On Tue, 5 Feb 2008 07:31:04 -0800 (PST), Ricky wrote:

Actually, additional mistakes were not knowing the weather well enough
to know there were thunderstorms on the way

I swore I'd never be rushed into getting an airplane into the air, but real
life proved me wrong.

I was renting an airplane at a new FBO and getting ready to fly with
instructor for the checkride. I did it at my own pace. Engine running,
the airplane failed the radio check.

Suddenly, everything turned into a rush... they pulled out another
airplane (a different model that I was less familiar with) and told me that
we had 45 minutes before it was rented to someone else. The instructor did
a bit of outside preflight and I didn't check his work. We rushed through
everything so I could drop him off and pick up my passenger.

Looking back, I was amazed how easily I could break my own rule. I trusted
the competence of someone I didn't know with my life and made assumptions
that everything would be alright.

I shall endeavor to walk away rather than do anything like that again.

--
Dallas