TheaterFire

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

Reply to Post

374 Comments

neil350@reddit

as a 22000 hour, 45 year veteran of aviation, I’m only as good as my last flight….
View on Reddit #36747540

mravidzombie@reddit

Listen to 2 podcasts…Max Trescott’s Aviation Newstalk podcast and Opposing Bases. Lot of wisdom found in those 2!
View on Reddit #36647712

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 …)
View on Reddit #36599599

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.
View on Reddit #36514001

Rexrollo150@reddit

When your engine fails, put the fuckin’ nose down.
View on Reddit #36345719

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.
View on Reddit #36352364

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.
View on Reddit #36502825

Rexrollo150@reddit

Glad you’re okay dude
View on Reddit #36356809

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!
View on Reddit #36356978

vitesseSpeed@reddit

Left seat pilot, Russ Francis, made that turn.
View on Reddit #36368316

Wonderful-Class-1971@reddit

Van nuys?
View on Reddit #36368304

AndAgain99@reddit

Aviate, navigate, communicate, in the order. I'm assuming that's still drilled into every student's head.
View on Reddit #36349109

temphandsome@reddit

Investigate if possible before communicating!!
View on Reddit #36455613

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.
View on Reddit #36373765

ATACB@reddit

you would be surprised how many people seem to forget that when flying a jet.
View on Reddit #36366031

backflipbail@reddit

Student here, yup 👍
View on Reddit #36356504

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?
View on Reddit #36359053

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.
View on Reddit #36441317

y2khardtop1@reddit

Problems statistically happen at take off, not cruise, where you dont have energy to trade
View on Reddit #36381910

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.
View on Reddit #36359438

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.
View on Reddit #36372326

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.
View on Reddit #36375439

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
View on Reddit #36374941

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.
View on Reddit #36347638

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
View on Reddit #36376707

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.
View on Reddit #36441057

Eiii333@reddit

I would lower the nose more and then turn to avoid the inexplicably tall brick wall
View on Reddit #36379823

gasstationdelicasies@reddit

Yeah what are we flying over, a roller coaster tycoon map?
View on Reddit #36398605

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
View on Reddit #36362142

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.
View on Reddit #36387027

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.
View on Reddit #36387276

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.
View on Reddit #36386586

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!
View on Reddit #36386061

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.
View on Reddit #36386171

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.
View on Reddit #36370432

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.
View on Reddit #36378142

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…..
View on Reddit #36370353

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.
View on Reddit #36370526

Biggyniner@reddit

I want this on a placard
View on Reddit #36374021

PresentationJumpy101@reddit

Wait but why
View on Reddit #36360397

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"
View on Reddit #36363265

WonderWendyTheWeirdo@reddit

If you stall, you could go into a spin and wouldn't have enough space to recover at low altitudes.
View on Reddit #36361303

Geniva@reddit

Key word when - not if. Always be ready.
View on Reddit #36348388

ScaratheBear@reddit

Be the boring pilot.
View on Reddit #36347921

CorporalCrash@reddit

There are bold pilots, and there are old pilots...
View on Reddit #36350950

JohnWickstyle@reddit

Qestion: Are there any old pilots who are also very bold? Asking for a friend.
View on Reddit #36366275

CorporalCrash@reddit

Probably, but I imagine they are very rare
View on Reddit #36369578

KristeyK@reddit

Have a friend who is a retired Marine Corps Test pilot. Dude FLEW in bold italic. 🤣
View on Reddit #36464887

Bob06@reddit

I’d put Bob Hoover in that category.
View on Reddit #36372250

js280000@reddit

Ag pilots tend to be both
View on Reddit #36383913

CorporalCrash@reddit

All the ag pilots I know are all old no bold lol. Humblest crowd there is
View on Reddit #36396495

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
View on Reddit #36388040

TheSeansei@reddit

Martha Lunken
View on Reddit #36391191

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.
View on Reddit #36388771

cjt09@reddit

No but there are old *italic* if you are a bit of the fancy sort.
View on Reddit #36384373

run264fun@reddit

Be a nerd
View on Reddit #36386103

Timmay55@reddit

Except when it’s time to go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line
View on Reddit #36383500

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.
View on Reddit #36348108

kevinw1526@reddit

Even better, ask yourself “if I read someone else doing this on an NTSB report what would I think of it?”
View on Reddit #36353657

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 🤣
View on Reddit #36365806

kevinw1526@reddit

Hahaha yep exactly. If I never make it in one of those videos my whole career, I’ll call it a success
View on Reddit #36462531

chiefshockey@reddit

Michael always said "Keep it simple, stupid." Great advice, hurt my feelings every time.
View on Reddit #36431164

runway31@reddit

this is the way
View on Reddit #36391170

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.
View on Reddit #36384575

PferdBerfl@reddit

I see what you did there. What a great line. 😏
View on Reddit #36349003

KarmaTheBrit@reddit

Anyone can go, aviation doesn’t discriminate against skill levels. Make smart decisions, limit the risk.
View on Reddit #36454997

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.
View on Reddit #36453700

81Horse@reddit

Always bring a toothbrush and fresh underwear.
View on Reddit #36453218

BigBadBurg@reddit

I teach them to be overly cautious and care about safety
View on Reddit #36443361

EntroperZero@reddit

Learn the hazardous attitudes and take the shit seriously.
View on Reddit #36440116

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.
View on Reddit #36437442

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.' "
View on Reddit #36349139

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.
View on Reddit #36381937

MusicalFamilyDoc@reddit

I almost like your response better.
View on Reddit #36435703

mjg007@reddit

That’s a good one.
View on Reddit #36392802

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.
View on Reddit #36347455

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.
View on Reddit #36427960

Heembeam@reddit

Will do
View on Reddit #36377528

aftcg@reddit

And copy pages out of it to challenge your flight instructor
View on Reddit #36419499

Amf2446@reddit

Highly recommend reading it a second time as well
View on Reddit #36388545

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.
View on Reddit #36391581

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. .
View on Reddit #36426108

hacker-87@reddit

Read the Killing Zone.
View on Reddit #36424601

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
View on Reddit #36424161

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.
View on Reddit #36423028

cazzipropri@reddit

Go for your instrument, immediately.
View on Reddit #36347714

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.
View on Reddit #36371095

falcopilot@reddit

Especially in the I-5 corridor.
View on Reddit #36422158

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 😂
View on Reddit #36388815

cazzipropri@reddit

That feeling never stops.
View on Reddit #36389054

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.
View on Reddit #36380367

cazzipropri@reddit

Yeah, I'd be ok with that.
View on Reddit #36388440

warthogmadman987@reddit

This should be higher
View on Reddit #36383852

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.
View on Reddit #36361188

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.
View on Reddit #36365594

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?
View on Reddit #36349856

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.
View on Reddit #36421819

Jwu6@reddit

This is such great advice! Thank you!
View on Reddit #36416223

SPLstudent@reddit

Fly the wing, all the way to the tie downs. Fly the wing, even if the engine quits
View on Reddit #36421638

notakeoff-flaps@reddit

The night before a long flight is not the time to try a new cuisine/reastsurant
View on Reddit #36347696

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.
View on Reddit #36348957

retardhood@reddit

Why didn’t you land at an FBO? That’s a semi emergency.
View on Reddit #36349369

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.
View on Reddit #36421113

retardhood@reddit

Thanks for reiterating my point?
View on Reddit #36421235

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.
View on Reddit #36349556

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.
View on Reddit #36369428

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.
View on Reddit #36392145

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?😂😂
View on Reddit #36382667

SlamNgoChamp@reddit

I need this on my gravestone
View on Reddit #36378066

mustang__1@reddit

Nothing like edging a shit eh?
View on Reddit #36374794

retardhood@reddit

I guess 4 hours of holding your shit in sounds way cooler when you tell the story tho
View on Reddit #36349691

wtonb@reddit

nothing gets cooler than holding your shit in
View on Reddit #36351318

retardhood@reddit

You ain’t cool unless you piss your pants!
View on Reddit #36351354

sillyaviator@reddit

Unless you shit yourself 💪💪
View on Reddit #36355530

retardhood@reddit

Shitting yourself is for weaklings. Real pilots work their buttholes out
View on Reddit #36355631

Carlito_2112@reddit

Rectal prolapse is....not....cool....
View on Reddit #36369886

retardhood@reddit

That’s what the quitters say
View on Reddit #36372131

93perigee@reddit

More Right Butt cheek!
View on Reddit #36360941

retardhood@reddit

Clench… UNCLENCH!!!
View on Reddit #36361789

mrb13676@reddit

I’d argue that you’d initially be a little warmer. And then only cooler
View on Reddit #36357637

attemptingtoadult1@reddit

There’s always 1-2 Imodium tablets in my flight bag. They have come in handy and saved me more than once
View on Reddit #36389943

AndAgain99@reddit

Solo XC I hope.
View on Reddit #36349194

fgflyer@reddit

I would have been thoroughly embarrassed had it not been. I had to Febreze the *shit* out of my plane afterward.
View on Reddit #36349243

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
View on Reddit #36387928

louispyb@reddit

The age old “lunch can’t be on short final before you are”
View on Reddit #36385455

SnarfsParf@reddit

As a pilot with IBS…my CPL long XC was an experience…
View on Reddit #36384272

ThorCoolguy@reddit

It's good advice, but can you point me to the data showing a significant number of fatal accidents resulting from diarrhea?
View on Reddit #36380188

mustang__1@reddit

Ditto for aerobatic flight had some really cheesy dish the night before going up and man did I regret that
View on Reddit #36374737

aftcg@reddit

Don't use aileron when you need rudder
View on Reddit #36419341

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.
View on Reddit #36416835

DramaConfident4577@reddit

Fly defensively and set targets to achieve this.
View on Reddit #36415608

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!
View on Reddit #36415024

themflyingjaffacakes@reddit

It CAN happen to you, be prepared, be vigilant.
View on Reddit #36414217

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.
View on Reddit #36368240

coordinatedflight@reddit

I got this advice from my dad. Once the plan betrays you, never look back.
View on Reddit #36414173

coordinatedflight@reddit

If you have to ask, just don't do it.
View on Reddit #36414017

samrwalker@reddit

Don’t crash
View on Reddit #36413809

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.
View on Reddit #36413459

Realistic_Turn_1383@reddit

FLY THE AIRPLANE!
View on Reddit #36411490

Awkward-Inspector-38@reddit

you can always go around
View on Reddit #36408365

personman2@reddit

Keep your airspeed up.
View on Reddit #36408019

lvnv702@reddit

Don't do anything stupid
View on Reddit #36406774

BrtFrkwr@reddit

Fly the wing. The wing is what flies, everything else is just along for the ride.
View on Reddit #36348179

AbhishMuk@reddit

*Sad engine noises*
View on Reddit #36390897

CleverReversal@reddit

No one asked you engine! Keep giving the wing more of that airflow it likes!
View on Reddit #36403517

CraftyPay99@reddit

Stay away from clouds and poor weather.
View on Reddit #36403120

AussieGhost789@reddit

If you're considering doing something unusual, ask yourself how it would look in a safety/incident/accident report.
View on Reddit #36402553

spacecadet2399@reddit

Watch your speed.
View on Reddit #36400934

deepstaterising@reddit

When in doubt, go around🦯
View on Reddit #36346889

Altruistic_Door_8937@reddit

Not feasible without engines 1, 2, and 3 and no rudder boost.. I died in that sim lol
View on Reddit #36393331

Hour_Tour@reddit

You can go around on the rudder boost alone in the DC10? /s
View on Reddit #36400432

Back2thehold@reddit

Que the music
View on Reddit #36382037

Glider__Guider@reddit

Unless you’re in a glider!
View on Reddit #36355155

Zathral@reddit

In which case close the airbrakes and land on a different bit of grass
View on Reddit #36357051

satans_little_axeman@reddit

Quit.
View on Reddit #36397566

Gr8Dane777@reddit

PPL is a license to LEARN
View on Reddit #36397438

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.
View on Reddit #36396779

Lonely-Sound2823@reddit

Get your instrument rating.
View on Reddit #36396698

X-T3PO@reddit

Comply.
View on Reddit #36396651

gray191411@reddit

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast - don't overreact and use checklists
View on Reddit #36346260

ThatLooksRight@reddit

Marky Mark taught us that in Sniper.
View on Reddit #36371055

Titties4Milk@reddit

Yep. Love this mantra
View on Reddit #36396551

PasswordIsDongers@reddit

Stop flying.
View on Reddit #36395645

FlyGoodDontSuck@reddit

Fly good don’t suck
View on Reddit #36349416

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.
View on Reddit #36349937

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.
View on Reddit #36387335

alwaysmooth@reddit

Story?
View on Reddit #36394628

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
View on Reddit #36393933

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.
View on Reddit #36393743

Excellent-Gain1697@reddit

Don’t fly slow enough to stall until your touching down
View on Reddit #36393731

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.
View on Reddit #36393635

Double_Combination55@reddit

Boring and safe is how you live a long life as a pilot.
View on Reddit #36393174

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.)
View on Reddit #36392670

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.
View on Reddit #36362994

ZuluYankee1@reddit

I learned that second one with one more P...
View on Reddit #36391893

TheOvercookedFlyer@reddit

Ha ha ! I know what you mean.
View on Reddit #36392612

Roccinante_@reddit

Read ‘the killing zone’
View on Reddit #36392052

jbschwartz55@reddit

ATC is your friend. Ask for help when you need it.
View on Reddit #36347531

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.
View on Reddit #36355264

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.
View on Reddit #36390856

jbschwartz55@reddit

Add correlary: Don't hesistate to use the term "UNFAMILIAR" when approaching a new airport you've never been to before.
View on Reddit #36358421

jbschwartz55@reddit

Add correlary: Fess up early and completely if you've messed up.
View on Reddit #36358260

Asleep_Type_7773@reddit

Always look for that 80yr old pilot without a radio
View on Reddit #36389930

Purple_End6152@reddit

You never have to take off, but you always have to land.
View on Reddit #36347541

SeeMarkFly@reddit

We've never left one up there.
View on Reddit #36351430

ImmaPilotMeow@reddit

No man left behind
View on Reddit #36388833

regic112@reddit

Thats why flying is more dangerous than submarines. Plenty of planes in the sea, but not a single sub in the sky.
View on Reddit #36370170

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 
View on Reddit #36351983

Purple_End6152@reddit

Unless you are that YouTuber that jumped out of his place, the math doesn’t check 😂
View on Reddit #36352136

Carlito_2112@reddit

Your comment sponsored by Ridge Wallet.
View on Reddit #36370842

Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

Maybe dawn dawned while you were airborne?
View on Reddit #36352256

BillySpacs@reddit

That would be valid but I did all my night flights just after sunset so that wouldn’t pencil in this case 
View on Reddit #36353845

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.
View on Reddit #36388358

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
View on Reddit #36386042

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
View on Reddit #36388198

scrollingtraveler@reddit

No one is smarter than the checklist. Read it. Use it. Then use it again.
View on Reddit #36388062

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.
View on Reddit #36366676

Unusual_Catch1458@reddit

Wait never cared about sky high or what is it? Mild high club? But gots me thinking now lol
View on Reddit #36387918

RememberHengelo@reddit

https://youtu.be/lr5d3sGxSXQ?si=RQlnKPmxvANEajRn
View on Reddit #36387809

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?
View on Reddit #36387732

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.
View on Reddit #36387603

ga1205@reddit

Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory. Look for reasons not to go.
View on Reddit #36387489

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.
View on Reddit #36387430

NoSoup4Ewe@reddit

Airspeed, altitude, and luck. Always have at least one.
View on Reddit #36387400

Subtle1978@reddit

Get an instrument rating.
View on Reddit #36387306

StarlightLifter@reddit

Knowing good stall recovery is good. Stall speed and speed awareness are better.
View on Reddit #36386876

RandomEntity53@reddit

Sadly, everything in flight prep is still very important. There is no room for being complacent. Anything less is just luck.
View on Reddit #36386407

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.
View on Reddit #36386094

dober450r@reddit

The go-no go decision is a life or death decision Fly without pants on for maximum comfort
View on Reddit #36386021

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.
View on Reddit #36385942

Gwaiwar@reddit

Beware of overconfidence and complacency. They kill the most pilots
View on Reddit #36385483

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
View on Reddit #36385400

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.
View on Reddit #36385043

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.
View on Reddit #36384980

Not__Beaulo@reddit

When doing an overnight especially with people make everyone aware ahead of time weather could prolong the trip.
View on Reddit #36384221

burningtowns@reddit

If you have to crash land, turn on the landing light. If you don’t like what you see, turn it off.
View on Reddit #36383906

Timmay55@reddit

3 useless quantities in aviation: 1) Air in the tanks 2) Altitude above 3) Runway behind
View on Reddit #36383619

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.
View on Reddit #36383461

Peliquin@reddit

Think about how this will go wrong while you are on the ground, and adjust your approach.
View on Reddit #36383090

Chef-Nard@reddit

trust your instruments.
View on Reddit #36382846

Back2thehold@reddit

Knowing when to not depart is a skill some new pilots don’t develop & they pay the ultimate price…I nearly did.
View on Reddit #36381991

BigBoatHF@reddit

Most crash site investigations happen in good weather
View on Reddit #36380090

throwaway5757_@reddit

Don’t do something you wouldn’t do with your 80 year old grandma sitting backseat
View on Reddit #36380081

bambiwalk@reddit

Checklists. Every time. Every phase from pre to post flight
View on Reddit #36379864

Logical_Check2@reddit

Just because nothing bad happened doesn't mean you were right.
View on Reddit #36379775

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.
View on Reddit #36379588

aviatorzed@reddit

Make use of go-arounds rather than popping a nose wheel 🤡
View on Reddit #36379380

BrosenkranzKeef@reddit

Get your instrument rating. It’ll force you to get gud and be disciplined.
View on Reddit #36379109

ActuatorPerfect@reddit

If the approach isn’t 99.9% right, GO AROUND!
View on Reddit #36378817

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.
View on Reddit #36378589

cruiserflyer@reddit

You can always go around.
View on Reddit #36378434

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 !!
View on Reddit #36378321

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
View on Reddit #36378097

Blackhawk004@reddit

“If you have any doubt…don’t do it”
View on Reddit #36377979

intern_steve@reddit

Just reschedule the flight.
View on Reddit #36377883

sincityaviator@reddit

Don’t get slow on base to final.
View on Reddit #36377813

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
View on Reddit #36377418

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
View on Reddit #36374951

poumbo@reddit

If your engine fails at night, turn the landing light on. If you don’t like what you see, turn it off.
View on Reddit #36373739

sketchyoporder@reddit

If it flies, floats, or fucks it is cheaper to rent!
View on Reddit #36373276

NonoscillatoryVirga@reddit

Get your instrument rating now while everything is still fresh.
View on Reddit #36373206

wearsAtrenchcoat@reddit

“Don’t take flying advice from Reddit”
View on Reddit #36372661

jacobr16103@reddit

Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground.
View on Reddit #36372024

-burnr-@reddit

Never be in a rush to get to the scene of the accident
View on Reddit #36371726

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.
View on Reddit #36371721

fightersweekly@reddit

Don’t get cocky, kid.
View on Reddit #36371695

allowableearth@reddit

Special VFR is always a good idea. /s But actually, get instrument rated
View on Reddit #36371672

Doc_Hank@reddit

Get an instrument rating.
View on Reddit #36371253

SgtGabe150@reddit

If you’re unsure about flying with potential bad weather nearby, don’t go fly.
View on Reddit #36370964

Nwurjstmshnit@reddit

You work around aviation. Aviation does not work around you.
View on Reddit #36370765

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.
View on Reddit #36370535

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.
View on Reddit #36369170

Fit-Bedroom6590@reddit

Give him an ad to a good truck driving school.
View on Reddit #36369151

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.
View on Reddit #36369150

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.
View on Reddit #36368908

whiskeytangofokstrot@reddit

Always assume something WILL go wrong. It will help you run scenarios in your head before you hop in.
View on Reddit #36368679

MillSpecaero@reddit

Find a good mentor. Stay in touch with them.
View on Reddit #36368233

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.
View on Reddit #36367987

Skudedarude@reddit

Be mindful of your bank angle when turning to final
View on Reddit #36346185

vtjohnhurt@reddit

Why are airplane pilots adverse to steep turns in the pattern? Lack of practice?
View on Reddit #36350615

__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...
View on Reddit #36355853

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
View on Reddit #36367311

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.
View on Reddit #36352496

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.
View on Reddit #36353952

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.
View on Reddit #36353141

Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

Avoidance of accelerated stall I guess.
View on Reddit #36352916

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.
View on Reddit #36346690

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
View on Reddit #36348513

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.
View on Reddit #36352853

vtjohnhurt@reddit

Gliders routinely use 30 degree bank and 45 is normal. But we practice this starting at our first lesson.
View on Reddit #36350239

OriginalJayVee@reddit

This is a biggie. If you miss, you miss. Go around.
View on Reddit #36346314

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.
View on Reddit #36366970

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.
View on Reddit #36365958

WorkingOnPPL@reddit (OP)

Damn this is sobering to read.
View on Reddit #36366189

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.
View on Reddit #36366703

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.
View on Reddit #36366508

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.
View on Reddit #36366482

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
View on Reddit #36366343

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.
View on Reddit #36366296

Ok_Sun_2276@reddit

You failed your checkride
View on Reddit #36366228

EPICA23@reddit

Density altitude.
View on Reddit #36365376

brez@reddit

Don't let your confidence become contempt..
View on Reddit #36364727

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.
View on Reddit #36363872

Shinsf@reddit

Assume everyone around you is trying to kill you. 
View on Reddit #36363724

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.
View on Reddit #36363389

Pmagnin@reddit

Take a sip of coffee before doing anything in an airplane. Take two sips of coffee in an emergency.
View on Reddit #36363321

Interesting-Fuel-750@reddit

Checklists. Use em.
View on Reddit #36362468

jaylw314@reddit

Never say "watch this!"
View on Reddit #36362429

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.
View on Reddit #36362360

ntroopy@reddit

You have nothing to prove.
View on Reddit #36361487

TwoZigZags45@reddit

Slow is fast
View on Reddit #36361121

thepostman889@reddit

Haste makes waste
View on Reddit #36361040

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.
View on Reddit #36360803

Sure_Challenge_3462@reddit

Fly often. Stay proficient
View on Reddit #36360509

SundogZeus@reddit

Never rush...and “When there’s doubt, there is no doubt”
View on Reddit #36360280

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.
View on Reddit #36359598

Cabanaboy12@reddit

You don’t ever HAVE to take off.
View on Reddit #36359219

ngod87@reddit

Caution. Wake turbulence
View on Reddit #36358184

Blumi511@reddit

For the PPL-Holders: Don't be an amateur who flies recreationally rather than do your hobby professionally.
View on Reddit #36358109

Neoupa2002@reddit

Flare
View on Reddit #36357979

Mobe-E-Duck@reddit

Don’t cut corners
View on Reddit #36357923

Just_Another_Pilot@reddit

Don't fly at night or in marginal weather.
View on Reddit #36351099

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.
View on Reddit #36357411

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.
View on Reddit #36357231

OriginalJayVee@reddit

Right Rudder…you *still* need more!
View on Reddit #36346178

JBalloonist@reddit

I was shocked at how much more when learning the 182.
View on Reddit #36357047

JBalloonist@reddit

Don’t fly into clouds.
View on Reddit #36356860

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.
View on Reddit #36356604

xeon1@reddit

Don't test mother nature.
View on Reddit #36356550

Sad-Improvement-2031@reddit

A superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid situations that require his superior skill
View on Reddit #36356106

sl8408@reddit

Always follow your checklist. Never be rushed
View on Reddit #36355890

Sunsplitcloud@reddit

Keep your speed up.
View on Reddit #36355864

PilotMike77@reddit

Get your instrument rating now.
View on Reddit #36355783

tikkamasalachicken@reddit

Airspeed is life, altitude buys you options. 
View on Reddit #36349978

__joel_t@reddit

Gas also buys you options when the weather gets bad.
View on Reddit #36355481

ansonchappell@reddit

Angle of attack is life.
View on Reddit #36355471

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.
View on Reddit #36349908

Subject-Wallaby6610@reddit

I swear sometimes having a bad day is enough to say, “maybe I shouldn’t get in that plane today”
View on Reddit #36353492

Flying_Dentist77@reddit

I have done it. but then I really only fly for fun so I can be very flexible.
View on Reddit #36355206

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.
View on Reddit #36354989

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’.”
View on Reddit #36354801

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.
View on Reddit #36354700

TrifleOpen7359@reddit

Airspeed is life, and turn around well before you wish you had if the weather starts deteriorating.
View on Reddit #36354294

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.
View on Reddit #36354053

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.
View on Reddit #36354050

bustervich@reddit

Fly like you’re going to court.
View on Reddit #36353956

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.
View on Reddit #36353908

BellevueKid@reddit

Don't base-to-final stall-spin. It's sitting right there to kill you.
View on Reddit #36353826

DarthGabe2142@reddit

Use checklists.
View on Reddit #36353778

redpat2061@reddit

Don’t let them rush you
View on Reddit #36353584

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.
View on Reddit #36353398

waveslikemoses@reddit

It is never too late to turn tf around. Too many VFR into IMC accidents happening because lots of pilots think otherwise.
View on Reddit #36353378

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.
View on Reddit #36353251

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.
View on Reddit #36353221

ValhallanMosquito@reddit

Airspeed is life.
View on Reddit #36352886

639248@reddit

Watch your airspeed, especially in the traffic pattern.
View on Reddit #36352774

holl0918@reddit

Get your IFR.
View on Reddit #36352619

Germainshalhope@reddit

Don't be a jerk
View on Reddit #36352605

randomroute350@reddit

Never stop training
View on Reddit #36352532

Kemerd@reddit

Get your IFR certificate as soon as possible!
View on Reddit #36352427

bingeflying@reddit

Fly good don’t suck
View on Reddit #36352392

jeffsb@reddit

Airspeed. Always know what your airspeed is
View on Reddit #36352152

SeeMarkFly@reddit

Flying lessons do NOT make you a pilot, It ALLOWS you to be a pilot more than once.
View on Reddit #36352121

Plastic_Brick_1060@reddit

Be the okayest pilot you can be
View on Reddit #36352056

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!
View on Reddit #36351972

MEINSHNAKE@reddit

How would you explain that decision to the FAA?
View on Reddit #36351793

MattCW1701@reddit

Treat every landing like a go around, if you get lucky, you can land.
View on Reddit #36351702

Blomes@reddit

If things are getting exciting, it means you are approaching your limits. My instructor always told me: “Make it boring!”
View on Reddit #36351624

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.
View on Reddit #36351581

KToftheJungleJets@reddit

Get your instrument rating shortly thereafter.
View on Reddit #36351566

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 ;)
View on Reddit #36351294

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.
View on Reddit #36351005

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
View on Reddit #36350952

Worried-Ebb-1699@reddit

You are not better, smarter, faster or more capable than anyone else. Never assume everything will be ok.
View on Reddit #36350921

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.
View on Reddit #36350782

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
View on Reddit #36350618

SecretPersonality178@reddit

Learn to say “No”.
View on Reddit #36350280

guestquest88@reddit

It's a license to learn. You don't know shit yet.
View on Reddit #36350205

Good-Analysis-7@reddit

Use your feet
View on Reddit #36350179

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
View on Reddit #36348162

vtjohnhurt@reddit

Never try to 'stretch a glide'. Commit to landing off airport high and early.
View on Reddit #36350068

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.
View on Reddit #36349678

FlyingSpectacle@reddit

Set limits for yourself and adhere to them without exception
View on Reddit #36349438

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.
View on Reddit #36348438

epsilon_be@reddit

It’s not because it’s legal it is a good idea
View on Reddit #36348082

FlyingLongHorns1@reddit

Be surprised when the engine KEEPS RUNNING.
View on Reddit #36348057

SkySherpa@reddit

You must be cooly deliberate and stoically methodical. No fast hands.
View on Reddit #36348014

ExcelCrazy@reddit

All very helpful. TYSM
View on Reddit #36348009

gromm93@reddit

The rules are written in blood.
View on Reddit #36347974

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.
View on Reddit #36347054

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.
View on Reddit #36347396

InGeorgeWeTrust_@reddit

Think
View on Reddit #36346645

dumptruckulent@reddit

Keep the skid side down
View on Reddit #36345866

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
View on Reddit #36345327