By Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

There’s an old saying: “When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” In other words, when resources are few, people tend to use the only ones available to them, even if they’re inappropriate and have the potential to create as many problems as they solve. Just as it is in carpentry, so it is in aviation.

For example, you wouldn’t use a Learjet for aerial application work. And a fixed-gear, wheel-equipped airplane is only good for one water landing—the ensuing takeoff attempt won’t be successful. …