Pilots are confronted with an inflow of information (radio communications, spotting other traffic, flight and engine instruments, etc.) at all times during a flight. We can only do so much with this information and must decide which bit of information or which potential conflict should we attack first, second, and third.

Where ever you are - be there! This is a direct quote from Mr. Joel Smith who is a training coordinator for the Boeing 747 fleet of Northwest Airlines. Joel is a former student of mine, and he invited me to sit in on one of his CRM training sessions one time.

In-Flight! was a weeklong summer workshop designed to show minority high school students what it was like to go to college and learn about aviation. The students in the program completed at least a dozen projects -- like learning to navigate using a Sectional Chart, making and launching their own rocket, and making an aviation history time-line. But we also wanted the students to read. The idea was to have every student read the same book so that later they could talk about it together. I selected one of my favorite books: Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

The high school students in the In-Flight! program spent a week on a university campus and learned about going to college and aviation careers. They launched model rockets, watched movies, had a talent show, went to the recreation center, and ate pizza well after midnight. But it was not all fun and games. The students discovered that aviation is filled with great role models.

I spent last week with 40 minority students who will be high school juniors and seniors in the coming academic year. I had applied for a grant to lead a workshop that would introduce these students to college life and careers in aviation. Later I received word that I had been selected and was awarded $50,000. It didn't take long to spend the money...

Pilots should practice cross country planning -- even on days when it does not look like a flight is possible due to weather. Call and get a weather briefing anyway. Get the wind and temperatures aloft so that you can still calculate the groundspeed and fuel requirements. Instructors, have your students practice making the Go/No Go decision. As an instructor I always go behind the student and get my own weather briefing.

Students who learn to fly at controlled airports never know any different, but students who learn at an uncontrolled airport can develop a fear of the radio. All pilots must eventually get past the stage fright associated with the radio and get to the point where communications become conversational.

Flying away from the friendly confines of your home airport offers another great flying challenge. It also offers an unlimited number of "what if" scenarios. When the airlines use "LOFT" scenarios, they are always playing out a flight going to somewhere (LOFT is Line Oriented Flight Training -- Line, as in flight line or route). Creative instructors and inquisitive students can "war game" cross counties forever. Here is just one and it's a true story.