While no two aviation related accidents are exactly the same, there are often common threads in aviation mishaps that happen again and again. Hence, a recent post by Meg Godlewski on General Aviation News is well worth reading and repeating as she lists the top 10 tips for pilots to avoid accidents (she also goes into more detail about each of them in her post). Here are the 10 tips:
- Use your checklist
- Never trust your fuel gauges
- In a retractable gear airplane, make at least three checks to determine the position of the gear before landing
- Don’t fly by committee
- Know the high traffic areas in your community
- Don’t fall victim to “get home-itis”
- Do not rely on the autopilot or gee-whiz avionics to get you out of a bad situation
- Stay proficient
- Practice emergency procedures
- Don’t be afraid not to fly
Keeping the above tips in mind will go a long way towards keeping you safe when flying.