What skills atrophy first?

"Michael 182" wrote in message
news:Zw%fc.155251$K91.408307@attbi_s02...
Flew today for the first time in two months. I'm a 1000 hour pilot, so
it's
not as if I'm starting from scratch, but I really felt slow on every
thinking step. Had to refer to checklists to remember all the preflight,
startup, takeoff drills, which made me wonder what I had forgotten on
emergency and other checklists, so I reviewed them in the run up area.
Once
I got off the ground I was fine, and landings were no problem - probably
muscle memory takes over. So I guess, for me, the thing that atrophies
first
is procedures. Maybe a sign of age...

Okay...all kidding aside...

You might want to try Ginkgo Biloba...it may be psychosomatic, but I find it
helps. IAC, it could just be fatigue as well.

Some people start feeling it earlier than others. My boss had me get some
training since he doesn't feel so sharp anymore -- he wanted someone along
for co-pilot. He's 67 years old and until last year he was flying a Citation
CJ as a single pilot.