The pilot’s highly capable Beech Baron, ûsimilar to this one, was made as a traveling ûmachine. Why the pilot chose to fly it with- ûout an instrument rating remained unclear.

Most pilots can be accused of wanting it all. They want a big, fast airplane that sips fuel, flies high and lands slow. They want to fill the tanks and the seats and the baggage compartments all at the same time. They want responsive handling that’s also stable when shooting an approach. They want practicality and sex appeal on a budget.

It turns out that all airplanes are compromises, and how any pilot makes that personal selection of what’s important and what’s not is a reflection of both the pilot and the environment in which he expects to fly. Likewise, the choices a pilot makes during a flying career determines how…