Maybe it's just me, but perfection isn't necessary. As pilots, we strive to be perfect, to make the perfect landing, to have textbook communication on the radio and to track the 036 degree radial without fault. I'm here to say, at least to suggest that we are allowed to make mistakes.
Now now now, don't get all upset at me for saying that. I'm not suggesting that are careless. But obviously, when you make a mistake, it must be recognized, analyzed and corrected. This to me, in short, is what learning how to fly is really about. Even if you have your pilot certificate, from Private to ATP, you are always learning. I would hope that there are things that I know as a pilot that some pilot, with over 10,000 hours wouldn't know. What do you think? Do you have a golden nugget of knowledge that would benefit pilots? Oh course, we all have stories to share, experiences we've had or wish we hadn't, but everyone of these should be shared. The more awareness of events pilots can glean off of others the better equipped we become.
Some of these things can be from personal experiences, for instance: When landing on runway 26 at Sky King Airport in Terre Haute, Indiana with winds out of the south west, there can be some pretty crazy wind obstruction from the hangers just south of the runway.
Another, more general lesson learned for me happened recently. We all know that in cruise we should lean the engine to reduce the fuel flow and optimize the mixture. Of course, before the decent the pilot must advance the mixture to rich. This prevents the engine from cutting out when the air gets denser and more fuel is required to sustain combustion. Here is a little tip I learned. Don't forget to enrichen the mixture. After a couple thousand feet of decent, the engine will hiccup and your passenger will not be pleased.
In summary, pilots aren't perfect. We are always learning. Don't be afraid to make mistake. And finally, if you don't feel you are learning from these mistakes, cut up your pilots license and try a new hobby.
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Great post, and I agree with your sentiment. I've forgotten about the enrichen step a couple times myself along with what's probably a very long list of little oversights in my almost two years as a pilot. While striving to be our best is important, striving for safety should be our top focus.
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