The act of negotiating is good. Yet, few of us will engage in an obvious negotiation for fear that we might be turned down, or worse, that negotiation is somehow an indication of greed or of being egocentric. Neither of those fears is valid.
Participation prizes of a different kind
Virtually all of us will want something from the government at some point in our lives. A building variance, a zoning change, a pothole filled, maybe even a commitment to keep a local airport open. When it’s time to take your concern to an elected official, who do you think they will listen to more carefully? Those who only complain, or those who participate in the process and offer solutions?
The woodpecker, the cat, and the rest of us
At some point in our lives, most of us probably have the chance to do something remarkable. Of course, decisions will have to be made. Sacrifices may be required. Primary training may make us queasy. Instrument training may give us a headache. The stock market may rise or fall. But if we persevere, like the woodpecker and the cat, we may very well get what we want.
Great vistas of green
There is an almost universally accepted belief that our world is over-developed. It’s excessively crowded. Steel and glass and concrete surround us everywhere we go. We’re hemmed in by our own construction projects. Cramped and confined to areas with heavy traffic, ceaseless noise, and crowds of strangers. Asphalt pathways lead us deeper into the chasm of our communities, yet make it nearly impossible for us to find our way out. Balderdash. Absolute rubbish. If perception is reality, then a realignment of our perceptions is in order.
The quiet interval
This quiet interval takes me back to memories of my old friend, now gone, Hiram Mann. It makes me think of a place where he faced significant hardship, but came to experience profound pride.
High speed wheels
There is a place for high speed rail in this world. But in a nation the size of the US, with a population as affluent and mobile as ours is, air travel is a far, far more productive bet. Whether commercially or personally, it’s just a better deal all around. Let’s support it and believe in it, accordingly.
The season of maintenance
Our cooling temperatures present us with a great gift. This is a perfect time to accomplish time-consuming tasks we don’t want to undergo during the height of the spring and summer flying seasons. Painting, upholstery work, engine rebuilds, avionics upgrades and such can all put an otherwise perfectly functional airplane on the ground for weeks, or longer. In June that lost time can be a major point of frustration. In January, not so much.
Wrestling with priorities
Everyone who flirts with the aeronautical arts and sciences gets a crash course in financial management, whether they want it or not. Bottom line: It takes money to fly. But make no mistake, every one of us has the capacity to earn, save, and spend the requisite amount to achieve our dreams of flight.
Advice to CFIs: Hush
CFIs often act as if they aren’t teaching if they aren’t talking. A more productive course of action might be to put greater emphasis on the pre-flight brief and the post-flight debrief. In between, allow the student the space to absorb the situation, analyze their own performance, and fix their own problems.