Today my flight was planned for 10:00 am. The sky is clear after the crazy winds we have been having all week but I awoke as I have every day since Tuesday, sick and a bit miserable. After taking the dog for a short walk and going to get my traditional Tim Horton’s large regular coffee I felt up to the task. This is when the phone rang. It was the club calling to say, are you sure about going up today with the winds?
TAF CYOW 121438Z 121512 30015G25KT P6SM BKN030 TEMPO 1505 SCT030
hmmm, I’m no stranger to harsh gusting winds but I thought, here are 2 strikes against the flight and I have not even left home yet. I feel sick still (even though I am feeling much better today, I’m still a bit goobery) and the winds were not great. Smurf it! I asked the dispatcher to cancel my appointment. I’m sure someone else could stand to use the bucking bronco practice today.
There is a simple personal checklist to go over when you want to fly. it’s known as the IM SAFE list. So are you safe?
Illness. Any Symptoms?
Medication. Prescription or OTC drugs?
Stress. Money, Family, the Wife?
Alcohol. Minimum of 12 hours “Bottle to Throttle”.
Fatigue. Adequately rested?
Eating. Enough proper food? take a pee as well!
This is an excellent reminder of a personal checklist that we should all stick to. Today I guess I was not “SAFE” and therefore made the wise decision not to fly.
It is better to be on the ground wishing you could fly, than up there wishing you were on the ground!
Tags: Cancelled Lesson, Checklists, Flying