

I Illness: Obviously, being ill can have a debilitating effect on a pilot’s ability to safely operate an aircraft. Let’s take a quick review of each item in the acronym.
#Imsafe checklist faa manual
The tool is referenced in various training publications as well as the Aeronautical Information Manual in the first section in chapter eight. To provide pilots with a checklist to help determine fitness for flight, a coalition of advocacy groups, unions, operators and federal administrators created and promoted a mnemonic checklist commonly referred to as IMSAFE, which is regularly reviewed in commercial recurrent training. We require constant and diligent care and maintenance. Like our machines, our bodies and minds suffer aging issues, wear and tear and even breakdowns. However, since every flight has an operator, on occasion it is important to also refresh the human factors in aviation. In this magazine we talk a lot about hardware, which is appropriate. Reminders are often carried in flight bags, in wallets or on ID lanyards. The IMSAFE checklist is a tool to enhance safety. I’ve often wondered what I would have done had I been “less sick.” In a way, I was lucky to be as sick as I was because it forced me to decline the flight. In the end, I recovered in time for the last flight back home, only to be regaled ad nauseam about what a great guy the other pilot was. As much as I wanted to feel better, I worried that being totally fine the next morning would prove that I had overreacted. But having the flight taken care of brought a lot of stress relief. He was apprehensive but appreciated my initiative to address the situation. When I informed the boss of the situation, he took it about as well as could be expected. I was able to reach the individual and not only was he eminently qualified but available and willing to take the trip. Finally, one operator gave me the name of someone he knew would be ideal.

I had several offers to fly the trip but only in their own aircraft. I pulled out a phone book and started calling local charter companies to see if I could find a qualified replacement pilot. I didn’t want my boss to have to drive on the first trip with his new airplane. Tucson was only about 45 minutes each way but that was still beyond my range at the moment. In between trips to the porcelain altar, I kept running scenarios in my head for what to do for the flying schedule early the next day. I procured some Gatorade from the gift shop but couldn’t hold it down. A pinch test on the back of my hand confirmed that I was dehydrated. Another hour and the dump valves were open and active fore and aft. An hour or so later, I was struggling with some early symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. I checked into the Scottsdale hotel and had a light brunch. The first leg was uneventful and the boss was quite happy with his new ride. The decision to stay on the ground can be as important as it is difficult to make. We all have days when we have no business flying.
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On the third day, the boss would work a full day in Scottsdale and then we’d return that evening to SLC. After an overnight there, the plan was to fly early the next morning to Tucson (KTUS), where he would work a full day, then we would fly back to Scottsdale for the night. My first trip involved flying the boss from Salt Lake City to Scottsdale, Arizona (KSDL). Early in my flying career, I had the good fortune of securing a part-time corporate gig in a new-to-the-boss Cessna 340A.
