Editor’s Log: 03/05

Plans B
Flight planning can take many forms, depending on the operation, the aircraft, the weather and a host of other factors. Kicking the tires and lighting the fires may be appropriate for short, local flights in daytime VMC, while hours spent poring over routes, fuel consumption and weather can be mandatory for others. It depends.

One thing that’s not optional, however, is a back-up plan, a Plan B. This need was brought home to me over the holidays as I tried to complete several trips up and down the east coast without any drama. I almost succeeded.

Coming up into the mid-Atlantic region from the Carolinas on January 2, I sailed along serenely on top of an undercast u...