Wednesday, October 8, 2014

I wasn't SAFE

Yep.  It's true.  This time I cancelled my lesson based on my own self-check.  I'd been fighting a stomach bug all day, and it wasn't getting better.  Two hours before my lesson, I texted my instructor and cancelled.  I hated to do it, but at the same time, if I had gone ahead, I really don't think it would have been a productive flight.

Beside my illness, at the time I cancelled, there was about a 13 kt left front quartering crosswind down runway 27.  I've flown in those conditions once before, and I really wasn't up to doing it again this evening.  13 kts is toward the upper limit of the Skyhawk's abilities, and the upper limits of my nerves.  On a good day.

I started to beat myself up today for cancelling, but quickly reigned that thinking in and snapped back at myself that I'd made the right choice, and besides, that was yesterday and can't be changed.  This is today.

Next lesson is scheduled for Monday of next week, which is a deviation from my usual Tuesday.  My daughter loves The Veggietales, and they're coming to town Tuesday evening, so I'm taking her.  Seeing her laugh and smile as she enjoys the music is about the only thing on Earth that trumps flying for me.  Flying is in my soul, but she has my heart, hands down.

Two Victor Uniform, clear of the active

2 comments:

  1. Been there , done that with the cancelling and feeling guilty. At the moment I've cancelled three mock flight tests because I was either ill or the weather was crap.

    At the end of the day you are doing this for FUN!! if it isn't going to be fun (because you are ill or the weather is dodgy) then don't fly.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks. I do have to remind myself that I should be enjoying this. By the time I should have been doing my preflight, I was actually feeling better, but not 100%. And the day I did the 13 kt winds previously was on a good day, and it left me rattled enough to think twice about continuing. After some of my recent flights, I don't need another rough flight to add potential discouragement into the mix.

      I'm reminded of the scene in Top Gun where Maverick is getting scolded for doing the Split S, particularly the line Viper says. "Better to retire, save the aircraft, than push a bad position." I feel like I made the right choice, no doubt. 13 kts of wind, the way I was feeling, would not have been fun at all.

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