3 strike rule

WannFly

WannFly

Final Approach
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Three Strikes Rule - PilotWorkshops

i have something similar. There have been times when i have pre-flighted, taxi-ed to the hold short and after run up realized i missed a thing or 2 and taxi-ed back to the hanger. My Check-list has a Go/NoGo decision right before calling the tower. and @Sinistar can attest to the fact the number of times I have cancelled on him lol. may be this is coming from a diary of a wimpy kid... but who else have cancelled flights because of simple things or "it just didn't feel right"?
 
I did once (that I remember). Went to the airport, (KORL) and NBAA was in town. They take over large portions of the ramp at KORL when they come. I had to go find the club plane, get it preflighted, get it out of the jumble of moved planes to get it started. I missed at least one thing on preflight and as soon as I realized it. I decided there was too much scrambled that day so I pushed it back, tied it down and went to work. I never regretted the decision.
 
I have executed the 3-strike rule in the past. Usually on a training flight; however, have done it on assigned missions as well. Usually circumstances outside of my or the crew's control, but I've never regretted the decision. I've also had to go to bat for any of my crews that may have cancelled due to strike 3. Safety is paramount.
 
If that is what it takes. Doing an honest and through self assessment prior to leaving the house goes a long way - especially in the fatigue and stress areas.
 
Could you imagine bidding vacation, researching a trip, paying for a resort, having the perfect weather for the trip, wife is in the plane and you’re approaching the runway for takeoff and you tell ground you’re taxiing back to the hangar. Your wife with a concerned look on her face asks what’s going on and then you tell her sorry but 3 strikes...1) You had to remind me to lock the hangar door, 2) Ground was on comm 1 but comm 2 was selected and I called for taxi on tower freq and 3) when I was doing the run-up I realized I forgot to lean for ground ops.

Should you fly when not mentally or physically fit to do so? Obviously not. Trying to strictly adapt a rule guys use while flying close formation at over 300kts to all general aviation scenarios...no thanks.
 
Radar Contact said:
Could you imagine bidding vacation, researching a trip, paying for a resort, having the perfect weather for the trip, wife is in the plane and you’re approaching the runway for takeoff and you tell ground you’re taxiing back to the hangar. Your wife with a concerned look on her face asks what’s going on and then you tell her sorry but 3 strikes...1) You had to remind me to lock the hangar door, 2) Ground was on comm 1 but comm 2 was selected and I called for taxi on tower freq and 3) when I was doing the run-up I realized I forgot to lean for ground ops.

Should you fly when not mentally or physically fit to do so? Obviously not. Trying to strictly adapt a rule guys use while flying close formation at over 300kts to all general aviation scenarios...no thanks.
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You did hit the nail on the head there Kevin. For those of us who have been flying for a while, we can sift through the "strikes" that are benign, and the "strikes" that can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. As the saying goes: There's old pilots, and there's bold pilots; but there are few old bold pilots.
 
Radar Contact said:
Could you imagine bidding vacation, researching a trip, paying for a resort, having the perfect weather for the trip, wife is in the plane and you’re approaching the runway for takeoff and you tell ground you’re taxiing back to the hangar. Your wife with a concerned look on her face asks what’s going on and then you tell her sorry but 3 strikes...1) You had to remind me to lock the hangar door, 2) Ground was on comm 1 but comm 2 was selected and I called for taxi on tower freq and 3) when I was doing the run-up I realized I forgot to lean for ground ops.

Should you fly when not mentally or physically fit to do so? Obviously not. Trying to strictly adapt a rule guys use while flying close formation at over 300kts to all general aviation scenarios...no thanks.
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While I wouldn't particularly want to STRICTLY abide by "three strikes" in the specific scenario you laid out and scrub that flight, by "calling out" those strikes, you would at least be well aware of the fact that you were not on top of your game on that day and probably much more deliberate or attentive in your subsequent actions during the flight.
 
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After strike 2 I usually sharpen up so as to avoid #3.
 
Radar Contact said:
Could you imagine bidding vacation, researching a trip, paying for a resort, having the perfect weather for the trip, wife is in the plane and you’re approaching the runway for takeoff and you tell ground you’re taxiing back to the hangar. Your wife with a concerned look on her face asks what’s going on and then you tell her sorry but 3 strikes...1) You had to remind me to lock the hangar door, 2) Ground was on comm 1 but comm 2 was selected and I called for taxi on tower freq and 3) when I was doing the run-up I realized I forgot to lean for ground ops.

Should you fly when not mentally or physically fit to do so? Obviously not. Trying to strictly adapt a rule guys use while flying close formation at over 300kts to all general aviation scenarios...no thanks.
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Posts based on logical reasoning are not allowed. I have reported your post to the MC.
 
I once scrubbed a flight because I didn't have the right chart. That was strike number 3. A very good habit to be in.
 
I've done that myself. Had something happen at work where I had to dress down a controller for not paying attention, almost got hit by another car on the way to the hangar and tried to pull the plane out with the battery charger still connected.

That was it for me. There's been other times too but I do adhere to my own personal three strike rule.
 
hmm, not a fan of the three strike rule since I once cancelled a flight after one strike. And I was happy with that decision.
 
When I think of 3 strikes I am thinking..... high crosswind, ceiling below minimums, visibility below minimums, forecasted moderate icing, embedded thunderstorms, braking action poor or worse, things like that. Pick any 3 and I will be looking at options.

I once wanted to delay a flight due to thunderstorms along the route.

Got fired for that.
 
I've definitely used something like this a few times in the past 25 years. I can't recall the details anymore, but I know I've had a few "this just isn't working the way it's supposed to" days.
 
While still a student, was at the desk checking out the airplane, CFI was nowhere to be seen but the owner of the school was there. High winds and weather imminent - so imminent that the tower was landing people on 28 [correction...landing on 10] (take a look at KAPA) which is NEVER done except in emergencies. I cancelled, thanked the desk staff, and the owner started hassling me for chickening out (no, he wasn't teasing). At which point I looked at him and in my best teacher/project to the back of the auditorium so everyone in the area could hear said "Anyone who works here that encourages a student to take off in this situation, is looking to be sued. Consider this my registation from your for-profit club" and walked out. Never went back, had to put my training on hold for 6 months until I could find another CFI at another school (and not at KAPA).
 
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I do this when 1) winds/gusts or 2) wx on approaches near my minimums... for example I’ll do 2 approaches but not the 3rd. I’m superstitious enough to know something bad will happen on the 3rd haha.

Everything else is a risk assessment for me.
 
I don't count to 3. Sometimes one is enough, sometimes more.

There are occasional days where it feels wrong and I just don't fly. Usually a it's being close to a combination of personal minimums: maybe ceilings being OK, but barely; crosswinds being OK, but barely; tired, but not too tired. If the voices in my head say today's not the day, I listen.
 
When I was paramotoring I used to say, "If you have to ask yourself three times whether it's too windy to fly, it is." Today, if there are too many minor glitches I'll cancel. No set number... sometimes I've even gone the airport on a good day, preflighted, found nothing wrong, and then just gone home because I wasn't quite feeling it that day.
 
I don't know about three strikes, or trying to define what a strike is, but yes I've scrubbed missions when something isn't right.

One time after a long day decided to pull the plane out and go fly. Took my time prepping and preflighting. Got all strapped into the airplane and ready to start when it suddenly struck me...I never pulled the plane outside. Got out, closed the hangar door and went home.
 
Dana said:
sometimes I've even gone the airport on a good day, preflighted, found nothing wrong, and then just gone home because I wasn't quite feeling it that day.
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Got one of these shirts myself. Once I actually taxied to the runway and for no particular reason turned around and put it back in the hangar.

But I've had days when everything seemed to be going well and I get in the air and just can't seem to get in sync with the airplane. I might shoot a landing or two and if I can't get in the groove I just put it away ...
 
If I have a prop strike and a bird strike during a flight, I'll typically call it a day.

Only two strikes, but err on the side of caution!!
 
No, mechanical stuff, I'm very conservative with, engine misfiring and doesn't clear? Screw that. But missing an item on a check list then catching it? Not real worried about that. Usually my go/no go is made before I get to the airplane, if the airplane is good and I'm good? I go.
 
murphey said:
While still a student, was at the desk checking out the airplane, CFI was nowhere to be seen but the owner of the school was there. High winds and weather imminent - so imminent that the tower was landing people on 28 (take a look at KAPA) which is NEVER done except in emergencies. I cancelled, thanked the desk staff, and the owner started hassling me for chickening out (no, he wasn't teasing). At which point I looked at him and in my best teacher/project to the back of the auditorium so everyone in the area could hear said "Anyone who works here that encourages a student to take off in this situation, is looking to be sued. Consider this my registation from your for-profit club" and walked out. Never went back, had to put my training on hold for 6 months until I could find another CFI at another school (and not at KAPA).
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Did you mean taking off on 28? I landed 28 all the time. Shorter taxi to my hangar.

Just don’t hit a jet departing 35 if you have to go around... ha. Turn north quick. LOL.

The joke was 10/28 was the private runway for all of us based in the east side hangars. Depart 10, return 28, if winds were light. Avoid the whole 17/35 complex and traffic jam completely.
 
denverpilot said:
Did you mean taking off on 28? I landed 28 all the time. Shorter taxi to my hangar.

Just don’t hit a jet departing 35 if you have to go around... ha. Turn north quick. LOL.

The joke was 10/28 was the private runway for all of us based in the east side hangars. Depart 10, return 28, if winds were light. Avoid the whole 17/35 complex and traffic jam completely.
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Sorry....landing on 10.
 
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