Decision time....go/no go

Well, being newly certified, I of course get many requests from folks to
take them up for a ride. I am glad to do so. This weekend I had scheduled
a 1 hour flight around the Seattle area with two guys from work. Neither of
them have ever been a small plane before, but both were excited to go, and
have been looking forward to it all week.

I had to make my first "no go" this morning. I wanted to go up as much as
they did, and even though we had VFR conditions, there were showers moving
in from the south, which could involve loss of visibility minimums, not to
mention the enjoyment factor for the two guys on their first flight. They
were disappointed, but I told them I would re-schedule for next week as the
weather is supposed to be very good. I assured them that they will get much
more enjoyment out of the flight it the weather is better, and so off we
went.

I guess my point is that I didn't realize how it would affect me to cancel
the flight. Everything about flying today seemed a bit off, and deep in my
gut I knew that I was going to cancel, but standing there on the ramp
looking up at the sky and seeing the partially clear sky to the north really
makes an impact. I now see how emotions can give way to poor judgment.....I
also know now what to expect from myself in terms of feelings, and can
better anticipate those feelings for the many more times that I will have to
cancel, living in the Pacific Northwest.

Fred

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 10:36:13 -0700, "Fred Choate"
wrote in
::

I guess my point is that I didn't realize how it would affect me to cancel
the flight.

Canceling a flight in the face of social pressure is one of the most
difficult lessons for a newly certified airmen to appreciate. It's
difficult for a CFI to teach this. It is part of the "license to
learn."

I'm sure your passengers were a bit disappointed, but now have
considerable appreciation for your prudence and respect for their
safety. Well done.

Imagine the pressure you'd be under if you had landed somewhere
distant, and were deciding whether to go no-go back home to get them
there in time for work the next day.

Fred Choate wrote:

I guess my point is that I didn't realize how it would affect me to cancel
the flight. Everything about flying today seemed a bit off, and deep in my
gut I knew that I was going to cancel

I've learned that when something in my gut doesn't feel right,
investigate. We absorb far more information than we thoughtfully
process. Usually I investigate, find nothing wrong, and proceed, minus
the anxiety. But every so often it's helped me catch something I might
otherwise have missed.

-cwk.

Canceling a flight in the face of social pressure is one of the most
difficult lessons for a newly certified airmen to appreciate. It's
difficult for a CFI to teach this. It is part of the "license to
learn."

I'm sure your passengers were a bit disappointed, but now have
considerable appreciation for your prudence and respect for their
safety. Well done.

Some years back I took two friends for a 4 AM flight to Montauk Point
for them to catch another friend who flew in in a twin, so they could
all catch a tuna charter and go fishing. I was concerned about fog, but
that turned out to be a non-issue. The winds easily kept the fog at
bay. In fact, they were so strong that I did not have enough rudder
authority to keep on course in a slipping approach to the runway (I
figured we'd continue and see if the wind died down closer in), and as I
came over the sand dunes hit up and down drafts strong enough for me go
go around and try again. This was no better, up down up down go around.
The twin was on the ground and reported twenty knots of direct
crosswind (which he handled just fine). I simply said that it exceeded
the capability of this aircraft, and we diverted to Nantucket, where we
had a nice day of walking around and standing in line for shark at a BBQ.

My friends in the airplane said later that my decision greatly increased
their respect for me as a pilot, as there was a lot of pressure on me to
try again and just get the thing down but I did not succumb.

Do what's right for the safety of the flight. Your friends depend on
you for that, and when you say "no" it makes it quite clear to them that
you are in fact making the right command decisions, and not just
following along.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Fred
Good for you. That kind of attitude will keep you alive and prevent
killing innocents! I have lived with the attitude that I WILL RISK MY
LIFE, BUT NOT THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
I've been flying for nearly 50 years now and make my living as a crop
duster which has its own set of risk values. Some 22,000 years down the
road and no one killed. Never be afraid to say NO to a flight and live
to see the next day.
Again, Good For YOU.
Ol shy & Bashful

I guess my point is that I didn't realize how it would affect me to cancel
the flight.

Well done, Fred.

When I was newly certificated, I promised a coworker to take him and his son
flying. Over and over again one of us had to cancel, due to work or
personal issues coming up. It was very frustrating.

At last the day came when the three of us were standing on the tarmac
together, loading up the plane. The winds were high and gusty (of course, a
cross-wind, at good ol' 2300 x 30' Sylvania Field, C89), the ceilings low
and ugly, and the temperature was dropping.

Technically it was VFR, but even with my paltry 70-or-so hours I knew that
it would be neither fun nor pretty. Worse, I didn't know if it would *stay*
VFR, and I really didn't want my friend and his kid barfing all over the
rental plane.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I scrubbed the flight
right there on the ramp. The look on that kid's face still haunts me -- and
we never were able to re-schedule -- but it's just something you've got to
be able to do, if you want to be a pilot.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

wrote in news:1121027023.161831.119530
@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

snip
Some 22,000 years down the
road and no one killed.

NOW THAT'S an amazing stat!

"Fred Choate" wrote in message
...
I had to make my first "no go" this morning. I wanted to go up as much as
they did, and even though we had VFR conditions, there were showers moving
in from the south, which could involve loss of visibility minimums, not to
mention the enjoyment factor for the two guys on their first flight. They
were disappointed, but I told them I would re-schedule for next week as
the weather is supposed to be very good. I assured them that they will
get much more enjoyment out of the flight it the weather is better, and so
off we went.

Good decision! One thing that I find helpful is to manage passengers'
expectations by emphasizing from the outset that flying plans are always
tentative and often have to be canceled due to weather, maintenance
problems, etc.

--Gary

I've taxied back from run up more than once: if it ain't right, don't
do it!

"Tony" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've taxied back from run up more than once: if it ain't right, don't
do it!

I have as well. Though, one time I had to leave the plane at the run-up
pad, because the parking brake cable came loose with the brakes set. Doh.
Hard to taxi back from that "ain't right" situation.