Propwash's rules for aviators

A few pearls of wisdom from your Uncle Propwash.

If it leaks check it out, unless it is a radial.  If it is a radial engine and does not leak, it is empty. Do you hear me, I am not kidding.

Any airplane can kill you including a model airplane.  No joke.

If you decide to go 'head to head' with a thunderstorm you richly deserve whatever happens.

If the magneto check is bad, the mag is bad.  At best something is wrong.  That goes for the rest of the checklist as well. Don't fly it, fix it!

Mechanics charge alot of money for the same reason doctors do; they know if you have any brains you'll gladly pay out the nose to save your ass.

Do not take off in weather you cannot land in.

The only time you have too much gas is when you are on fire or cannot clear the trees at the end of the runway.

No pilot should ever leave the traffic pattern without $100 and a major credit card. Trust me on this one.

Airplanes fly on airspeed.  Airspeed is produced by the sacrifice of either altitude or money.

If you fly less than 100 hours a year, you should rent; at 100-200 hours a year you should partner; at 300 hours a or more per year it doesn't matter because money is obviously no object for you ya lucky bastard.

No pump system on Earth beats a gravity flow fuel system (Ya know, like a Cessna 172, Ken, are you listening?).

Before you even consider buying any specific type of plane, go sit in one for an hour.  I mean it.

Never, EVER ignore that knot in your stomach.  When something seems wrong, something IS wrong.

Speed costs money.  If you want to fly at 200 knots then do it.  There is nothing more hypocritical than flying a speed-demon airplane at economy cruise.  It's just wrong.

Always go pee before you fly, even if you think you don't have to.  This goes double for cross country flying. And on that subject, if you bring water or a drink in the plane, make sure it has a secure lid and do not start with it until you are in your last hour of the flight.

A cockpit is a lousy classroom and an even lousier lunchroom.  Do a detailed class before you fly and try to eat on the ground if you can.

Get-there-itis kills. When in doubt divert. There is no shame in discretion and nothing is more expensive than a funeral.

An instrument rating does not make you bulletproof.  Know your limits and stay within them.  Well within them.  Even airline pilots get killed in weather.

If two pilots are in the plane make damn sure you both know who is PIC.

Have fun, otherwise, what's the point?