If you wanted help prevent a new private pilot from becoming another safety statistic, and could only give them one piece of advice, what would you tell them?

Posted by WorkingOnPPL@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 374 comments

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374 Comments

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neil350@reddit

as a 22000 hour, 45 year veteran of aviation, I’m only as good as my last flight….

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mravidzombie@reddit

Listen to 2 podcasts…Max Trescott’s Aviation Newstalk podcast and Opposing Bases. Lot of wisdom found in those 2!

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Electronic-Ad3243@reddit

Most accidents are a series of small incidents. Recognize that a small incident- as small as the batteries in your flashlight are dead ( for a night flight) can lead to an accident. Land and get fresh batteries. ( just an example as everyone would check their flashlight in a preflight …)

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gza036@reddit

Forget about the "pitch for airspeed, power for altitude" garbage you were probably taught by your clown CFI. Attitude + Power = Performance Realize there are specific pitch attitudes and power settings to make the plane do exactly what you want, memorize them and start using them. Control/Performance method. Extremely useful concept for your instrument rating.

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Rexrollo150@reddit

When your engine fails, put the fuckin’ nose down.

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Kemerd@reddit

Was recently involved in a low altitude engine out. Only reason I survived with only a bruise was because when I felt oncoming stall, I knew I had to push nose forward.. it sucks real bad knowing you won’t make the runway, but if you don’t want to be a stall spin you HAVE to do it even if it means flying right into the trees, better than a stall spin.

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Grand-Amphibian-3887@reddit

A good friend of mine built/flies a SX300, which for a hombuilt has a very fast wing. I asked him his technique, he said 120 on downwind, 110 on base, 100 on final even if the engine fails and you aren't going to make the runway.

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Rexrollo150@reddit

Glad you’re okay dude

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Kemerd@reddit

Thanks, just a few months ago someone had a similar situation occur at the airport, but it was unfortunately a stall spin with 2 fatalities. Happens even to the best of us.. even AOPA safety institute leader tried to make impossible turn and stall spin.. ideally land straight ahead and try to turn as little as possible!

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vitesseSpeed@reddit

Left seat pilot, Russ Francis, made that turn.

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Wonderful-Class-1971@reddit

Van nuys?

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AndAgain99@reddit

Aviate, navigate, communicate, in the order. I'm assuming that's still drilled into every student's head.

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temphandsome@reddit

Investigate if possible before communicating!!

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onetreeone@reddit

Everyone can say it, but applying it to your particular situation during a time of high stress is very different. It’s also harder to train for.

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ATACB@reddit

you would be surprised how many people seem to forget that when flying a jet.

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backflipbail@reddit

Student here, yup 👍

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gio_buddy@reddit

Okay but… when me and my cfi are cruising and he pulls power and simulates engine failure he tells me to immediately pitch for best glide and that usually involves pointing the nose up to get to that speed and gain some altitude so now I’m confused?

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EntroperZero@reddit

You're both right. The most dangerous time for engine failure is shortly after takeoff, when you're still climbing at Vy or even Vx sometimes. If you lose your engine with your nose 10 degrees up at Vx, you need to push right away. If you're level in cruise, yeah, pull up and trade some airspeed for more altitude until you're at best glide.

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y2khardtop1@reddit

Problems statistically happen at take off, not cruise, where you dont have energy to trade

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Rexrollo150@reddit

Your CFI is right, pitch for best glide is the correct answer. However in the most dangerous situations of an engine failure (low to the ground, low airspeed), best glide will involve pitching down. I say “put the fucking nose down” because if you have the instinct to do that during a startling low altitude engine out, it could save your life.

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dagon77@reddit

Had a CFI who was a glider instructor show me how to trade altitude for airspeed to make it to the runway. Not instinctive, but highly functional under the circumstances.

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mikeindeyang@reddit

But that goes against the principal of what best glide speed (Vmd) means. Any speed higher or lower than best glide speed will increase drag, and so for any given speed that doesn’t equal Vmd you will travel less total distance. Ive always been taught maintain vmd and zero flaps until you judge it to be a guarantee to make it to your landing point, and NEVER attempt to stretch the glide because it doesn’t work.

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Tomica333@reddit

One hundred percent , ALL engine failure scenarios I've ever practice with were never at 65kts.. all at or around that 105kts. . This is one that should be practiced

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JackRedrow@reddit

Keep it that way until you flare to land and fly it all the way to the ground. I read way too many reports with low altitude stalls, which end with fatalities. When people flew it all the way to the crash site, the odds improved significantly.

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xia03@reddit

i suspect most of these stalls happen because the plane is on a path to hit some obstacle head on. image flying towards a brick wall at a perfect pitch and speed. you either hit it or try the last ditch effort to avoid, knowing you will probably stall and spin. but what else is there to do

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EntroperZero@reddit

You would think so, but I've seen so many videos of pilots banking and yanking when they're 100+ feet above the ground and any obstacles, trying to make something they think they can land on, only to stall it into the ground.

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Eiii333@reddit

I would lower the nose more and then turn to avoid the inexplicably tall brick wall

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gasstationdelicasies@reddit

Yeah what are we flying over, a roller coaster tycoon map?

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SpartanDoubleZero@reddit

I’ll bite. I’m a 55 hr student. If I’m at 110 knots, imma pull back and climb until I reach best glide and then trim out for best glide. Unless I’m in the pattern then maintaining altitude until I hit best glide and then short approach flaps coming in once I have the rwy

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Poo_Canoe@reddit

Here's a fun one to practice. Get in a training area up to altitude (stall recovery altitude) and try that. Go 110 knots and then throttle back to idle and test how much pull back and climb you are able to achieve before best glide speed. I'll bet you get there really quickly.

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SpartanDoubleZero@reddit

I do practice that when I have an hour or so with the plane when I get back from and XC and have time left on my reservation. I’ll pass the airport and head to the practice area, work my stalls, steep turns, engine outs, albeit I’m ready for the “engine out” and it’s likely to be the Sully recreation factor where the pilots were ready for it and knew exactly what they were going to do. But still, I can gain 200ish feet, coupled with always looking at the best place to land as I fly along, I think that extra 200 feet will give me 10-20 extra seconds to get on target I’ve I’m dropping between 600-1200 fpm at best glide depending where the wind is coming from.

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frenchiephish@reddit

One thing to consider - the minute you lose your engine your total energy available to you is fixed and starts to decrease. By climbing you very quickly trade your kinetic energy for potential, but it's the same pool of energy you're drawing from, you're not magically buying yourself more time airborne by climbing. What adopting best glide quickly does do is reduce induced drag which might buy you a second or two. If you don't execute the climb and transition into a descent at best glide cleanly, that'll but you the same second or two. Obviously every situation is going to be different, but if you're at altitude, calmly letting the speed wash while you hold altitude and start troubleshooting is probably the better course of action.

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ValeoRex@reddit

That drop from 110 knots to best glide is going to happen way faster than you think with no engine. Build the muscle memory to pitch over first, then start to pitch to best glide. Most engine outs occur during a critical phase of flight where the engine is under the most stress, I.E. climbing. When that puppy goes kaput, get that nose down!

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SpartanDoubleZero@reddit

I appreciate the tip, thankfully I’ve only heard stories from pilots who’ve had it happen low level where they had to skip the restart emergency checklist and run the secure from memory and put it down somewhere that looks survivable.

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Carlito_2112@reddit

Well sure; you can trade airspeed for altitude, or altitude for airspeed, but not both. I think the implication with a low altitude stall/spin (brought on by an engine-out on takeoff) is that you would not have sufficient airspeed to be able to trade for altitude.

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SpartanDoubleZero@reddit

Oh absolutely, I understand stand dropping the nose immediately if it’s an engine out on take off, but that’s something that is, or should be briefed prior to every take off. I’ve gotten my pee pee smacked a handful of times for forgetting to brief aborted/engine out on take off procedures. So that is always fresh in my mind and on my little check list I write before every flight since it isn’t on the checklists in the club planes.

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Odd_Entertainment471@reddit

Pro tip, on MOST trainers if you trim full nose up, it’ll settle at very near best glide. Try it with you CFI next time you go out. Super helpful when the sweat’s pouring…..

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SpartanDoubleZero@reddit

Oh the 172M I fly will glide power out right at 65 knots with full back trim. I’m almost completely out of trim on any given landing. I like to leave one swipe of trim out from full back trim in case of go around to lighten my load just in case and it isn’t that much extra back pressure I need when the controls get mushy at the slow speeds.

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Biggyniner@reddit

I want this on a placard

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PresentationJumpy101@reddit

Wait but why

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Suckatguardpassing@reddit

They should have written "when in a climb" because you will run out of air speed really fast. This should also come with a disclaimer "don't do this in a Robinson heli or you might chop off the tail boom"

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WonderWendyTheWeirdo@reddit

If you stall, you could go into a spin and wouldn't have enough space to recover at low altitudes.

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Geniva@reddit

Key word when - not if. Always be ready.

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ScaratheBear@reddit

Be the boring pilot.

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CorporalCrash@reddit

There are bold pilots, and there are old pilots...

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JohnWickstyle@reddit

Qestion: Are there any old pilots who are also very bold? Asking for a friend.

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CorporalCrash@reddit

Probably, but I imagine they are very rare

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KristeyK@reddit

Have a friend who is a retired Marine Corps Test pilot. Dude FLEW in bold italic. 🤣

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Bob06@reddit

I’d put Bob Hoover in that category.

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js280000@reddit

Ag pilots tend to be both

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CorporalCrash@reddit

All the ag pilots I know are all old no bold lol. Humblest crowd there is

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AerobaticDiamond@reddit

Actually, the best flying advice I’ve ever gotten is from ag pilots. They may be cowboys, but the bunch I know are the best damn pilots I know. Also the safest, and their advice has made me a better pilot

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TheSeansei@reddit

Martha Lunken

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MrPetter@reddit

There are plenty. The AG community is fairly small and I know a lot that have been spraying for 50 years. The reality is that “bold” is a perspective based on the frame of reference you’re in. One guy’s bold is another guy’s daily routine.

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cjt09@reddit

No but there are old *italic* if you are a bit of the fancy sort.

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run264fun@reddit

Be a nerd

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Timmay55@reddit

Except when it’s time to go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line

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4Runner_Duck@reddit

Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, “Would an idiot do that?” And if they would, I do not do that thing.

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kevinw1526@reddit

Even better, ask yourself “if I read someone else doing this on an NTSB report what would I think of it?”

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stormostorm@reddit

You know the AOPA safety institute videos on YouTube? The narrators voice is very particular, I always imagine the narrator talking about me, kinda the same thing......"it was the morning of September 26th, a ATP rating pilot......" Always gets me to make the right decision 🤣

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kevinw1526@reddit

Hahaha yep exactly. If I never make it in one of those videos my whole career, I’ll call it a success

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chiefshockey@reddit

Michael always said "Keep it simple, stupid." Great advice, hurt my feelings every time.

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runway31@reddit

this is the way

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Bam_Adedebayo@reddit

Fuck I’m not even flying yet but I needed that today, just in general. Been having some tough decisions to make in life and wow, I just gotta ask myself would I think someone is a dumbass if they made that decision.

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PferdBerfl@reddit

I see what you did there. What a great line. 😏

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KarmaTheBrit@reddit

Anyone can go, aviation doesn’t discriminate against skill levels. Make smart decisions, limit the risk.

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ArrowheadDZ@reddit

Running out of altitude results in a crash. Running out of airspeed results in a fatality. There’s no speed you can get your airplane down to such that hitting something upside down at that speed is better than hitting it upright at a higher speed. And one final thought. In a base to final turn, never, ever, ever pick up a dropping wing by applying aileron. Ever. Learn to error on the undershoot side of the turn, and avoid overshooting like your life depends on it.

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81Horse@reddit

Always bring a toothbrush and fresh underwear.

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BigBadBurg@reddit

I teach them to be overly cautious and care about safety

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EntroperZero@reddit

Learn the hazardous attitudes and take the shit seriously.

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RaolroadArt@reddit

The three most useless things in flying: 1. Altitude above you 2. Runway behind you 3. A tenth of a second ago Credit not to me but my 30 year ago CFI.

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MusicalFamilyDoc@reddit

In 1978, 20 year old me getting my first medical, the old doctor examining me felt compelled to give me a little talk. He said something like: "I remember hearing Mr Piper speak and someone asked him how he flew for so many years without a mishap. Mr. Piper's alleged response was: 'I remember two things my grandmother taught me on her knee: (1) when it's raining outside, you stay inside, and (2) when it's dark outside, you go to bed.' "

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Cant_Work_On_Reddit@reddit

I like this. Similarly if it’s a day I wouldn’t want to ride a motorcycle to the airport, it’s likely not a day that I’ll enjoy flying much.

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MusicalFamilyDoc@reddit

I almost like your response better.

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mjg007@reddit

That’s a good one.

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LordCrayCrayCray@reddit

Read “stick and rudder” at least once. Once is probably enough because the main theme is “put the fucking nose down” and you would be well to heed it.

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srbmfodder@reddit

That's what my major is now focused on in recurrent when we do stalls. Nose high or nose low. "reduce the angle of attack" is the mantra. You probably know this, but for everyone else, you can be 30 degrees below the horizon and still be stalling the shit out of your plane.

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Heembeam@reddit

Will do

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aftcg@reddit

And copy pages out of it to challenge your flight instructor

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Amf2446@reddit

Highly recommend reading it a second time as well

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LordCrayCrayCray@reddit

For those with long commutes, there is an audiobook that can be obtained for free if your library has Hoopla or a similar service.

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Scottzilla90@reddit

The procedures are written in blood.. occasionally deviating from them sets you up for normalised deviance, if you survive it through luck that sets you up to be confident small deviations won’t hurt you. Having been in this for 24 years now I see it’s very hard to have an accident that doesn’t involve deviation from an established SOP for no good reason other than convenience. .

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hacker-87@reddit

Read the Killing Zone.

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ncs_ethan@reddit

Always fly the plane. Doesn’t matter how bad the situation is or what’s happening, flying the airplane is the priority

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Jaden11191@reddit

NEVER LET A SCHOOL,INSTRUCTOR, OR ANYBODY RUSH YOU INTO ANYTHING. Take your time learning the material but really get after it. Take your time learning your maneuvers Take your time setting the plane up on the ground and preflighting Take your time doing fuel calculations and w/b calcs. Etc. Unless ATC is telling you “expedite” or “no delay” there is no rush for anything If you rush everything you WILL find yourself in a situation you don’t want to be in.

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cazzipropri@reddit

Go for your instrument, immediately.

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Carlito_2112@reddit

Especially if you live in an area like the Pacific NW, where the weather can change rapidly, and there are many months when icing is a potential threat.

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falcopilot@reddit

Especially in the I-5 corridor.

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abcd4321dcba@reddit

Got my PPL and IR in quick succession and I’m so glad I did. Feel a lot more competent, but also simultaneously more aware of my incompetencies 😂

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cazzipropri@reddit

That feeling never stops.

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ThorCoolguy@reddit

They should let Sport pilots get Instrument. It is 1000% safer having non-medically certified pilots with instrument ratings than non-medically certified pilots without instrument ratings.

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cazzipropri@reddit

Yeah, I'd be ok with that.

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warthogmadman987@reddit

This should be higher

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Littleferrhis2@reddit

Especially if you are planning on flying something fast or goes high. If you have enough to afford a fast plane you have enough to afford an instrument rating. I’ve seen too many accidents where a guy gets a PPL gets a high alt plane, and then finds themselves in the clouds.

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cazzipropri@reddit

Of course. But even if you fly a clapped 172 with only a VOR, having your IR means that inadvertent IMC is almost a non-event rather than 178 seconds to live.

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

Fly often with a critical CFI to avoid developing bad habits. In the first year, maybe once a month. Useful to make it one of your 'typical flights' or you could structure an hour like a mock checkride. To keep it interesting, you can work on specific skills like 'commercial maneuvers'. And if you're not directly working on CPL/IR get the add-on ratings for taildragger/glider even if you're not planning to fly those aircraft in the future. PPL checkride is a meaningful milestone, but it approximates the minimum proficiency needed to fly short flights safely. If you don't work on improving, you will regress below that minimum level, and you may not realize it. If you develop bad habits, you will find that they're very expensive to break. Guess how I know?

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Tryns@reddit

This advice should be higher on the list. I'm very lucky that I've gotten plugged into a great aviation community in my area and my local Pilots Association is full of older/experienced CFI's who instruct part time. I make it a habit to get in my airplane with one of them at least once every three months for a 1-2 hour local flight.

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Jwu6@reddit

This is such great advice! Thank you!

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SPLstudent@reddit

Fly the wing, all the way to the tie downs. Fly the wing, even if the engine quits

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notakeoff-flaps@reddit

The night before a long flight is not the time to try a new cuisine/reastsurant

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fgflyer@reddit

Learned this the hard way when I tried something new from Taco Bell the night before I embarked on a 570-mile XC. That was the most miserable 4 and a half hours of my life.

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retardhood@reddit

Why didn’t you land at an FBO? That’s a semi emergency.

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russellvt@reddit

>That’s a semi emergency. As OP's title clearly stated.. this is advice to try to keep people from becoming a statistic. It is, indeed, a potential emergency situation in the making.

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retardhood@reddit

Thanks for reiterating my point?

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fgflyer@reddit

I mean, it only started to get fairly bad within the last 45 minutes or so of my flight. The previous 3ish hours were the harbingers of doom. Sitting down on a toilet never felt so good.

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PutOptions@reddit

Oof. First sign of bubble guts it is Nearest/Direct/Enter/Enter. If I get to the sweating part I am Vne to short final.

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Canikfan434@reddit

That bubble gut comment is bringing back all sorts of memories.😂 I had just departed SYR when another Cessna came up on approach with the following. “Cessna 1234 is approximately 25 miles to the northwest, need to land right away. We have a medical need.” APP- “Cessna 1234, radar contact 25 miles NW of SYR. Do you have a medical emergency sir- (you could hear him trying to be very deliberate finding his words)? Or a routine…biological…need?” Cessna- “1234 has an URGENT biological need. No emergency is declared, no ambulance is needed. We do however need to land ASAP.” Assuming he made it! You could hear the stress in his voice.

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Canikfan434@reddit

I was flying back to CLW from EYW with my brother in law and his friend in a fairly new 172. We’d had lunch in Key West, and were soon cruising Northbound at 8000 on an IFR flight plan. At some point the three Pepsis from lunch were knocking, and I was regretting not visiting the bathroom before taking off. Decided to fess up before it truly became urgent. Our friend was flying left seat, and since I wasn’t familiar with the G1000, asked if there was a nearest airport function. We cancelled IFR and diverted into Marco Island. My brother in law was talking smack all the way down…but guess who was hot on my heels going into the FBO?😂😂

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SlamNgoChamp@reddit

I need this on my gravestone

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mustang__1@reddit

Nothing like edging a shit eh?

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retardhood@reddit

I guess 4 hours of holding your shit in sounds way cooler when you tell the story tho

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wtonb@reddit

nothing gets cooler than holding your shit in

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retardhood@reddit

You ain’t cool unless you piss your pants!

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sillyaviator@reddit

Unless you shit yourself 💪💪

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retardhood@reddit

Shitting yourself is for weaklings. Real pilots work their buttholes out

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Carlito_2112@reddit

Rectal prolapse is....not....cool....

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retardhood@reddit

That’s what the quitters say

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93perigee@reddit

More Right Butt cheek!

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retardhood@reddit

Clench… UNCLENCH!!!

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mrb13676@reddit

I’d argue that you’d initially be a little warmer. And then only cooler

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attemptingtoadult1@reddit

There’s always 1-2 Imodium tablets in my flight bag. They have come in handy and saved me more than once

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AndAgain99@reddit

Solo XC I hope.

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fgflyer@reddit

I would have been thoroughly embarrassed had it not been. I had to Febreze the *shit* out of my plane afterward.

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AerobaticDiamond@reddit

Never drink three coffees before a flight then realize that coffee dehydrates you- and then drink two bottles of water. NEVER DO THIS

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louispyb@reddit

The age old “lunch can’t be on short final before you are”

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SnarfsParf@reddit

As a pilot with IBS…my CPL long XC was an experience…

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ThorCoolguy@reddit

It's good advice, but can you point me to the data showing a significant number of fatal accidents resulting from diarrhea?

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mustang__1@reddit

Ditto for aerobatic flight had some really cheesy dish the night before going up and man did I regret that

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aftcg@reddit

Don't use aileron when you need rudder

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devoult@reddit

Looks like people here covered a lot already but when you call ahead to see if the fuel pumps are working, also ask if their runway lights are working too if you’re flying close to dusk. Long story short, I assumed the lights were working on a 500mi xc and I only asked about the fuel pumps. I had to divert to another airport in the middle of nowhere late at night.

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DramaConfident4577@reddit

Fly defensively and set targets to achieve this.

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Jwu6@reddit

I love this thread! As a new pilot (100ish hrs), there are sooo many great reminders. Thank you for the post and responses!

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themflyingjaffacakes@reddit

It CAN happen to you, be prepared, be vigilant.

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capilot@reddit

Once the gear doesn't extend or the engine fails, it's not your airplane anymore. It's the insurance company's airplane now. Don't risk your life to save someone else's airplane.

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coordinatedflight@reddit

I got this advice from my dad. Once the plan betrays you, never look back.

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coordinatedflight@reddit

If you have to ask, just don't do it.

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samrwalker@reddit

Don’t crash

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JesusChristWoreTimbs@reddit

This sounds counter intuitive but if you let fear stop you from challenging yourself you will quickly lose confidence. Don’t get too comfortable and reserved.

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Realistic_Turn_1383@reddit

FLY THE AIRPLANE!

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Awkward-Inspector-38@reddit

you can always go around

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personman2@reddit

Keep your airspeed up.

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lvnv702@reddit

Don't do anything stupid

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BrtFrkwr@reddit

Fly the wing. The wing is what flies, everything else is just along for the ride.

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AbhishMuk@reddit

*Sad engine noises*

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CleverReversal@reddit

No one asked you engine! Keep giving the wing more of that airflow it likes!

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CraftyPay99@reddit

Stay away from clouds and poor weather.

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AussieGhost789@reddit

If you're considering doing something unusual, ask yourself how it would look in a safety/incident/accident report.

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spacecadet2399@reddit

Watch your speed.

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deepstaterising@reddit

When in doubt, go around🦯

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Altruistic_Door_8937@reddit

Not feasible without engines 1, 2, and 3 and no rudder boost.. I died in that sim lol

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Hour_Tour@reddit

You can go around on the rudder boost alone in the DC10? /s

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Back2thehold@reddit

Que the music

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Glider__Guider@reddit

Unless you’re in a glider!

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Zathral@reddit

In which case close the airbrakes and land on a different bit of grass

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satans_little_axeman@reddit

Quit.

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Gr8Dane777@reddit

PPL is a license to LEARN

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LatestLurkingHandle@reddit

Statistics show new pilots are safe until about 200 hours, then their safety numbers drop as they get complacent, and come back up again a few hundred hours later, keep that in mind when making decisions in that time frame and default to the safest option.

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Lonely-Sound2823@reddit

Get your instrument rating.

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X-T3PO@reddit

Comply.

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gray191411@reddit

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast - don't overreact and use checklists

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ThatLooksRight@reddit

Marky Mark taught us that in Sniper.

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Titties4Milk@reddit

Yep. Love this mantra

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PasswordIsDongers@reddit

Stop flying.

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FlyGoodDontSuck@reddit

Fly good don’t suck

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FlyGoodDontSuck@reddit

But in all seriousness, think of what the NTSB report is going to say. If you have multiple things that are questionable that keep popping up, cancel the flight. Think of the Swiss cheese model. These could be anything from MELs, Bad Wx, not feeling 100%, or anything that’s pushing past your comfort zone. Think about how obvious it would sound in the NTSB report that you should’ve cancelled the flight.

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NoSoup4Ewe@reddit

This is good advice! I was in a fairly perilous situation once and literally thought to myself, “I wonder how the NTSB report and/or the Facebook crash experts will say about this”. And the best I could come up with was, “well, he flew it all the way through the crash just like Hoover said!” Funny how time slows down and you can think about stuff when you’re pretty sure you’re gonna die.

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alwaysmooth@reddit

Story?

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cfiJULI@reddit

Trust but verify. It doesn't matter who said it; it's never bad to ask where to find the information to verify it's validity

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braided--asshair@reddit

Anytime you think “Huh, I wonder what the NTSB report is going to look like” or “This seems similar to a Blancolirio video I watched recently,” you should probably get out of whatever situation you’re in.

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Excellent-Gain1697@reddit

Don’t fly slow enough to stall until your touching down

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wt1j@reddit

Listen to every episode of AOPAs There I Was podcast up until Richard McSpadden died in a crash of his own. Every episode. Every. Single. One. You’ll learn about not raising the flaps too early, carbon monoxide, hypoxia, power failures at night, impossible turns, landing in trees, fuel contamination, leaving the gear down in a seaplane, midair collisions from losing situational awareness, inadvertent IMC, fuel emergencies and much much more. It’s a PhD in accident avoidance. RIP.

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Double_Combination55@reddit

Boring and safe is how you live a long life as a pilot.

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mjg007@reddit

Above all, do not stall. Add 15 minutes of fuel for every one that loves you. If you die in a storm, your funeral will be on a sunny day. (I.e., the storm will have moved on. Wait it out in the ground.)

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TheOvercookedFlyer@reddit

Follow the four "D": -Is it *D*umb? -Is it *D*angerous? -Is it *D*ifficult? -Is it *D*ifferent? If any of these answers is a YES, it is best not to fly.

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ZuluYankee1@reddit

I learned that second one with one more P...

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TheOvercookedFlyer@reddit

Ha ha ! I know what you mean.

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Roccinante_@reddit

Read ‘the killing zone’

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jbschwartz55@reddit

ATC is your friend. Ask for help when you need it.

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F14Scott@reddit

And the correlary: ATC and pilots have similar, but not the same, goals. Don't let them put you in a hole you can't climb out of.

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AbhishMuk@reddit

Reminds me of the story where a student pilot was told to turn towards the sea by the ATC with a storm approaching. The narrator (commercial pilot) I think heard the guy saying he doesn’t know how to navigate in IFR. Fortunately the commercial pilot *insisted* that he declare an emergency and return rather than comply. Likely saved his life. The ATC will try to help, but they aren’t mind readers or know everything. Push back on their instructions if you can’t fly safely.

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jbschwartz55@reddit

Add correlary: Don't hesistate to use the term "UNFAMILIAR" when approaching a new airport you've never been to before.

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jbschwartz55@reddit

Add correlary: Fess up early and completely if you've messed up.

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Asleep_Type_7773@reddit

Always look for that 80yr old pilot without a radio

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Purple_End6152@reddit

You never have to take off, but you always have to land.

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SeeMarkFly@reddit

We've never left one up there.

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ImmaPilotMeow@reddit

No man left behind

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regic112@reddit

Thats why flying is more dangerous than submarines. Plenty of planes in the sea, but not a single sub in the sky.

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BillySpacs@reddit

I was recently putting together my logbook for my checkride and found I had more takeoffs than landings at night, had to do some revision lol

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Purple_End6152@reddit

Unless you are that YouTuber that jumped out of his place, the math doesn’t check 😂

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Carlito_2112@reddit

Your comment sponsored by Ridge Wallet.

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Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

Maybe dawn dawned while you were airborne?

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BillySpacs@reddit

That would be valid but I did all my night flights just after sunset so that wouldn’t pencil in this case

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Slappy_McJones@reddit

Know the parts of the Dunning-Krueger learning curve and know approximately where you are in the curve before you make a go/no-go decision.

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Few-Ad-890@reddit

More generically - chair fly your emergency procedures often. While driving to work. Commit them to second nature. You should be able to recite engine Failure checklist like the pledge of allegience

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Unusual_Catch1458@reddit

Hahah yeah! I kept thinking this. My pfi told me it’s the best way to really learn while not actually being able to go up. Sit in the chair and imagine it Steph by step

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scrollingtraveler@reddit

No one is smarter than the checklist. Read it. Use it. Then use it again.

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JohnWickstyle@reddit

As a former flight instructor, my advice is never to let your ex-stripper student ride you like a rented mule while pretending to get hood time. A lot of fun but hard to hold altitude and heading.

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Unusual_Catch1458@reddit

Wait never cared about sky high or what is it? Mild high club? But gots me thinking now lol

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RememberHengelo@reddit

https://youtu.be/lr5d3sGxSXQ?si=RQlnKPmxvANEajRn

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Unusual_Catch1458@reddit

Part 2- One of my favorite things I use all the time in cars now and tell my friends. —( putting my belongings in the seat behind the passenger next to you, (like our emergency book, it is placed behind the passenger seat next to you, so you can easily reach over and grab when in an emergency) but I also recall it being placed behind your seat because you are gonna ask your passenger to grab it behind our seat so they can read us off the list. While we fly. Always fly till you land. now I do this with my stuff and let my friends know I learned it in flying and it’s just the best way to go about reaching your stuff all on your own with ease. Anyone else?

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Few-Ad-890@reddit

The three most useless things for a pilot are the runway behind you, the altitude above you, and the fuel left in the fuel truck. And never let a bathroom go unused before flying.

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ga1205@reddit

Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory. Look for reasons not to go.

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ga1205@reddit

When you’re doing touch and goes, clean up the flaps before getting airborne again. On a missed, establish positive ROC and airspeed and slowly clean up. Doing it too fast could be a really bad thing. Pushing the nose to the runway slow and low is not a pleasant POV.

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NoSoup4Ewe@reddit

Airspeed, altitude, and luck. Always have at least one.

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Subtle1978@reddit

Get an instrument rating.

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StarlightLifter@reddit

Knowing good stall recovery is good. Stall speed and speed awareness are better.

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RandomEntity53@reddit

Sadly, everything in flight prep is still very important. There is no room for being complacent. Anything less is just luck.

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Feisty-Performance60@reddit

Learn when to cancel a flight and try again tomorrow. Also make sure you understand accelerated stalls, spins, practice them regularly, get lots of additional instruction outside of your regular flight review. Compare airlines to GA’s safety record. Then do what airlines do as much as practical for what you do.

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dober450r@reddit

The go-no go decision is a life or death decision Fly without pants on for maximum comfort

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Few-Ad-890@reddit

In a 172 - Engine out, full back trim will give you best Glide without touching the yoke. Pick your intended landing and circle as needed. You can turn with your feet on the rudder pedals. Frees up both hands to run checklists, work your flow.

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Gwaiwar@reddit

Beware of overconfidence and complacency. They kill the most pilots

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The_Warrior_Sage@reddit

Watch Air Safety Institute accident case study videos and learn from the most common mistakes. Their "There I was" podcast is also top tier and has taught me so many valuable lessons about safe flying. RIP Spad

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Kartoon67@reddit

Can't remember who said it but when flying a single if you end up with an unrecoverable engine failure: -->**Treat your aircraft as a survival capsule who now belongs to the insurance**<-- Save yourself first, then ground properties, then the airframe. In that order.

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t5telecom@reddit

I had the privilege of talking with Buz Carpenter, former SR-71 pilot, about this topic. He was visiting the AirZoo in Kalamazoo MI and I’d flown 3 of my kids down to meet him and maybe 10 others who were actual crew. He was sitting in the cockpit, we were gathered all around - he was telling us about his practice of going up and trying to make this flight a little more efficient than the last. Try to get a little better performance, or make his tolerances that much closer than the last flight etc. I was hearing every word - it was pretty inspiring honestly. After probably 5min of this, a gap opened for a question so I asked “if you had one piece of advice for a 200hr private pilot, what would it be?” He started into an application, for a private pilot, of the principles he had been describing, stopped mid-sentence, looked at me and said “do you have your instrument rating?” “Not yet” “That. Do that - that’s my number one piece of advice for you.” I did get that rating by the way, and I agree with his advice completely. Tell that new private pilot to get to work on their instrument rating.

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Not__Beaulo@reddit

When doing an overnight especially with people make everyone aware ahead of time weather could prolong the trip.

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burningtowns@reddit

If you have to crash land, turn on the landing light. If you don’t like what you see, turn it off.

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Timmay55@reddit

3 useless quantities in aviation: 1) Air in the tanks 2) Altitude above 3) Runway behind

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widude30@reddit

Flying one really NEVER has to be anywhere. If needed, cancel, delay, divert. Never fly the aircraft anywhere your mind hasn’t already been.

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Peliquin@reddit

Think about how this will go wrong while you are on the ground, and adjust your approach.

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Chef-Nard@reddit

trust your instruments.

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Back2thehold@reddit

Knowing when to not depart is a skill some new pilots don’t develop & they pay the ultimate price…I nearly did.

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BigBoatHF@reddit

Most crash site investigations happen in good weather

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throwaway5757_@reddit

Don’t do something you wouldn’t do with your 80 year old grandma sitting backseat

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bambiwalk@reddit

Checklists. Every time. Every phase from pre to post flight

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Logical_Check2@reddit

Just because nothing bad happened doesn't mean you were right.

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BoomBeachBruiser@reddit

"Flight controls: free and correct". Easiest preflight check ever, but if they're ever not free and correct and you manage to take off, well, good luck.

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aviatorzed@reddit

Make use of go-arounds rather than popping a nose wheel 🤡

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BrosenkranzKeef@reddit

Get your instrument rating. It’ll force you to get gud and be disciplined.

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ActuatorPerfect@reddit

If the approach isn’t 99.9% right, GO AROUND!

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Talkie123@reddit

If you ever turn your landing lights on at night and see something you don't like, just turn the lights back off.

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cruiserflyer@reddit

You can always go around.

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BreakfastNo1569@reddit

Flying skills are very perishable! Practice often. Go up with an instructor if it been a while since you’ve flown. Don’t take passengers at night and fly around mountains! Someone did that in Hawaii on their first flight. Didn’t make it !!

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JewofTVC1986@reddit

Takeoffs are 100% Optional, Landing are 100% required eventually It’s much nicer to be on the ground wishing your in the air than in the air wishing your on the ground

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Blackhawk004@reddit

“If you have any doubt…don’t do it”

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intern_steve@reddit

Just reschedule the flight.

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sincityaviator@reddit

Don’t get slow on base to final.

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MunitionGuyMike@reddit

Watch the ASA and AOPA videos on different crashes and then don’t do the things that made those people into viral videos

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mustang__1@reddit

Just because you punched your ticket doesn't mean you can't go up with a flight instructor anymore. I would implore anyone to go up and get more Hood time. Especially at night. If you intend to use an airplane to do things, to go on trips. To ever actually leave your local airport. To go overnight somewhere. Please start working on your instrument. Even if you don't intend on finishing it, just get the experience to actually be able to safely fly the airplane to clear weather. Don't Kennedy it

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poumbo@reddit

If your engine fails at night, turn the landing light on. If you don’t like what you see, turn it off.

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sketchyoporder@reddit

If it flies, floats, or fucks it is cheaper to rent!

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NonoscillatoryVirga@reddit

Get your instrument rating now while everything is still fresh.

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wearsAtrenchcoat@reddit

“Don’t take flying advice from Reddit”

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jacobr16103@reddit

Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground.

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-burnr-@reddit

Never be in a rush to get to the scene of the accident

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JJGreenwire@reddit

10 years from now, will it matter if you made this flight? You don't have to make the flight. Canceling for weather, maintenance discrepancy, because you feel like doo-doo, or for ANY other reason is ok. Don't be under pressure to make the flight.

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fightersweekly@reddit

Don’t get cocky, kid.

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allowableearth@reddit

Special VFR is always a good idea. /s But actually, get instrument rated

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Doc_Hank@reddit

Get an instrument rating.

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SgtGabe150@reddit

If you’re unsure about flying with potential bad weather nearby, don’t go fly.

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Nwurjstmshnit@reddit

You work around aviation. Aviation does not work around you.

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CountBasey@reddit

Have had a career in this for 30 years. My advice: don't Dunning Kruger your way through aviation. You don't know everything. No one does. Be humble.

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mightysieve@reddit

"Sun always shines on wreckage." You don't need to fly in or around bad or convective weather. Wait and it will improve. And if you wait and it still doesn't improve, you'll still be glad you waited.

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Fit-Bedroom6590@reddit

Give him an ad to a good truck driving school.

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Bob06@reddit

When in doubt, clarify. This pertains to aircraft maintenance, performance, checklists, ATC instructions…etc. If you’re questioning the safety of the aircraft call maintenance. If you’re questioning if the plane will depart the runway due to high density altitude or W&B you should clarify with numbers. If you mis heard ATC instructions or have a brain fart and immediately forgot a portion of them; clarify immediately with ATC.

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Street_Wasabi4121@reddit

NOTHING is so important that you absolutely MUST be there today. If things aren't right, it's okay to stay on the ground until they are.

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whiskeytangofokstrot@reddit

Always assume something WILL go wrong. It will help you run scenarios in your head before you hop in.

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MillSpecaero@reddit

Find a good mentor. Stay in touch with them.

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HungryCommittee3547@reddit

Use a three strike rule. Tired, windy, and night, I'm not going. Build your own personal list. Second would be airspeed. C172, you BETTER be at 60kts over the threshold. Not 55. Definitely not 50.

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Skudedarude@reddit

Be mindful of your bank angle when turning to final

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

Why are airplane pilots adverse to steep turns in the pattern? Lack of practice?

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__joel_t@reddit

I would guess, the steeper the turn, the higher the load factor, the higher the stall speed. Base to final, you're low and slow, making you closer to a stall and harder to recover. And if you're not coordinated when you stall...

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

That makes sense I guess because airplane guys are flying 1.3 Vso and don't add extra airspeed for conditions? Gliders consider 1.3 Vso a to-be-avoided 'low energy landing'. Our stall speeds are lower than most airplanes (say 35 knots), so we can cross the threshold with a lot more reserve energy/airspeed and still not run out of runway. The extra energy can be used to counter windshear, or to roundout in a pocket of sinking air, and/or if the landing area slopes up. High performance gliders occasionally run out of runway if they're flying exceptionally fast due to conditions, say 2-3X Vso 70-105 knots. The Soaring Safety Foundation recommends Vso of 1.5 Vso + the steady state wind speed + ALL of the gust factor. https://www.soaringsafety.org/publications/June-2015-Approach-Speed-Recalculated.pdf

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Skudedarude@reddit

You're (presumably) in slow flight, so making a steep turn gets your stall speed awfully close to the speed you happen to be going. Regarding that 'lack of practice', I'd say that being able to perform steep turns in the pattern is something else entirely from it being desirable. Why would you want to do steep turns there? Why take the completely unnecessary risk? The only reason you'd need a steep turn there is if you start your turn too late, which begs the question why you didn't just start your turn on time.

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

In a glider it's desirable SOP to make tight steep patterns and 30-45d banks are needed. I think airplanes are more prone to pilot error stall spin. With the engine running, the throttle setting changes the correlation of sight picture to airspeed. In a glider, it's obvious that you're getting close to stall speed, and uncoordinated flight is also more obvious.

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Prof_Slappopotamus@reddit

Because sometimes you misread the wind at altitude and end up going wide. If it's a single runway, no biggy, get yourself lined back up and go around. If you're on a parallel runway and someone else is on final there...you better steepen that bank to get out of the way and then go around once you're in a position to do so. Making some arbitrary "nothing over 30" rule will result in skidding turns when you inevitably make a mistake. Fly the plane safely. Sometimes that means a 45 degree or more bank in the pattern.

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Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

Avoidance of accelerated stall I guess.

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pattern_altitude@reddit

Coordination and airspeed more than angle, IMO. Not saying you should be making steep turns in the pattern, but it’s not the bank angle that kills you.

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cottonheadedninnymug@reddit

Yes, lot of people will try to do a skidding turn so they can turn without banking too much. I'm not saying don't go around when you overshoot final, but a skidding flat turn is much more dangerous than a coordinated steeper turn

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Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

That is how folks spin gliders on final. Low speed, big wingspan and low bank angle -> easy to stall the inner wing tip.

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

Gliders routinely use 30 degree bank and 45 is normal. But we practice this starting at our first lesson.

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OriginalJayVee@reddit

This is a biggie. If you miss, you miss. Go around.

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xtalgeek@reddit

"Do proper flight/fuel planning." (A close second is "read the POH." ) Too many incidents due to fuel exhaustion, which should never happen.

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CowabungaDad@reddit

One piece of advice is not enough. Aviation is a harsh mistress - anyone can die at any time no matter how experienced if they forget that or are unlucky. I’ve stopped counting the funerals. Fly gliders to internalize energy management without an engine, pick your safest emergency landing spots as you fly and be ready for an engine out at all times. Once in the pattern, remain within gliding distance of the runway - do not drag it in using power if there are no safe landing options. Busy patterns tend to extend downwind to fit everyone in leaving most aircraft beyond glide range to the runway in case of an engine out. I don’t have a great solution for that problem other than waiting for the pattern to clear, which doesn’t always work at busy GA airports. Loose fuel cap means low pressure air above the wing can significantly empty your tank in minutes - your fuel management system assumes no leaks. Only the paranoid and prepared survive when luck runs out. Not all of us are lucky. Read “Fate Is The Hunter” every few years if you feel safe flying airplanes - they aren’t safe, no matter what you tell yourself. Worth the risk - just not safe.

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WorkingOnPPL@reddit (OP)

Damn this is sobering to read.

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CowabungaDad@reddit

Flying is amazing and many of us wouldn’t want to live without it, but you just can’t take your eye off the ball. Those who take it seriously have a better chance of surviving surprises. It’s easy to feel safe after years of reliable engines and no big problems, but eventually - stuff happens. Talk to anyone with a few thousand hours under their belt - they will have stories. Talk to someone with 20,000 hours plus - they will have lots of stories. Talk to an experienced mechanic - they will have hundreds of stories and all kinds of “don’t ever do that” advice you may not know even after flying for many years. Talk to the old guys/gals - they know stuff.

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DatBeigeBoy@reddit

MVFR or SVFR doesn’t always mean you can go. Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Don’t fly outside of what you’re comfortable with. You can only be lucky so many times.

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DibsOnTheCookie@reddit

Risky things don’t always feel risky. If you do something that has a 1% chance of killing you and get away with it, it often doesn’t feel like anything, and then complacency sets in (“that wasn’t that bad, what is everyone afraid of”). Could be flying a bit too close to a thunderstorm, or single engine IFR over the mountains at night, or any number of things. And then if you go and do that thing a 100 times in a row, guess what happens.

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HotPast68@reddit

One I’ve heard amongst CFIs that I think applies well to private pilots as well. It applies to both safety and quality flight training. Don’t be an outlier. If there’s weather you are iffy about, see what others are doing. Don’t go maneuvering if no one else is in the practice area. Don’t do a vfr cross country if there’s no vfr traffic in the same direction

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countextreme@reddit

Visually clear the runway of obstructions on final, especially if your airport has a penchant for wildlife. Be ready to go around. Recently a pilot at our airport hit a deer (pilot was okay, the plane was not). I've had geese with a deathwish decide it was time to enter the runway on short final before.

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Ok_Sun_2276@reddit

You failed your checkride

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EPICA23@reddit

Density altitude.

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brez@reddit

Don't let your confidence become contempt..

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BSPlanes@reddit

Listen to the voice in your head if it’s telling you something isn’t right. If something feels “off” then it probably is.

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Shinsf@reddit

Assume everyone around you is trying to kill you.

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climaxsteamloco@reddit

Rules #1 thru #98 AviateAviateAviateAviateAviateAviateAviate #99 navigate #100 communicate. Never stop flying the airplane under any circumstance. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from flying the airplane. Not atc, not your inevitable emergency, not your passenger, don’t give up. Always train and fly at the top of your game. Sometimes aviate means being willing and able to say no. Do that. Aviate means being able to make calculated and good decisions. We all will make mistakes. Just try to mitigate your risks so your mistake or the inevitable emergency out of your control isn’t fatal. Fly the airplane.

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Pmagnin@reddit

Take a sip of coffee before doing anything in an airplane. Take two sips of coffee in an emergency.

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Interesting-Fuel-750@reddit

Checklists. Use em.

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jaylw314@reddit

Never say "watch this!"

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Accomplished_Bus5661@reddit

Just because you have a PPL doesn’t mean you stop staying up to date with ACs, and continuing education. You will always need to learning their is so much new PPLs and other pilots do not know.

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ntroopy@reddit

You have nothing to prove.

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TwoZigZags45@reddit

Slow is fast

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thepostman889@reddit

Haste makes waste

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CappyJax@reddit

Make conservative decisions and ALWAYS leave yourself a way out. You decisions are, by far, what will keep you safe or put you in danger.

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Sure_Challenge_3462@reddit

Fly often. Stay proficient

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SundogZeus@reddit

Never rush...and “When there’s doubt, there is no doubt”

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Ok-Dust-@reddit

I know two types of pilots since I’ve been working. Those that have had no issues, and those that land in fields. The difference literally being their preflight or lack thereof.

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Cabanaboy12@reddit

You don’t ever HAVE to take off.

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ngod87@reddit

Caution. Wake turbulence

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Blumi511@reddit

For the PPL-Holders: Don't be an amateur who flies recreationally rather than do your hobby professionally.

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Neoupa2002@reddit

Flare

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Mobe-E-Duck@reddit

Don’t cut corners

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Just_Another_Pilot@reddit

Don't fly at night or in marginal weather.

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Urrolnis@reddit

"But then a lot of times I'd never fly!" Yeah, that's the point. A lot of people get themselves into a world of hurt by flying in conditions they have no place being in. Night is sketchy. Marginal is sketchy.

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Valuable-Ratio8073@reddit

You can always not fly. Today, I just had a bad feeling. Told myself to ignore it. Preflight and taxi fine. At runup, left mag failed. Taxi back and call mechanic. I knew I wasn’t supposed to fly today. The universe talks to you. Listen.

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OriginalJayVee@reddit

Right Rudder…you *still* need more!

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JBalloonist@reddit

I was shocked at how much more when learning the 182.

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JBalloonist@reddit

Don’t fly into clouds.

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Unusual_Catch1458@reddit

“You overshot, now don’t over correct.“ Why am I smiling at the comments. I love that everyone has to constantly tell themselves these useful tips that your flight instructor probably passed on, and sticks forever.

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xeon1@reddit

Don't test mother nature.

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Sad-Improvement-2031@reddit

A superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid situations that require his superior skill

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sl8408@reddit

Always follow your checklist. Never be rushed

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Sunsplitcloud@reddit

Keep your speed up.

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PilotMike77@reddit

Get your instrument rating now.

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tikkamasalachicken@reddit

Airspeed is life, altitude buys you options.

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__joel_t@reddit

Gas also buys you options when the weather gets bad.

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ansonchappell@reddit

Angle of attack is life.

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Flying_Dentist77@reddit

Don't look for a reason to go flying. Look for a reason not to and then go if you can't find any. Also, if your day is starting to feel like the voiceover of an air safety intro video don't go.

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Subject-Wallaby6610@reddit

I swear sometimes having a bad day is enough to say, “maybe I shouldn’t get in that plane today”

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Flying_Dentist77@reddit

I have done it. but then I really only fly for fun so I can be very flexible.

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F14Scott@reddit

There are few situations that leveling the wings, applying military power, and setting L/D max won't get you out of. Listen to the hairs on the back of your neck, and get away from the ground.

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andrewrbat@reddit

After i passed my ppl check ride, i asked the dpe for this kind of advice and she said, “Of all the ratings you get, time you build, skills you learn, and so on… the most important skill you have and your most significant privilege is the ability to say ‘no’.”

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jgremlin_@reddit

One of the co-owners of the flightschool I did my initial training at was an airline guy with a heavy Texas drawl and he gave me some advice I'll never forget. He said son, if you're ever flying an airplane and something happens and you think you've got to do something about right now, the first thing you should do is sit down and smoke a cigarette and just think about it for a while. Now obviously that's awful advice for a few certain situations such an engine failure just after takeoff. But its great advice for lots of other things such as a door popping open just after takeoff. Lots of people have flown perfectly stable, perfectly flyable airplanes right into the ground trying to close a door that's popped open on them.

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TrifleOpen7359@reddit

Airspeed is life, and turn around well before you wish you had if the weather starts deteriorating.

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Student_Whole@reddit

Paper doesn’t make airplanes fly. Know and understand the logbooks, but don’t trust them. Know your systems and preflight even better.

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elcid1s5@reddit

There’s only one way you get back on the ground safely. Keeping the plane under your control all the way to contact.

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bustervich@reddit

Fly like you’re going to court.

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Speedkdoe@reddit

PREFLIGHT What are you gonna do? Where are ya gonna go? Alternatives!!!! In case of engine failure. And if you fly with other pilots, speak to them and ask questions, never feel bad about talking or expressing concern about something.

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BellevueKid@reddit

Don't base-to-final stall-spin. It's sitting right there to kill you.

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DarthGabe2142@reddit

Use checklists.

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redpat2061@reddit

Don’t let them rush you

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whiskeypapa72@reddit

Develop an “intuitive” understanding of AOA, especially near a stall. Over and over again pilots stall/spin because they don’t recognize the airplane telling them that they’re pulling into a stall. Many unfortunate events in small airplanes can be survivable, but rarely that.

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waveslikemoses@reddit

It is never too late to turn tf around. Too many VFR into IMC accidents happening because lots of pilots think otherwise.

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2fouroh@reddit

Encourage them to get their instrument rating as well. At the absolute minimum have them get a safety pilot, put on the foggles, and as often as they can practice maintaining altitude and turning 180 degrees. Aside from that GET STALL/SPIN TRAINING, for all the reasons others have mentioned. Learn how to recover from all stages of a spin from incipient to fully developed. How this isn't a requirement until CFI blows my mind.

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oh_helloghost@reddit

As a new private pilot, the one thing that surprised me initially more than anything else is just how many grey areas exist in the GA world compared to a training environment. If you are caught in two minds about something like; - Is the wx good enough to go? - Can I get back before dark / before the wx? - Is that a defect? - Do I have enough fuel? - Should I divert? - Am I comfortable with X/Y/Z? … and you find yourself asking the question more than 2 times without coming to a satisfactory conclusion, take the more conservative course of action.

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ValhallanMosquito@reddit

Airspeed is life.

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639248@reddit

Watch your airspeed, especially in the traffic pattern.

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holl0918@reddit

Get your IFR.

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Germainshalhope@reddit

Don't be a jerk

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randomroute350@reddit

Never stop training

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Kemerd@reddit

Get your IFR certificate as soon as possible!

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bingeflying@reddit

Fly good don’t suck

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jeffsb@reddit

Airspeed. Always know what your airspeed is

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SeeMarkFly@reddit

Flying lessons do NOT make you a pilot, It ALLOWS you to be a pilot more than once.

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Plastic_Brick_1060@reddit

Be the okayest pilot you can be

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Headoutdaplane@reddit

For high wing aircraft: raise your wing in the direction your are going to turn on the traffic pattern. I am convinced that the majority of collisions in the pattern would have been avoided with this simple trick. It was used a lot more when NORDO aircraft were much more prevalent. Ads-b has a permissible position and altitude error that makes it a secondary tool in the pattern. Get your head out of the screen in the pattern!

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MEINSHNAKE@reddit

How would you explain that decision to the FAA?

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MattCW1701@reddit

Treat every landing like a go around, if you get lucky, you can land.

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Blomes@reddit

If things are getting exciting, it means you are approaching your limits. My instructor always told me: “Make it boring!”

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Candid-Occasion-6707@reddit

Don’t let someone talk you in to something that doesn’t feel right. The school I was getting my PPL from assigned me the plane that had just come back from new paint and interior. When I sat in it to do the preflight it smelled strongly of chemicals. I went back inside to complain and the owner came out, stuck his head inside, said he didn’t smell anything and to take the plane. By the time I landed I was seeing spots and practically fell out of the plane. If my instructor hadn’t been there to meet me I probably would have. Also, on an unrelated note, eat something small before you go flying. And that thing should be a banana. They taste the same going down as they do coming up.

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KToftheJungleJets@reddit

Get your instrument rating shortly thereafter.

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theaviator10@reddit

Speed. Is. Life. Do not get slow when you are low, you will die. If you lose control you absolutely must ensure you aren’t stalled before you do something else. Push the fuckin nose over. THEN add power etc… Know the terrain, don’t be a silly CFIT statistic. Totally preventable. Do whatever you can, use whatever resources you have to maintain SA at all times. If you go IMC without an instrument rating, take a deep breath, trust your instruments and ask for help. You will be fine if you remain calm and trust the instruments. IMSAFE and the hazardous attitudes are real threats, even in the airlines and they aren’t always very obvious when they creep up. Stay alert for them and stay humble. None of us are Chuck Yeager. Didn’t mean for this to be this long but there’s a lot of bullshit throughout training with regs and testing standards and that’s all fine and good. But none of it matters if you can’t keep yourself safe. You’re going to make mistakes, it’s okay, learn and move on. If you get a phone number, again, stay humble and learn from it. ATC is there to help, they aren’t the FAA police. Fly safe and see you out there ;)

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nomadschomad@reddit

Make sure you get your jet voice perfect in the sims before your disco flight so you tell your CFI you'll handle all the calls.

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Mike__O@reddit

Always assume you're forgetting something or otherwise fucking up what you're trying to do. Trust yourself, but always verify that you're actually trustworthy

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Worried-Ebb-1699@reddit

You are not better, smarter, faster or more capable than anyone else. Never assume everything will be ok.

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CorporalCrash@reddit

Every takeoff is optional. Every landing is mandatory. Stay on the ground if there is any doubt about weather. Know your limit and your plane's limit.

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CapytannHook@reddit

The less typical the circuit the more important your airspeed. Faults, failures, distractions, traffic, weather... everything will try to take your attention away from your energy management. Fly the goddamn aircraft first

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SecretPersonality178@reddit

Learn to say “No”.

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guestquest88@reddit

It's a license to learn. You don't know shit yet.

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Good-Analysis-7@reddit

Use your feet

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ExcelCrazy@reddit

In emergency don’t run your checklist into the ground. Follow your ABCDE checklist but if time/altitude is low then AB and isolate engine if possible and E

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

Never try to 'stretch a glide'. Commit to landing off airport high and early.

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Professional_Low_646@reddit

Read accident reports. Then reflect on them: „what did that guy do that I might have done as well? What could I do differently?“ And, when you’re back at/in the airplane: „how would what I’m doing rn make me look like in an accident report?“ If the answer is „like a fucking moron“ then don’t do that.

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FlyingSpectacle@reddit

Set limits for yourself and adhere to them without exception

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IFlyPA28II@reddit

If it feels wrong, it’s probably wrong! You feel ify about a flight, don’t take it. The engine doesn’t feel/sound right, it’s probably not right seat on the ground! Also don’t get too comfortable in the plane because you start getting cocky and then shit starts hitting the fan.

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epsilon_be@reddit

It’s not because it’s legal it is a good idea

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FlyingLongHorns1@reddit

Be surprised when the engine KEEPS RUNNING.

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SkySherpa@reddit

You must be cooly deliberate and stoically methodical. No fast hands.

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ExcelCrazy@reddit

All very helpful. TYSM

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gromm93@reddit

The rules are written in blood.

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noghri87@reddit

After you get your PPL, continue to fly with a CFI on a semi regular basis to keep refining your skills. A flight review every 2 years is not enough to keep your skills up if you're not drilling them regularly.

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saml01@reddit

CFIs should not settle for good enough. Better to set the bar high and land at good than set the bar low and get mediocre.

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InGeorgeWeTrust_@reddit

Think

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dumptruckulent@reddit

Keep the skid side down

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Flyer10798@reddit

You'd rather be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground

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