PlasticPilot website banner

Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries Random Aviation Photo from PlasticPilot-net's galleries

Things I will never forget if I ever stop flying

I was reading Vincent’s recent post on the things he does not miss while not flying and it made me wonder: what are the things I learned through flying that will always be useful to me, even if I stopped flying?

Meteorology: ever wondered what causes seasonal changes in weather patterns? Why drizzle can last for days while showers of rain come and go? Why white puffy clouds grow bigger in the late summer afternoon? And what’s that funny cloud above the mountain? All the answers can be found in PPL textbooks, but be warned: trying to understand weather is very addictive!

Mechanics and systems: being a software engineer by trade, there was a lot I didn’t know about the hardware side of things: internal combustion engines, hydraulics, gyroscopic instruments and fluid mechanics. All fascinating stuff that will help you impress your petrol-head friends. I also learned a lot by following aircraft construction blogs. My life is more complete now that I know what a cleclo is.

Safety: learning to fly shapes your brain to think safety first. You will find yourself pre-flighting rental cars. Your partner will get upset when you refuse to drive into an unknown section of the countryside without a current map. When she points at the GPS on the dashboard you will answer that you don’t have a RAIM prediction.

Human factors: you will learn useful facts about human physiology, but it’s the psychological side of human factors that I found most helpful: recognising patterns of thought that may lead to unsafe behavior, learning to give and accept feedback when working as a team and prioritising tasks in stressful situations. I cannot think of one area of life where those skills do not apply. As was said on this blog before, flying can improve your life. You may even develop specific personality traits.

Aviation is so strongly connected to a large number of other disciplines that you just never know what you will end up learning. I didn’t expect that at all when I first pushed the door of my aero-club, and this was one of the nicest surprises of my flying training. And of course your airline flights as a passenger will never be the same again.

Email this post to a friend Email this post to a friend

ForeFlight Checklist Ad

One Comment, Comment or Ping

  1. LOL your safety description is totally true for me. It means I’m better organised too (because I plan everything I can from home, on the ground!) but I’m sure I am annoying.

Reply to “Things I will never forget if I ever stop flying”

    Ad for ForeFlight, pre-flight intelligence

     

    Flying Across America

     


  • Pilot Blogs


  • Photo Mousepad


    $13.99

    Selected products from MyPilotstore

    ASA International Pilot Master Logbook - International logbooks follow all ICAO, JAA, CAA, and CASA recordkeeping requirements pertaining to pilots.

    Pilot Logbook and Journal - Very unique design for adding personal notes, even pictures, to your logbook. No more dry, boring, logbook entries. Remember each flight!

    AVCOMM AC-950 ANR Headset - This new AVCOMM ANR headset includes PTT on eardome, cigarette lighter adapter, independent volume controls, and more.

    Telex PEV-77 Earset - Telex lightweight receive only headset

    Garmin GPSMAP 96 (Americas) - This portable GPS integrates full-featured GPS navigation with a Jeppesen database and comprehensive towers-and-obstacles database.

    Sennheiser HMEC-46-B-K ANR Headset - Combine the latest audio technology with superb comfort.

    David Clark H10-13S Stereo Headset - David Clark H10-13.4 Stereo

    Garmin GPSMAP 496 (Americas) - This “know-it-all” mini-MFD puts more power and information at your fingertips than any other portable handheld in the history of aviation.

    Sigtronics S-58H Headset - A fantastic combination of performance, comfort, and features that is rarely match by other passive headsets.

    LightSPEED 15XLc ANR Headset - LightSPEED's best ANR Value