Doug's post this morning of his personal safety missive is a great concept for everyone to think about.
It is a personal document that sets out the “rules” by which Doug flies, lives, and thinks about airplanes. We call them “Flight Rules “ in my business – yes, they fill two six-inch binders – and we try to live by them. Because we understand the rationale behind the rules, we can sometimes come up with a good and valid reason why they might be bent slightly - because it can be hard to think of everything in advance.
While I might have a slightly different set of rules than Doug does, that is not an issue – the idea is valid. HAVE a set of rules, write them down (along with their rationale, which he did – extremely important, because that is how you check to see if they make sense!), and have the self discipline to hold yourself accountable. Let me emphasize that again – the RATIONALE (the reasoning behind) each rule is how you test for their validity. “Why” you choose to do, not do, or believe something is important to understand.
You can never MAKE anyone else live by your own set of rules, unless you are elected emperor, but you CAN set an example that others can choose to follow if they understand the benefits of your way. That is what I have always tried to do – emulate that which I admire. We need to choose our role models carefully. I choose those who think about the "why" of the limitations and behaviors they choose to follow, and they are a number of those types here in the forums and throughout aviation. There are others that I wouldn't follow across a deserted country road.
Choose wisely, but have a set of rules and limitations by which you live and fly - you'll live and fly longer!
Gotta' go fly,
Paul
[ed. Thank you Paul. dr]
It is a personal document that sets out the “rules” by which Doug flies, lives, and thinks about airplanes. We call them “Flight Rules “ in my business – yes, they fill two six-inch binders – and we try to live by them. Because we understand the rationale behind the rules, we can sometimes come up with a good and valid reason why they might be bent slightly - because it can be hard to think of everything in advance.
While I might have a slightly different set of rules than Doug does, that is not an issue – the idea is valid. HAVE a set of rules, write them down (along with their rationale, which he did – extremely important, because that is how you check to see if they make sense!), and have the self discipline to hold yourself accountable. Let me emphasize that again – the RATIONALE (the reasoning behind) each rule is how you test for their validity. “Why” you choose to do, not do, or believe something is important to understand.
You can never MAKE anyone else live by your own set of rules, unless you are elected emperor, but you CAN set an example that others can choose to follow if they understand the benefits of your way. That is what I have always tried to do – emulate that which I admire. We need to choose our role models carefully. I choose those who think about the "why" of the limitations and behaviors they choose to follow, and they are a number of those types here in the forums and throughout aviation. There are others that I wouldn't follow across a deserted country road.
Choose wisely, but have a set of rules and limitations by which you live and fly - you'll live and fly longer!
Gotta' go fly,
Paul
[ed. Thank you Paul. dr]
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