The title of this post may sound slightly evangelistic, but it is true: flying made me a better person. Ok, this is may be part of getting older (I started flying in my early 20s and I’m now in my early 30s), but here are some of the qualities that I developed through my aeronautical activities…

Patience and resilience
All light aircraft pilots know that: many flights have to be canceled or modified, mostly because of weather. There have been months in winter where I could not fly a single time, even after clearing the plane from snow and ice… Some summer week-end have been “wasted” by thunderstorms.

Other factors include aircraft maintenance, airspace restrictions, and more than often a busy work life. There is nothing that can be done against most these factors. One must simply accept them, and wait for the next opportunity.

Humility
I already talked here about my worst landing ever, which happened on my initial IFR examination flight. In fact this was my worst landing… until now. Even with growing experience, each new approach can result in something even worst that this memorable one.

Interpreting weather is also helpful to remain humble. Tell to your passengers that the flight will be smooth because you saw no wind nor thermal activity on the charts, and you’ll certainly get some bumps.

Decision making
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know I think decision making is the most important skill for a pilot. What makes aeronautical decisions particularly hard to make is the partial level of information available.

What to do when a weather forecast calls for 30% of thunderstorm probability ? If while in-flight one engine parameter get outside normal range but all other are normal ? Some decisions must also be made within very short time, sometimes in seconds.

When something goes wrong on take-off or shortly before landing, good decision making is simply vital. There is no “pause” button, nor possibility to go “wait and see”. Even if more information becomes available later, staying on the safe side is always a good guideline.

Self-control
Needless to say, flying can be a demanding activity. Some stress resistance and self-control is needed. As a naturally nervous and stressed person, I had to learn how to keep my emotions and tensions under control. I can now do better work under pressure, and stay cool in other unnerving situations.

When things get complex or irritating in a cockpit, getting stressed is certainly not good. One must solve conflicts and ignore or evacuate any remaining tension. Even if it is to explode or simply clarify things after landing, which is also a good option.

Perseverance
If you think at this point that flying will turn you into a Buddhist monk, you’re may be not that far from the truth. I did not achieve the zen-level allowing for levitation, but I’m still working towards that.

As with many other activities, there is always room for improvement when it comes to flying and related activities. Holding pilot license simply means that you’re good enough to learn by yourself… long is the way…