Editor’s Log: 01/05

Just Do It
Often, once we obtain that magic piece of paper saying “Private Pilot,” for which we struggled so hard, we presume we’re good to go. We fill our Skyhawks with people, packages and petrol, and then blast off to the beach, to Grandma’s house or to a business meeting. Weather sometimes keeps us on the ground, but as we gain experience and confidence, we learn more about what kinds of weather we and our airplane can handle. Soon, depending in part on how many hours we accumulate and how regularly we fly, we settle into a comfort zone where we can pretty much come and go as we please without too much drama.

Of course, geography plays a major role in the way we deal wit...