Fall is here. The weather is cooler, and the days are shorter. I had the chance to do a couple of demo flights. One of the guys had no flying experience and the other had some flight simulator experience, so it was great to get out and compare the two. The complete rookie had his struggles but was more like a sponge, taking everything, I said at face value and did reasonably well. The other had a lot of “I knows” and was easily frustrated. The rookie’s advantage was that he asked why as opposed to the gamer, who had many excuses as to why it wasn’t what he thought it should be. As we looked for adventure and lessons in the sky, it became obvious to me as to who would continue with a willing heart. The ability to take in new information is the key to safety. Since we have the tendency to believe everything, we know is all we need to know, we shortchange ourselves of the chance for real joy. Both of them made progress, both were happy for the experience and yet I feel that I will see more of the rookie.

There is a saying that the best pilot in the world is the one that is having the most fun. I am glad that I know some of the best pilots in the world.