Thousands of pages and reams of aviation pontification have been put forth in the name of Aviation Safety, all in an effort  to prevent aviation incidents and accidents. Far wiser and far more experienced Aviation Educators/Safety Advocates than myself have analyzed how we as pilots get ourselves into trouble (parenthetically, one of my favorite reads is “Stupid Pilot Tricks” published yearly in IFR Magazine. The “nice” thing is no one is identified or killed in this annual “tongue-in-cheek” report.) One thing I can state unequivocally, from a Human Performance perspective, is that we ALL will make mistakes, regardless of what we fly. Recognition and acceptance of that fact (perhaps, until AI can save us from ourselves) has led to an appropriate, yet almost religious belief that SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and Check-list discipline will save us. Combining the recognition of our error prone human frailty and a religious like penchant for standardization, one comes to the conclusion that, what we really are trying to do is to develop robust systems to CATCH and recover from errors. Please don’t misinterpret what I am saying: Preventing errors from occurring in the first place is a necessary and very laudible goal. Prevention is a necessary, but not completely sufficient approach to promoting Aviation Safety.

Thus, we should always additionally view our flying habits with an eye toward error capture and recovery.

One very, very easy error capture technique is to do a “Final Walk-Around” prior to loading -up: post pre-flight and prior to engine start. That is, after doing the careful and “granular” pre-flight inspection of your aircraft (and, perhaps right after returning from the restroom to “wash your hands”), take one quick “lap” around ‘round the aircraft from an overview perspective, to be sure everything is in order. In over 35 years of flying, I’ve learned the hard way (luckily, simple embarrassment, not damaged equipment) that a “final walk-around” is a great and necessary SOP. Honestly, I’m to the point that the final walk around is so ingrained in me that it would be like driving without buckling up. Just can’t do it!

Confession time, here a few of the “opportunities for learning” and retrospective entertainment that I’ve created, over my aviation career. (Feel free to contribute your own stories):

1. Telluride Airport (KTEX) on a training flight with an instructor and another student in a Turbo C182. It was my leg to fly, so after going into the FBO to “wash my hands,” I hop in the left seat and soon start to crank the engine. At which point, the line-boy (is that an inappropriate term, nowadays?) comes running out, waving wildly. The aircraft was “reluctant to taxi” despite judicious application of power added by yours-truly, due to the nose wheel chocks the “line-personnel” had kindly placed.

2. My RV7A (nosewheel model) transition training occurred at Vernonia Muni (05S) in Oregon (NW of Scappoose (KSPB) and Portland International). Vernonia is a lovely grass strip, buried in a lovely stand of trees and basically monopolized by one of the best and most experienced RV instructors out there -Mike Seager. We are taxiing out for our next flight, bumping along on grass, happy to challenge the trees again, when his lovely wife comes on the radio saying: “Hey Mike, you guys forgot to remove the rudder gust lock!”

3. This next one isn’t mine, but I feel my buddy’s pain-so it kinda counts: My buddy, a retired (Anonymous Airline) Captain with easily 30,000 hours of flight time, bought a new SR22T. Absolutely beautiful aircraft, of which, he was justifiably very proud. One day, (fill in the reason here, for why this happened!?), he forgot to remove the towbar from the nose wheel, started the engine and proceeded to taxi. Yep, the tow bar kicked up into the prop and required an engine tear down (For those of the right age: “Oh Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do!” If you don’t get the reference, ask an older instructor). One take home lesson here: if it could happen to this consummate aviator, it could happen to anyone!

For these (and many other such stories) I ALWAYS do a “Final Walk around” be it when I’m with a student or flying by myself. I almost hate to say this, but I get great satisfaction when I’m working with a client and notice something significant about the aircraft on my final walk around (usually a tie-down left on.) As soon as their seat belt clicks, I know I have the proverbial “clean kill”! There is no denying that they missed this critical item! (Really, try to explain why you buckled up and “knew” you left the tie-down chain on? Simply can’t be done!) My joy (honestly) comes not from busting them for a huge error, but much more  importantly,  it is a major opportunity to teach an important lesson-Do the “Final Walk Around”!

Lest you leave this discussion with the impression that I have “drunk the Cool-Aid” of the omnipotent CFI (not my self-image, honestly) who sits in the “Seat of Knowledge”, let me make another confession. YESTERDAY (07/2023), while with a student in an SR20, I did the mandatory (in my eyes) “Final Walk around.” Everything looked good and I hopped in. We started up and taxied to the run-up area. Run up complete, we called for our take-off clearance, looking forward to a gusty, but fun flight! Got our take off clearance, was about to cross the hold short line when tower called and said “Cirrus xxx” take off clearance cancelled, your baggage door is open.”

Holy S***!!!  Clean Kill, Joe! Zero excuse! In retrospect, I clearly missed that the baggage door was (almost) closed but not locked, closed. Aviation is a very humbling endeavor.

Perhaps, next time we should discuss: Expectation bias, when comfort creeps into vigilance, etc., etc. It could clearly apply here!

Fly Like Your Life Depends on It!

Joe Romson, CFI

Director of Safety

JATO Aviation, LLC

Reference:

1.     Stupid Pilot Tricks-IFR MAgazine:

https://www.ifr-magazine.com/technique/stupid-pilot-tricks-10/