ah yes . . . imagination . .. that is definitely part of the game. .. even tho' many have said and believed that a heightened imagination is not a good thing . . . and pilot psych tests had a component to filter out those so endowed. .. and maybe still do.
(bloody psych tests . . fancy being asked to say whether your preference would be to go to a party or stay home and read a book .. . . (thank you! Macleod and Chandler.)
PG Taylor the renowned pilot/author in 'Call to the Winds' recounts flying round at night on charters in his Percival Gull -
"As night fell I was once again confronted with the discomforts attendant on having but one engine - and a fertile imagination."
One of the key components to maintaining good airmanship is to
conscientiously give yourself a good self-briefing prior to any days flying.
The key part of this has to do with alertness. Once the fundamentals of handling your aircraft soundly and competently are approaching second nature, that is the time to guard against complacency. To say to yourself. . . . stay alert . . . never let up on the good lookout . . scanning. . scanning. . all the time. Be almost birdlike in awareness of the moment. Expect the unexpected . . It may never happen. But that is no excuse for unpreparedness. No one can teach you any of this. It comes from acquiring the right attitude, a certain maturity that is the greatest skin saver.
It has little to do with the preaching of safety mantras. That has its own shortcomings in that it can too often become a hollow thing, the mouthing of platitudes. With the right frame of mind and heightened awareness it will follow naturally that you acquire a shield.
Without the need of mother dear to keep us from all harm.
Last edited by Fantome; 10th February 2014 at 19:38.