Went Flying Today And Forgot My Coffee.

Geico266

Geico266

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geico
It was a beautiful day to fly in the Midwest. Winds were light at 15 right down the runway, and I had a mission to shuffle an airplane and a car for a buddy at an airport 40 miles away. I hook up my fuel tank after checking NOTAMS and headed for the airport. There have been airport closures for repairs in the area and I want to make sure I'm current with the info.

I left my coffee ( decalf, thanks to the good POA DR') sitting on the work bench. :mad2:

Now things like this don't normally bother me, but I got to thinking; "Is my preflight gonna be like this? Really? Yoiu left the coffee on the bench? :mad2:

Then I missed my turn to get to the gas station to buy 92 Octane. :mad2:

I am really " behind" the plan here! Damn! I'm I getting dementia? Alzheimer's? Old man syndrome? :dunno:

It's a beautiful day. The same kind of day I had banged up two airplanes! :eek: ( another story for another day :redface:). But that event taught me a valuable lesson. Never underestimate the power of the mind, and the ability to not focus on the task at hand. The simplest slip can be deadly.

Then I remembered I left my keys to the hangar at home. :mad2:

By now there are enough red flags waiving in my mind I think I'm in Russia at the Red Squareon May Day. So I head to the hangar and have a talk with a local pilot who makes his living flying. He assures me I am good to go, I'm just being overly cautious and aware of the mental aspects of flying. This man is a pro, and forgets little things all the time.... or so he says. :dunno:

The rest of the day was uneventful, the mission was completed and the plane put in the hangar without a scratch. Winds were now 190 @ 18 gusts to 25. Winds aloft are 50 mph +! :eek:

Just a little caution and recognition we all make mistakes, and we all forgot little things. Doesn't mean it is time to give up flying, it means we are all human, and we need to focus on details as best we can.

Now where did I put that remote? :mad2:
 
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Good to hear everything turned out fine,just imagine how bad it would have been if you where still on high test coffeee
 
frfly172 said:
Good to hear everything turned out fine,just imagine how bad it would have been if you where still on high test coffeee
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:rofl:

The good news is I don't get near as stressed about it. :lol: ..... On the other hand maybe the lack of caffiene is causing the problem! :eek:

Can I blame DR. B & DR. G for getting me off caffeine? :lol:

Remember when the called coffee "The Think Drink?". I'll probably live longer, but forget everything else! :rofl: :eek:

Hey, as long as I can fly life is good. :yes:


I guess what I'm trying to say is "Please be careful out there. ". It has been a tough year in aviation. I'm tired of reading about "stupid pilot tricks" . Focus on the big picture.
 
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You prolly didn't know this but this is part of the reason my wallet is CHAINED to my belt, my USB backup is on my key ring chain, and I check twice to make sure I TURNED THE HANGAR LIGHTS OFF.

sigih.
 
There was a guy who departed on his little bizjet/slowtation/vintage Lear/whatever-it-was before me today @ KSHV that no-poo forgot his dog at the FBO. The line guy was helping us load up the Arrow with all our baby stuff and that gem sounds off on his walkie and we all got a good roll o the eyes. I look over at my wife and she says: "Oh, I have our baby, right here." pointing at our 4mo old.

Trust me, you didn't forget much compared to that guy. And he took off in a personal jet. Mo money mo problems....
 
Geico266 said:
I am really " behind" the plan here! Damn! I'm I getting dementia? Alzheimer's? Old man syndrome? :dunno:
Click to expand...

Ah, you're just old and human like many of us. You probably even used those papyrus charts and navigated like a Phoenician!
 
LDJones said:
Or, maybe he really didn't like the dog and "accidently" forget it on purpose! :yes:
Click to expand...

It was the wife's dog so yes, what you suggested was immediately implied while finishing our bag-loading. :D
 
Geico266 said:
It was a beautiful day to fly in the Midwest. Winds were light at 15 right down the runway, and I had a mission to shuffle an airplane and a car for a buddy at an airport 40 miles away. I hook up my fuel tank after checking NOTAMS and headed for the airport. There have been airport closures for repairs in the area and I want to make sure I'm current with the info.

I left my coffee ( decalf, thanks to the good POA DR') sitting on the work bench. :mad2:

Now things like this don't normally bother me, but I got to thinking; "Is my preflight gonna be like this? Really? Yoiu left the coffee on the bench? :mad2:

Then I missed my turn to get to the gas station to buy 92 Octane. :mad2:

I am really " behind" the plan here! Damn! I'm I getting dementia? Alzheimer's? Old man syndrome? :dunno:

It's a beautiful day. The same kind of day I had banged up two airplanes! :eek: ( another story for another day :redface:). But that event taught me a valuable lesson. Never underestimate the power of the mind, and the ability to not focus on the task at hand. The simplest slip can be deadly.

Then I remembered I left my keys to the hangar at home. :mad2:

By now there are enough red flags waiving in my mind I think I'm in Russia at the Red Squareon May Day. So I head to the hangar and have a talk with a local pilot who makes his living flying. He assures me I am good to go, I'm just being overly cautious and aware of the mental aspects of flying. This man is a pro, and forgets little things all the time.... or so he says. :dunno:

The rest of the day was uneventful, the mission was completed and the plane put in the hangar without a scratch. Winds were now 190 @ 18 gusts to 25. Winds aloft are 50 mph +! :eek:

Just a little caution and recognition we all make mistakes, and we all forgot little things. Doesn't mean it is time to give up flying, it means we are all human, and we need to focus on details as best we can.

Now where did I put that remote? :mad2:
Click to expand...
We all are capable of forgetting stuff. I do this professionally and make mistakes from time to time as well (just the other day, I tried to taxi a 182 with the chocks still on:redface:). I once talked to a 30 year airline captain who claimed that he kept a book to log flights that everything went 100% perfectly. The book is empty :D.
 
GCA319 said:
We all are capable of forgetting stuff. I do this professionally and make mistakes from time to time as well (just the other day, I tried to taxi a 182 with the chocks still on:redface:). I once talked to a 30 year airline captain who claimed that he kept a book to log flights that everything went 100% perfectly. The book is empty :D.
Click to expand...

LifeInverted said:
Nope, sounds like Some-theimers. It's like Alzheimer's, just not as often.
Click to expand...

Sounds like I just need to fly more. ;)

Thanks, I needed that. Now, where did I put my beer. :dunno: :rofl: :nono:
 
I can;t leave the house without going back upstairs three times . . . its good exercise I guess . . .
 
Geico266 said:
It was a beautiful day to fly in the Midwest. Winds were light at 15 right down the runway, and I had a mission to shuffle an airplane and a car for a buddy at an airport 40 miles away. I hook up my fuel tank after checking NOTAMS and headed for the airport. There have been airport closures for repairs in the area and I want to make sure I'm current with the info.

I left my coffee ( decalf, thanks to the good POA DR') sitting on the work bench. :mad2:

Now things like this don't normally bother me, but I got to thinking; "Is my preflight gonna be like this? Really? Yoiu left the coffee on the bench? :mad2:

Then I missed my turn to get to the gas station to buy 92 Octane. :mad2:

I am really " behind" the plan here! Damn! I'm I getting dementia? Alzheimer's? Old man syndrome? :dunno:

It's a beautiful day. The same kind of day I had banged up two airplanes! :eek: ( another story for another day :redface:). But that event taught me a valuable lesson. Never underestimate the power of the mind, and the ability to not focus on the task at hand. The simplest slip can be deadly.

Then I remembered I left my keys to the hangar at home. :mad2:

By now there are enough red flags waiving in my mind I think I'm in Russia at the Red Squareon May Day. So I head to the hangar and have a talk with a local pilot who makes his living flying. He assures me I am good to go, I'm just being overly cautious and aware of the mental aspects of flying. This man is a pro, and forgets little things all the time.... or so he says. :dunno:

The rest of the day was uneventful, the mission was completed and the plane put in the hangar without a scratch. Winds were now 190 @ 18 gusts to 25. Winds aloft are 50 mph +! :eek:

Just a little caution and recognition we all make mistakes, and we all forgot little things. Doesn't mean it is time to give up flying, it means we are all human, and we need to focus on details as best we can.

Now where did I put that remote? :mad2:
Click to expand...

Sounds like a normal day here.

I spend half my day looking for some thing I just had in my hand.
 
comanchepilot said:
I can;t leave the house without going back upstairs three times . . . its good exercise I guess . . .
Click to expand...

That's why I have a first floor master, the return trips are easier. My exercise is pushing the plane uphill into the hangar instead.
 
Geico266 said:
I left my coffee ( decalf, thanks to the good POA DR') sitting on the work bench. :mad2:
Click to expand...

I've done that a couple times. The coffee cup holder and the XM radio cradle are my most important modifications. I'm thinking about wiring a squat switch in the bottom of the cup holder. No coffee .. no start.

RT
 
I learned a long time ago to NOT drink coffee before or while flying. I will not openly discuss the results of doing so. :no:

As for the subject of the post, I have had days when it was obvious I needed a plexiotomy so I could see where I was going.

When I get that feeling I stop my preflight and just take a two minute breather and start afresh.
 
tmyers said:
I learned a long time ago to NOT drink coffee before or while flying. I will not openly discuss the results of doing so. :no:

As for the subject of the post, I have had days when it was obvious I needed a plexiotomy so I could see where I was going.

When I get that feeling I stop my preflight and just take a two minute breather and start afresh.
Click to expand...

That's funny, I'm the opposite. I'd question my mental capacity without having my morning coffee :yes:

However not while flying and I must drink coffee at least 1/2 hour before depature to make sure a trip to the head has been accomplished :)
 
Hmm, last time I forgot my coffee flying I found out how far the starter on an O-470 can fling 16oz of coffee when some idiot hooks the handle on the prop
:redface:
 
Geico266 said:
It was a beautiful day to fly in the Midwest. Winds were light at 15 right down the runway, and I had a mission to shuffle an airplane and a car for a buddy at an airport 40 miles away. I hook up my fuel tank after checking NOTAMS and headed for the airport. There have been airport closures for repairs in the area and I want to make sure I'm current with the info.

I left my coffee ( decalf, thanks to the good POA DR') sitting on the work bench. :mad2:

Now things like this don't normally bother me, but I got to thinking; "Is my preflight gonna be like this? Really? Yoiu left the coffee on the bench? :mad2:

Then I missed my turn to get to the gas station to buy 92 Octane. :mad2:

I am really " behind" the plan here! Damn! I'm I getting dementia? Alzheimer's? Old man syndrome? :dunno:

It's a beautiful day. The same kind of day I had banged up two airplanes! :eek: ( another story for another day :redface:). But that event taught me a valuable lesson. Never underestimate the power of the mind, and the ability to not focus on the task at hand. The simplest slip can be deadly.

Then I remembered I left my keys to the hangar at home. :mad2:

By now there are enough red flags waiving in my mind I think I'm in Russia at the Red Squareon May Day. So I head to the hangar and have a talk with a local pilot who makes his living flying. He assures me I am good to go, I'm just being overly cautious and aware of the mental aspects of flying. This man is a pro, and forgets little things all the time.... or so he says. :dunno:

The rest of the day was uneventful, the mission was completed and the plane put in the hangar without a scratch. Winds were now 190 @ 18 gusts to 25. Winds aloft are 50 mph +! :eek:

Just a little caution and recognition we all make mistakes, and we all forgot little things. Doesn't mean it is time to give up flying, it means we are all human, and we need to focus on details as best we can.

Now where did I put that remote? :mad2:
Click to expand...

How cool is it that the aviation checklist concept has improved my ability to remember important details in almost every other facet of my day. Who cares if I look like "Rain man" walking around with a tiny notebook around my neck...:redface:
 
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