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By Mr. Bill |
| Takeoff. Takeoff the act of leaving the ground,
as in jumping, flight, etc. The definition surprised me as I looked it
up in the Webster's dictionary. Yes, I knew the definition. It resembled my last two takeoffs I had made. With the first, one the airplane had a light fuel load and only had a total of six people on board. I knew the airplane would jump in the air and I felt like I should do everything at the maximum. Like suck the gear up quick and stay low in ground effect, then pull up quickly at the end of the runway. What I wanted to do and what I did were two different things. I felt funny keeping the airplane low on the runway and quickly told myself to just fly it normal. When the first turn came I quickly snapped the bird to the 30 degree bank mark, but this too felt funny. I just wanted to have fun but I felt funny doing it. My next takeoff was one at maximum gross weight. This takeoff was going to require all of my attention because rotation speed was 190 mph!!! Not a time for the weak at  heart.
On this takeoff my only thoughts were to be right on top of everything
just in case. No thoughts of a Tom Cruise maneuver now. The biggest thought
that echoed from the back of my mind on the first takeoff was "that things
only go wrong when you are doing something wrong, right?" Again
it is this "John Wayne" thing that seems to get most pilots into hot water.
At the airline it is always pointed out to us that things usually happen
in the first 3 minutes or the last 8 minutes of a flight- takeoff and
landing. Trying to add a "John Wayne" maneuver during these times could
only complicate an already critical time period. I hope you all can attend
the EAA meeting at my house in March. I will be doing a flight review
ground school and prizes will be the reward for answers that not only
sound right but are right. |