Private Pilot Flight Training and Instruction Flight Training Article Library | Back To 4VFR.COM Important Side Notes The Law of Firsts (Haviland's) , "The first time you do, you shouldn't have, The first time you don't, you should have." Flying is an situation where the pilot is solely responsible for the welfare of the aircraft. Knowledge can be maintained through reading and study. Judgment is best developed through the experiencing and management of actual flying situations. Pilot skill is a product of physical and mental practice in the airplane. Any flying skill acquired can only improve if exercised. Your skills will never remain static. Skills erode from lack of use; they remain relatively constant with occasional use; they improve only with clearly defined goals that have measurable criteria for performance. A refresher lesson should be based upon a single maneuver. This maneuver should contain a wide set of the four basics. It should be fun but challenging. In flying there is only one person responsible for the actual flying of an aircraft and that person is also responsible for the safety of that flight. Having a functional checklist that fits your method of operation is more important than having a one checklist fits all available. Have the checklist, use it at the same place and time; every time. The more unusual your flying situation the more important it is that you slow down the airplane and use the appropriate checklist. You will avoid one potential ATC 'deal' if you take upon yourself the responsibility to clear the final approach course prior to crossing the runway hold bars. As a student or VFR pilot you should know the terms and positions used by IFR pilots flying at airports where you fly. At unfamiliar fields you should query ATC as to IFR reports to your planned route. The lower the visibility the farther away from IFR routes you should stay. One way to detect maintenance oversights is to make regular changes of maintenance facilities. Written by Gene Whitt Flight Training Article Library | Back To 4VFR.COM