Air Show Love
One of the unfortunate byproducts of sequestration is the impact it will have on this Summer’s air show season. According the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS), 10s of millions of folks attend air shows annually and it competes as one of the largest outdoor sporting events in the U.S.
Most of the larger shows use the military to drawn in the big crowds. This year there are no U.S. jet teams flying and I doubt they will even provide static display aircraft. The net effect is less air shows across our great land as promoters cancel fearing big losses. Plus the price to fill up the schedule just went up because the military teams were completely free. It’s a really bad situation for those in this small, family industry. Of course, they don’t have any lobbying power so they won’t get any help in Washington.
A lucky shot with my crappy 35mm camera – OKC 1989
The individual sponsors may get nervous too, worried that their advertising dollars won’t reach the huge crowds that frequent the shows. This spells disaster for the performers. With less shows and less sponsorship, our air show industry could be a shell of its former self in a few short years.
Frankly, I support pulling back on this kind of government spending when we are $16 Trillion in debt (as of this writing and climbing). But I don’t agree that this industry should suffer so the government has money to ship to “friends” overseas and for our own inflated welfare programs and hugely expensive bureaucracies . This really irritates me that my money is being so misappropriated. I could go on-and-on about this, but I’ll save you the rant. Continue reading
I can’t afford it. I despise the word “can’t.” There is simply no such thing. If you really want it, you can find the way. It really comes down to choices. With a limited budget you must simply CHOOSE what things you spend your money on. Everyone reading this has a limited budget.
I have bad eyesight. It slays me how many people I talk to think you must have perfect uncorrected vision. It is true that it needs to be correctable to 20/40. I have terrible vision without glasses and I fly for a living just using old-fashioned contact lens. Lots of folks now get laser surgery, which seems to work great.
I’m too old. Hogwash! You are only as old as you think you are – a quote that is written on the internal structure of my airplane by my wife. I have taught plenty of people after retirement age. How will you really know unless you try? It will be pretty apparent early in the process if you have bitten off more than you can chew.
I’m too young. Ok there are regulations that limit you from getting certain types of licenses, but you can take instruction at any age. I started at 14, too young to solo a powered plane by a full two years. Remember gliders allow you to be 14 to solo and 16 for the license so that’s a great option to get started early.
I’m not physically fit enough or I have health challenges. You don’t need to be a top athlete, or even an athlete at all. The medical requirements for a Private Pilot are very reasonable. Even if you don’t meet those requirements, you may be eligible for a waiver. Sport Pilot doesn’t even require a medical exam.
Habit 1 – Seeks perfection. I believe this is a key trait and it should not be limited to the professional. If you always strive to be the best, you’ll need to know how to accept coming up short without being frustrated. If you fall down you just dust yourself off and get back on the horse. 
Habit 3 – Always thinking ahead. This is just good airmanship, but knowing how to see the way forward is hugely important. At a macro level this involves seeing where you’ll be in 10 years as an aviator or at the micro level, it’s staying ahead of the airplane in a given maneuver or procedure. 
Habit 4 – Doesn’t let the ego get out of control. As a pilot It’s good to have a healthy ego. This business of flying airplanes isn’t for the meek. But there are all kinds of problems associated with an over-inflated ego. It’s a balance that isn’t always easy to manage for some of us, but the best aviators have this dialed in.
Habit 5 – Values safety and manages risk. Successful pilots must respect the need to be safe. Risk management is a large part of what we do as pilots, the good ones give it the appropriate amount of attention. The bad ones just create more statistics and make it hard for the rest of us. 
