这是一篇双语的博客, 中文版在第二部分.

This is a bilingual blog (in both English and Chinese).  Click here for the full post.

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I read that book about learning to fly a while ago.  It was written by the first female American private pilot who flew from west coast to east coast non-stop in a helicopter.   She was also one of the very few female pilots back in 1950's.   After almost 30 years of flying and teaching flying,  she published that book in late 70's as a "How to learn to fly" kind of book.

I got that book from the library as somehow I'd like to learn how to fly as a private pilot.  I know it doesn't sound like a popular idea in a post-911 era, especially for someone who really doesn't have the luxury of time and money for training and flying.  And I know the risks and famous disasters of being a private pilot.   I know, and yes I know all the cons of being a private pilot.   But I just couldn't help _thinking_ of it at least...

So I got the book (and a dozen more) from the library and read it with great excitement during the odd hours in the midnight.   What stoke me was it's actually not only a book about flying, but also about life.

She listed a few important qualities for great pilots (private or commercial) as follows - note that I rephrased what she said in the book, so the words/quotes might not be exactly the same :

1. Always check your aircraft by using a checklist before you fly.

Common sense, right?  Or it could be really tedious/unnecessary  for an experienced pilot...  But a great pilot will just not take any chance, period.  

He or she will not simply take whatever mechanics tell them and assume that the gas tank is full, or the problem had been fixed, or the weather forecast is normal, without checking the pre-set checklist  one item by one item.

Many times,  an experienced pilot can cause big damage ( if not his own death ) to the aircraft by overlooking the routine check-up and becoming complacent.   It's worthwhile to take a 10 minutes pre-flight checking than being panic once you're in the air.

2.  Once you're in the air, always take responsibilities and stay positive.

A great pilot knows that you're on your own once you're flying.  And take responsibilities for that.

Yes the weather forecast half an hour ago might tell you it's crystal clear in this fly zone, but you're now experiencing icy clouds.  Even worse,  the mechanics said he already fixed the engine and you checked it before taking off,  but now it stops working.

A blame on the weather forecast station or fury over the mechanics will not help you go through the icy clouds - after all, weather forecast is meant to be forecast and they might have tried their best efforts;  the mechanics is one of the best and he did fix the broken engine perfectly,  but now it could be caused by the outer temperature which he couldn't possibly know of in advance.

You should stay calm and positive.  It's your aircraft to maneuver,   and you're the one who's sitting in the pilot's seat, not them.   For better or worse, you are supposed to take control of your own destiny.

3.  Find people you really like or respect as your instructor and co-pilot.

It's a small space that you would share with and it could be many hours that you would spend together with your flight instructor.   Do try to find the chemistry and the match between you two.

People are so different that a great instructor for your twin brother might be awfully cold and intolerable for you.  And you do not have to fret about that.  Just keep searching and find the ones you mutually  respect and click.

Same goes your co-pilot.  Don't suffer or settle with someone you don't necessarily have the click or respect.  It's neither your or his/hers fault,  so don't beat yourself and pretend that you could work it out.

4.    Enjoy the flying and proud to be a pilot.

The author quoted a survey that almost all the pilots (or pilot license holders), when asked to identify who they are for top three professions/hobbies,  would list "I am a pilot" in addition to "I am a writer/gardener/musician", for example.  

The fact is flying is absolutely risky and dangerous,  but very fun and extremely rewarding - only if you enjoy it and are proud of being a pilot - but this doesn't come without a high price-tag...  Your family might be concerned ( "Dear, why can't you just quit flying" is not an uncommon question ),  your auto or medical insurance cost might be much higher ( "eh, yes it's XYZ% more as you're holding a private pilot license"),  your colleagues might be wondering ( "heck, I don't know why he can have time or money to do this luxury hobby" ), and at one point,  you might also ask yourself ( "Gee, what the @#$% am I doing ?!  Shouldn't I just forget about all the fantasies of flying and work on some real things..." ).

The truth is, life isn't just about real things. It's all about how to ENJOY them.

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一直有个兴趣, 想要学习飞行.  有段时间借了一堆书在看 - 类似在黑板上解剖青蛙来学习生物学 :-) - 偶然看到一本有趣的书, 在此分享一些作者的心得.

稍微提下作者的背景:  美国五十年代的第一批拿到民用飞行执照的女飞行员,  也是第一位开直升机不落地从美国西海岸飞到东海岸的女民用飞行员, 也是教学飞行30 余年的老飞行教员, 在 1980 年左右写的一篇给初学者的入门教材.

书中最让我印象深刻的是对好的飞行员的几个重要品质的归纳:

1.  每次飞行之前, 一定要按照规定的检查清单, 逐项检查, 然后决定是否起飞.

作者非常强调使用一个事先规定的检查清单, 而不是简简单单地相信别人告诉的信息, 或者嫌麻烦而略过简单但是重要的步骤 - 比如单引擎的测速仪是否工作正常,  或者昨天晚上下的那场大雨有没有让停在外面的飞机油箱进水 - 这往往会让即使飞行上万小时的商业客机飞行员, 都可能酿成大祸.

简单而言, 每一次的飞行, 都是值得细心检查, 周密准备, 切不可掉以轻心或者自大自满.

2.  一旦飞机升空, 飞行员自身就承担所有责任, 并保持积极的态度面对也许出现的紧急问题.

无论是天气预报情况的准确程度, 还是飞机机械部分的故障情况,  一旦飞机在天空中飞行, 有任何始料不及的问题, 好的飞行员首先从来不会去责备任何其他人 - 既于事无补, 还浪费了宝贵的时间和精力 - 而是积极地面对问题进行处理.  无论是呼叫塔台紧急帮助, 调整飞行路线, 选择紧急迫降地点, 还是弃机跳伞, 飞行员要做的就是把责备懊悔恐惧等所有可能的负面情绪全部控制住, 迅速果断地采取行动, 然后在保全自身的情况下, 再好好反省下次如何改进.

3.  选择你尊敬和有默契的人作为你的老师或者副驾驶员.

飞行舱很小, 在空中飞行或者地面学习的时间又很长, 如果你和你的飞行教员或者副驾驶员之间, 没有那种默契和尊重,  不仅在平常的飞行中感觉枯燥无味, 而且在紧急情况出现时, 双方的配合和协调将可能无法确保最大程度的解决.  

世界这么大,  这种选择, 完全不用强求 - 你的飞行教员/副驾驶觉得你不适合他/她, 或者你觉得他/她不适合你 - 一方提出来, 另一方都可以接受,  没有任何一方应该受到责备或觉得不好意思.

4.   享受飞行的乐趣.

完全从不懂飞行的人的角度来看,  任何人想去把学习飞行作为一种业余爱好, 都是不可理喻的事情. 飞行的潜在危险很大, 学习飞行和保持飞行资格的时间和金钱也都是需要很大的承诺,  为什么还有人想去做这样一种事情呢?

可是从热爱飞行的人来说, 他们会反问:  说到底, 我们人为什么而生活在这个世上呢?  就是为了养家糊口么? 或者过和其他人一样或者 "更好" 的生活么? 

对飞行员而言,  每一分钟的飞行或者和飞机在一起的时候,  就是他们真正享受生活的乐趣的时候.