A guy has got to know his limitations

FlySince9

FlySince9

En-Route
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
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3,151
Location
Huntersville, NC
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Display name:
Jerry
Worked 4-midnight shifts this week (6days in a row). Today was my first day off and the weather was beautiful! I got to bed at 12:40am and got up with they wife at 6:30 to share breakfast and see her off to work. My work schedule and weather had kept me grounded the last seven days so even though I felt a bit tired I headed out to the airport about 10 am. I flew to an airport about 20 minutes away to buy some fuel and when I got there I was having trouble nailing airspeed and just feeling behind the airplane... not surprisingly I crossed the threshold too fast and took a bad bounce... firewalled it and went around. Landed ok the second try but realized that I was more tired than I thought. Got gas and flew to home base... took 10 minutes to gather my thoughts and climb out... and another 1/2 hour to put the plane to bed... bad decision to fly today. Nothing got bent but my ego... never doing that again...
 
FlySince9 said:
Worked 4-midnight shifts this week (6days in a row). ......I got to bed at 12:40am and got up with they wife at 6:30 to share breakfast and see her off to work........even though I felt a bit tired......I was having trouble nailing airspeed and just feeling behind the airplane......I crossed the threshold too fast and took a bad bounce... firewalled it............realized that I was more tired than I thought.
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Some folks call fatigue the hidden killer. It certainly can be insidious. About bit me many years ago while driving. Glad you’re ok. Thanks for sharing as it might help someone.
 
I left my volunteer job at the botanical gardens a little early thinking the sky was clear and I should be flying. I headed to the airport but on the way got a call that the lights at the church were out and another call from my veterans court charge who was just feeling a little out of sorts. I stopped the car outside the hangar and said to myself you know your head is not in this. I went to the church to work on the lights.
 
Yes I have found the excitement of going flying can trick ya into thinking you arent tired... but the demands of flying will quickly eat through that....

I too have been there, surprised myself as I didn’t think I was tired until I just wasn’t flying her well...
 
I work mostly overnight shifts. Even if I had 'enough' sleep after the last shift, there are times I wont go flying just based on not feeling completely right. It takes a few days on a regular schedule to completely shed the 'fog'.
 
Oh man, I’ve definitely had those days. Good on you for recognizing it!
 
I don't fly from the middle of January to the middle of April due to this. As a tax accountant, I know I am fatigued from February to April. 18+ hours a day, 6 days a week will do that to you. I just stay away so I am not tempted.
 
JD318 said:
I don't fly from the middle of January to the middle of April due to this. As a tax accountant, I know I am fatigued from February to April. 18+ hours a day, 6 days a week will do that to you. I just stay away so I am not tempted.
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So it’s all a little too taxing for you?
 
A twist on this.... I flew a dawn flight for the first time last week. Was feeling good the night before, weather was awesome. Flew a 20 minute flight to pick up a friend to take flying. Mentioned to him I was surprised I was a little fuzzy, but passed it off to the early morning and lack of caffeine. After flying with him for a little over an hour I was feeling really drained. Dropped him off and went back home and immediately started feeling really rotten. Turns out I was at the beginning of a cold I’m just now getting over. In retrospect, I should have stopped the flight when I identified the fuzzy
 
Welcome to the world of the air ambulance pilot.

Back when I flew medevac there was nothing as enjoyable as getting home from a trip at around 2am, get home thinking I am finished for the night, have a light snack, start getting in the bed and as soon as my ear starts to hit the pillow the phone rings and it is rush to start all over again.

Nothing like getting home at 6am, get to bed, wake up at 4:30pm and realize I went back on duty 30 minutes earlier.
 
I just got home from taking kids to FL for spring break- had hooker harnesses put in my ol C140 while gone- had to check em out as soon as I was home but just sat in the hanger after driving all night I want gunna touch that masterswitch- but man do those harnesses make me feel more secure sitting in her...
 
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