Aviatrix, remember why you got into flying in the first place, the same reason we all got into it…..keep living the dream. You can not blame yourself for what happened. It did not seem to me like you simply forgot what you were doing, it seemed like you despite your best efforts had no control, if your ex-boss could not recognise that you were phsically incapable then nuts to him…..there must be a better place outthere and up there for you…..
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.
Leonardo da Vinci
You dont belong on the ground….
]]>I didn’t think of the hypoxia effect, and I’m not a pilot, but my reading of the incident didn’t make it look quite so disastrous. Obviously it’s pretty bad if you get fired, but in sum, what happened was you took off in bad conditions, tried to make the run anyway, couldn’t manage it, and successfully turned around and aborted the mission with no damage except for fuel and pride. That’s more of a success than a failure.
]]>I must admit, though, I hadn’t thought it through as David did vis-a-vis the actual effects of the smoke itself. Excellent analysis there. SR-111 certainly comes to mind.
Yes, I see she seemingly has the comments disabled, so David will have to bear the brunt as the first of my aviation-related bloggers to take note. What actually happened in a dispassionate view is, that she undertook a mission with perhaps inadequate rest, with certainly inadequate weather and operational support, and failed to recognize as soon as she should have that she was crossing safe VFR limits. However, she then recognized the fact, used her FO properly (isn’t that why we have FO’s in the top echelon of commercial aviation?), recovered safely and dutifully reported the incident to her boss.
To render a judgement as to whether or not she did the right thing or the wrong thing in pulling the plug would be wrong for any of us, because, like many PIC decisions, it was hers to make and she made it.
I do wish her the absolute best at whatever she chooses to do next (and I certainly hope her next move includes writing, because she truly has a gift there)… and I color those wishes with a hope that she not, at least forever, remove piloting from consideration. It’s impossible to tell for certainty from just a written word, but I believe her dedication and skill level are far above average and her ability to process and learn from mistakes, exceptional.
God speed, Trixie, and save me the seat next to David’s, I’d ride with you any day.
]]>Aviatrix if you read this blog best of luck to you – we’re all human and nobody expects you to be perfect. I look forward to the day when you’ll continue your educational and entertaining blog.
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