Most important safety item in cockpit?

[AdamZ]

A hint, okay - it is a safety of flight item in that it effects the pilots judgment but it is a tangible thing with intangible properties.

Ok since were not talking IR, MEI or any special endorsement or other rating its gotta be something available to any old VFR PP

E6B?

 

[Arnold]

Ok since were not talking IR, MEI or any special endorsement or other rating its gotta be something available to any old VFR PP

E6B?

But I like it,

I never travel without the old E6B, but I must admit on the last trip I never took it out of its case as the KLN90B has all the air data and nav functions I normally use, TAS, G/S, Wind triangle, and the fuel totalizer did all my fuel related calculations. But now that you mention it I feel like I kinda missed out on something using all the electronics and never pulling out the old Whiz Wheel.

 

[Fast n' Furious]

Well trained, well rested, fully aware, safety focused pilot(s) flying well maintained, properly serviced aircraft that are made in America. Sorry, shameless plug for the home team!

 

[Everskyward]

A hint, okay - it is a safety of flight item in that it effects the pilots judgment but it is a tangible thing with intangible properties.

Animal, vegetable or mineral?

I'm with the majority in guessing something in line with the pilots' brain.

 

[Arnold]

Okay, new hint. It is something that influences the pilot's attitude. It is carbon based, but not a carbon based life form. (a
Anybody remember the Star Trek episode with the silicon based life form - but I degress.)

 

[Len Lanetti]

Anybody remember the Star Trek episode with the silicon based life form - but I degress.)

Yes...the Horta...first episode where Spock uses the Vulcan mind meld and the first time McCoy says the phrase "I'm a doctor, not a ______.". In this case it was "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer.".

Is your friend's safe flight item fuel?

Len

 

[silver-eagle]

Thinking about it, I would say pilot attitude is probably the biggest single safety item in the plane. If he's complacent or holds onto a negative attitude, it doesn't matter if he gets the plane in the air. He's a danger to everyone.
Positive attitude, recurring training, currency, proper ratings, hanging out at PoA all contribute to safety in flight. And THAT is all about attitude.

 

[Arnold]

Yes...the Horta...first episode where Spock uses the Vulcan mind meld and the first time McCoy says the phrase "I'm a doctor, not a ______.". In this case it was "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer.".

Is your friend's safe flight item fuel?

Len

I was not aware of the number of firsts in that episode.

My friend would agree with you on the importance of the fuel but it would not be his answer. While others might quibble that fuel is not a safety of flight item found in the cockpit, he would likely argue that since most light aircraft route the fuel through the cockpit for various reasons, and the fuel gauges are normally in the cockpit as well, that the "in the cockpit" premise was indeed satisfied by your answer.

Thanks for the Star Trek info and for trying understand my friend's mind. I will add that in the nearly 30 years that I have been aviating he is the only person who has ever suggested the answer he propounds.

 

[Arnold]

Thinking about it, I would say pilot attitude is probably the biggest single safety item in the plane. If he's complacent or holds onto a negative attitude, it doesn't matter if he gets the plane in the air. He's a danger to everyone.
Positive attitude, recurring training, currency, proper ratings, hanging out at PoA all contribute to safety in flight. And THAT is all about attitude.

And my friend would likely agree without hesitation to much of what you have said, BUT he would maintain that since the item he is thinking about has a way of influencing attitude, it in fact is more important than the attitude itself. In other words, if an item inevitably makes one more or less cautious, than the item itself effects safety, albeit indirectly.

 

[grattonja]

Okay, new hint. It is something that influences the pilot's attitude. It is carbon based, but not a carbon based life form. (a
Anybody remember the Star Trek episode with the silicon based life form - but I degress.)

Pencil? I prefer pens, because I can write on my hand with them if necessary.

Jim G

 

[GaryO]

And my friend would likely agree without hesitation to much of what you have said, BUT he would maintain that since the item he is thinking about has a way of influencing attitude, it in fact is more important than the attitude itself. In other words, if an item inevitably makes one more or less cautious, than the item itself effects safety, albeit indirectly.

Could he be thinking of air? Needed for both breathing (pilot and engine) and maintaining lift. Especially clean healthy air.

 

[ScottM]

But I like it,

I never travel without the old E6B, but I must admit on the last trip I never took it out of its case as the KLN90B has all the air data and nav functions I normally use, TAS, G/S, Wind triangle, and the fuel totalizer did all my fuel related calculations. But now that you mention it I feel like I kinda missed out on something using all the electronics and never pulling out the old Whiz Wheel.

I pretty much use my KLN90B all the time for that stuff when I am in the cockpit. It just makes sense to keep things easy to do, especially as I fly a fair amount of single pilot IFR. I dodn't want to mess with the whiz wheel or my electronic handheld. If I set up the KLN90B on the ground I am just turning a couple of knobs to get the fuel. The D/T function handles the rest and is based on the GS so no need to do any wind calcs to figure it out from the airspeed and checkpoint times.

 

[Everskyward]

Money?

 

[Arnold]

Money?

We basically, have a winner - not the exact answer but close enough.


His answer is "a credit card" his reasoning is essentially:

If you have a credit card you have no need to press on into deteriorating weather or with a misbehaving aircraft or when you feel like cr$p. You just land and deal with it and hence without the "get there itis" your judgment is no longer impaired by the extraneous concerns, but rather is free to concentrate on the important things.

You are never "stuck" if you have a credit card, you can rent a car, buy an airline ticket, book lodgings. You know that the fix is money and that you at least can get what you need for the near term and credit card companies don't really care how long it takes to pay them back.

Now I can't state that this pearl of wisdom would change the GA safety record, but I can say that he makes an interesting point by going beyond attitude and looking at what influences attitude. As the PoA members have demonstrated convincingly, the majority of the pilots understand the importance of attitude or judgment or mind set, to my friend's way of thinking the next question is to ask what influences can change attitude, judgment and mind set.

So that is the answer the most important safety item in the cockpit - at least to my friend's way of thinking is a hydrocarbon based tangible item that has intangible properties resulting is safer flight because it influences pilot attitude. A credit card.

 

[Bill]

Yes...the Horta...first episode where Spock uses the Vulcan mind meld and the first time McCoy says the phrase "I'm a doctor, not a ______.". In this case it was "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer.".

I believe the full quote was, "Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."

 

[ScottM]

I believe the full quote was, "Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."

Exact source

IIRC, this quote comes from ST:TOS Series 1, Episode "The Devil in the Dark". See URL (http://www.maximillian.org/tos/devil.html) for a synopsis

Following discovery of the Horta, various people have used phasers on the creature. Kirk asks Bones whether he can patch her up. She's a silicon-based lifeform, though (i.e. a hunk of living rock), so Bones responds "Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a bricklayer!"
But out comes the trowel and cement and he gives it a go.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Yes...the Horta...first episode where Spock uses the Vulcan mind meld and the first time McCoy says the phrase "I'm a doctor, not a ______.". In this case it was "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer.".

Is your friend's safe flight item fuel?

Len

It is a running joke in my family that the Horta resembles my mom's meatloaf. Every single year for Christmas I give her a videotape of that episode. Then my sister steals it and gives it back to me for the next year. But after umpteen years we're running out of ways to conceal the fact that there's a videotape in the box.

 

[Everskyward]

We basically, have a winner - not the exact answer but close enough.

Oooh, what do I win?

As the PoA members have demonstrated convincingly, the majority of the pilots understand the importance of attitude or judgment or mind set, to my friend's way of thinking the next question is to ask what influences can change attitude, judgment and mind set.

I thought about money because I recently read this article from our friends up north (caution, long):

http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/systemsafety/newsletters/tp202/2-03/V035.htm

At the end it states:

"We must identify factors that can cause dilemmas between safety and performance, such as:

• Profit sharing arrangements;
• Payment by the mile, load, passenger, or ton delivered; and,
• Payment by the flying hour.

These all motivate pilots to fly when they shouldn’t, or at least "give it a try".
As a manager in commercial aviation, make sure you are paying for what you want. If you want a safe operation, then pay for safe decision-making. If you want production, regardless of accidents, then pay for flying hours, passengers delivered or freight delivered. People will generally do what they are paid to do!
In private aviation, always leave yourself options. Always have an alternate for fuel, accommodation and food. Always leave yourself an "out" for time, such as airplane rental agreements that will not pressure you into bad decisions or a boss who will give you a Monday morning as vacation time if needed, so you don’t have to push the weather to get back to work. Always leave yourself financial options — carry credit cards, cheques, bank cards or even cash, so you don’t pressure yourself to do things due to lack of money."

 

[Len Lanetti]

I was not aware of the number of firsts in that episode.

Arnold,

I always thought it was one of the better Star Trek original series episodes.

While I was guessing that fuel was your friend's safety item I'm not sure I think of it as a safety item.

Carbon based...hmmm...not a chemist so is a pencil carbon based? Is a pencil the safety item...as in keeping a fuel usage and nav log???

Len

 

[fgcason]

Pencil? I prefer pens, because I can write on my hand with them if necessary.

Dry erase board markers. Write on the windows. It also writes on sectionals, hands, shirts and anything else and cleans right off most stuff easily enough.
Just take a squirter bottle and a rag with you if you don't already carry it.

 

[fgcason]

His answer is "a credit card"

No wonder I couldn't think of that one. It's a bit more obscure and indirect but more importantly it's such an essential default item in my emergency kit that it isn't even thought about. It's just always there..always.

his reasoning is essentially...

...very sound as long as you have access to civilization and have the presence of mind to not get target fixation.

 

[Arnold]

Oooh, what do I win?


I thought about money because I recently read this article from our friends up north (caution, long):

http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/systemsafety/newsletters/tp202/2-03/V035.htm

At the end it states:

"We must identify factors that can cause dilemmas between safety and performance, such as:

• Profit sharing arrangements;
• Payment by the mile, load, passenger, or ton delivered; and,
• Payment by the flying hour.

These all motivate pilots to fly when they shouldn’t, or at least "give it a try".
As a manager in commercial aviation, make sure you are paying for what you want. If you want a safe operation, then pay for safe decision-making. If you want production, regardless of accidents, then pay for flying hours, passengers delivered or freight delivered. People will generally do what they are paid to do!
In private aviation, always leave yourself options. Always have an alternate for fuel, accommodation and food. Always leave yourself an "out" for time, such as airplane rental agreements that will not pressure you into bad decisions or a boss who will give you a Monday morning as vacation time if needed, so you don’t have to push the weather to get back to work. Always leave yourself financial options — carry credit cards, cheques, bank cards or even cash, so you don’t pressure yourself to do things due to lack of money."

Great Article, thanks.

 

[Bill]

the Horta resembles my mom's meatloaf.

Wait, don't tell me, let me guess. The little new potatoes she served on the side were its children, right? Hahahahaha, I crack me up!

"Paaaaain, paaaaain"

 

[Ken Ibold]

Wait, don't tell me, let me guess. The little new potatoes she served on the side were its children, right?

New potatoes? I thought they were silicon nodules.

 

[Len Lanetti]

Dry erase board markers.

...as long as the fumes from the marker didn't kill you.

Len

 

[grattonja]

...as long as the fumes from the marker didn't kill you.

Len

Combine those with hypoxia at higher altitudes, and I bet you got one h--- of a ride!

Think I'll stick to pens.

Jim G

 

[fgcason]

...as long as the fumes from the marker didn't kill you.

Put the cap back on after you use it. Keeps it from drying out and marking up other stuff too.

Markers aren't bad. If you want something that'll kill you, fill a fuel cup up with auto gas, dump it out then toss the cup in the seatback on a hot day. You'll be stinkied to death before you get to the runup area.

 

[Arnold]

...very sound as long as you have access to civilization and have the presence of mind to not get target fixation.

Good point. I find that just having had the discussion with hiim, and indeed having the credit card in my pocket, that I am more inclined to think of diverting as an option than I used to be. I don't think I've choosen it as the option any more frequently, I just find myself being more willing to think about it. All my diverts of late have been for pax comfort issues and not safety of flight related.

 

[Steve]

I chose "attitude" because imho a pilot with the right attitude will make better risk management decisions regarding issues critical to flight safety, be it skill set, physiology, equipment status and capability, or environmental pressures (schedule, wx, facilities, etc.) regardless of the associated cost, credit card or no credit card.

That's why I submitted an Attitude Indicator as my preferred logo for PoA many moons ago, btw.

 

[Arnold]

I chose "attitude" because imho a pilot with the right attitude will make better risk management decisions regarding issues critical to flight safety, be it skill set, physiology, equipment status and capability, or environmental pressures (schedule, wx, facilities, etc.) regardless of the associated cost, credit card or no credit card.

That's why I submitted an Attitude Indicator as my preferred logo for PoA many moons ago, btw.

NO quibbles with that.

 

[ScottM]

I chose "attitude" because imho a pilot with the right attitude will make better risk management decisions regarding issues critical to flight safety, be it skill set, physiology, equipment status and capability, or environmental pressures (schedule, wx, facilities, etc.) regardless of the associated cost, credit card or no credit card.

That's why I submitted an Attitude Indicator as my preferred logo for PoA many moons ago, btw.

Ever notice how a guy who cuts corners in his life also seems to make the worst pilot decisions? Too many times I see guys who will take chances with their lives and their paxes lives just to save a couple fo bucks on parts for the airplane or actually doing their proficency training. I always figure they may get a way with it for a while but eventually karma will catch up to them and take them out of the gene pool. Unfortunetly when that happens it is pretty messy and ruins other people's lives.