By Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Taking risks is something we do every day; in the shower, on the Interstate or on an approach to minimums. The ways in which we manage those risks often determine whether we’ll be around to take them again, or if some other outcome will intervene. Astronauts, test pilots and race-car drivers, among others, regularly place themselves in harm’s way. But they have the equipment, the training and the experience necessary to properly manage the risks they face—and they usually know what the risks are and how to react to them when they arise. …