The First Time...

There is always a first - first kiss, first bungie jump, first heart attack.  In flying – there are a lot of firsts.  As a passenger in a private plane, I suggest you fly with pilots that aren’t doing things for the very first time – it may not be more safe (the pilot may still be reckless), but it will make you feel better.

Last week I took a walkabout to inspire my creative thinking.  I chose to fly myself from Rocky Mountain Metro (KBJC) to Burbank (KBUR).  I asked my good friend, Peter Hoskins, if he wanted a free round trip since he is doing the commuting thing anyways (maniaTV’s offices are in Hollywood – Peter their CEO, is moving out west next month).  Peter was more than happy to go – and has flown with me in the past (he’s not a pilot).

The trip out was fine.

The morning of the trip back there was a low cloud layer over the entire LA basin – only a few hundred feet thick but low enough so that you couldn’t leave the airport unless you were on an instrument flight plan.  Flying through clouds is normal – but it also can be disorienting if you don’t keep your head in the cockpit and fly by the instruments alone.  In fact, a very high percentage of small aircraft accidents (maybe the highest percentage) occurs when pilots get disoriented in the clouds, lose control of the plane, only to then execute a sudden, unexpected, fiery, final landing.

I’m an instrument rated pilot.  I’m current in all my flying requirements to fly by instruments. I’ve trained for flying in the clouds in a simulated environment and I’ve actually flown in real clouds (just a little bit 11/700+ hours  - not much opportunity to fly in clouds in CO either it’s ice or thunderstorms and both are killers) – but always with an instructor – never alone.  Wait I did go in the clouds once with another, less experienced pilot – but that didn’t go too well.

So this early morning in Burbank, Peter is waiting for me in the lobby of the FBO and I approach him and say, “Dude it’s cloudy.  I have to tell you something – I’ve never done this before without an instructor.  I’ve trained for it and I think I can do it – but you have to know this will be a first.  We can wait until the clouds lift in five hours and overnight in Vegas or we can go now – either way I’m happy.  I also have to tell you I’m a little nervous.  So what’s your decision?”

His reply was perfect, “Dude – you’ve trained for it, you seem safe, let’s give it a go, I trust you wouldn’t do anything you weren’t confident about.”

So we go and I explain to him the process of what I was doing – more as a verbal checklist for me than a way to calm him down.  We get in the plane, start the engine, get our clearance and it was different than what I expected – which made me more nervous.  I planned to fly to X then Y then Z and they told me to fly to G then S then L.  So I had to sit there and figure it all out in real time.  The night before, I familiarized myself with the flight plan - now that plan was all wrong.  So we sat in the plane, on the tarmac with the engine running while I studied the new routing.  At one point, I even whipped out my cell phone and called my instructor to ask questions (he also gave me words of encouragement – but I’m sure that made Peter nervous).

Thirty minutes later we were airborne sailing through the clouds.  Everything went just fine (obviously I'm still alive) – it was easier than I expected and my nerves calmed down very quickly after takeoff.

Ok so check that one off the list – first time flying in the clouds without another pilot or instructor.  Thanks Peter for saying yes and not freaking out.