addition to preflight checklist

[shkdriver]

I have a vivid memory of my instructor making a statement "Don't kill us today" He made this statement as I was finishing my verbally announced prelaunch checklist. At the time It did not seem to be a statement of my lack of skill, but rather a directive for my mental attitude. I think the Instructor was making sure that I had an appreciation for the consequences possible while flying gliders.
To this day I mentally finish my checklist with "Don't kill myself"


When we pilot a sailplane, we have just ourselves, the craft, and the air. Our enemies are (in random order) adverse weather conditions, mechanical malfunctions, inadequate skills, bad luck, and unwise decisions or actions, and errors. I'm sure there are many more.

So, just adding "don't kill myself" to my checklist could be seen as trite, however, For me, it resets my perception of myself to that of a fragile and vulnerable creature who can and will make mistakes, setting a mental tone of caution.
As a usually confident guy this little reminder helps me stay more conservative than I might otherwise be.

Of course, my Instructor could also just have been making a statement about my lack of skill.

Safe Flying!
Scott W.

[Cookie]

On Aug 22, 1:10*am, shkdriver >
wrote:
> I have a vivid memory of my instructor making a statement "Don't kill us
> today" He made this statement as I was finishing my verbally announced
> prelaunch checklist. At the time It did not seem to be a statement of my
> lack of skill, but rather a directive for my mental attitude. I think
> the Instructor was making sure that I had an appreciation for the
> consequences possible while flying gliders.
> To this day I mentally finish my checklist with "Don't kill myself"
>
> When we pilot a sailplane, we have just ourselves, the craft, and the
> air. Our enemies are (in random order) adverse weather conditions,
> mechanical malfunctions, inadequate skills, bad luck, and unwise
> decisions or actions, and errors. I'm sure there are many more.
>
> So, just adding "don't kill myself" to my checklist could be see as
> trite, however, For me, it resets my perception of myself to that of a
> fragile and vulnerable creature who can and will make mistakes, setting
> a mental tone of caution.
> As a usually confident guy this little reminder helps me stay more
> conservative than I might otherwise be.
>
> Of course, my Instructor could also just have been making a statement
> about my lack of skill.
>
> Safe
> Flying!
> Scott W.
>
> --
> shkdriver

Scott,

I am slightly more politically correct ...I tell my students (and my
self) at preflight "don't do anything sutpid". Actually my written
pre take off check list always contains "formulation of an emergency
plan"...which is then tailored to that particular flight, and that
particular day (weather)..

As and instructor, sometimes we hear from a student, or even an
experienced pilot, when they screw up..."nobody ever told me that"...
Of course a "cop out" on their part.....but the instructor needs to
cover his own ass.....usually by logging EVERYTHING into the student's
log book...at least then there is some proof that you in fact did
cover that....

So sometimes I jokingly (but still making an improtant point) threaten
to write into each student's log book.."do not crash"....then if they
crash, I can say "as in instructor, I told them "not to do that"...

But seriously...you and your instructor are helping to enhance safety
with that mindset...

Cookie