawler, a legendary CFI and DPE in my area whom I greatly admire, told me once that when we stop learning and improving, we should hang up our headsets!

Individually

There are so many ways to grow as a pilot. Perhaps this topic is best divided into activities we can do on our own and those we can do with others. We can learn so much from credible sources including aviation safety articles frequently published within African Pilot. For those into podcasts I particularly like Max Trescott’s.

All the FAA publications including the textbooks that many of us used to prepare for the private pilot written and practical tests e.g. Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge are available as PDFs for no cost. Most airports have a bookshelf full of classics like Stick and Rudder. Anything by Richard Collins or Robert Buck is worth reading. So many resources, so little time! The nice part about the individual approach is the ‘what and when’ are up to you and your schedule.

Group instruction

Learning in a group can be a powerful classroom. If your flying club meets to discuss proficiency or ‘lessons learned,’ please join in. We can learn from each other. Consider a flight with a local CFI to work on an area that you identified above. Crosswind take-off and landing practice anyone? Joining the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) is a great opportunity to learn flying techniques in a group setting and enjoy a great level of camaraderie as you serve your local community. Whichever method(s) you choose, keep a journal of what you are learning so you can periodically go back and review. All of us can get better when we approach our flying with the attitude of a professional. Please be safe up there!

About the Author

Marty Sacks is a second-generation aviator living in Maryland, USA who thanks his father for passing along what has become a lifelong love of flying and the appreciation for great aviation books written by legends like Robert Buck and Richard Collins. Marty became a flight instructor and enjoys working with the next generation of pilots. He is a very active member of the Maryland Wing of Civil Air Patrol. He is married to his best friend and occasional passenger Mary Beth. They have three grown sons. By day Marty works in the broadcast industry for an equipment supplier.