Know Thyself

Legal doesn’t mean safe.

- BEN YOUNGER

Laypeople are both astonished at a pilot’s abilities and wholly unimpressed during the act of flight itself. They sleep like children during instrument approaches to minimums but lose their minds when they get even a taste of light turbulence in the flight levels. It seems most people don’t know what to be afraid of and when.

I do. I used to think landings were the only place you could hurt yourself. I never understood how a takeoff could bite so many pilots. But then I lost my plane to a wind-shear incident departing Telluride, Colorado. I am now fully versed. I currently have a healthy amount of respect for all envelopes of operating an airplane. Hell, even washing one.

The day I departed Telluride was windy but within my airplane’s ability according to the POH. The density altitude was high but not so high as to make a sufficient climb gradient impossible. What I learned that day is that being “legal” may be enough to satisfy the National Transportation Safety Board in their accident report, but it isn’t always enough to guarantee your safety. The spirit of the law and the letter of the law do not always agree.

It took an entire year to outfit the Bonanza I bought to replace my totaled airplane. I went out to Greeley, Colorado, a couple of times to check on the progress of the build. After one such visit, I drove my rental car to Denver and met a friend who had chartered a private flight to Telluride. He invited me to join him. I gladly gave up my commercial seat on a regional jet that had me traveling to Montrose, then taking a shuttle up to Telluride—avoiding an hours-long trek. Flying as a passenger in the twin turboprop reduced it all to 45 minutes. Plus, no TSA or security, for which I would do anything to avoid.