Why would any pilot fail to exercise due diligence when lives are at stake? Most pilots don’t consider themselves as daredevils. Most pilots want to be thought of as being safe. Failure to exercise due diligence is an insidious problem. It creeps into a pilot’s psyche a little at a time. A hurried preflight inspection, a skimpy preflight plan or a single incidence of a skipped heading check all increase the probability of more carelessness each time they occur without consequences. Each time a pilot is careless and gets away with it, that behavior is reinforced and is more likely to happen again. We can’t allow ourselves to fall into that trap. We must treat every aspect of every flight with the diligence it deserves.

See more lots of nice articles on Aviation Safety and Training at www.genebenson.com.

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain welcoming you on board Air Nambabwe.

This is flight 123 to Timbuktu. Landing in Timbuktu is not guaranteed, but we will end up somewhere in the North. It is with pleasure, I announce that starting this year over 50% of our passengers have reached their destination. We apologize for the four-day delay in taking off, it was due to bad weather and some overtime I had to put in at the bakery.

If our engines are too noisy for you, on passenger request, we can arrange to turn them off!. To make your free fall to earth pleasant and memorable, we serve complimentary Bongo tea and Okin biscuits. For our not-so-religious passengers, we are the only airline who can help you find out if there really is a God.

We regret to inform you, that today’s in-flight movie will not be shown as we forgot to record it from the television. But for our movie buffs, we will be flying right next to South African Airways, where their movie will be visible from the right side cabin windows.

There is no smoking allowed in this airplane. Any smoke you see in the cabin is only the early warning system on the engines telling us to slow down, or the cabin crew have your food ready. You’ll soon know which one it is by the behaviour of the cabin staff, if you see them begin to panic we suggest you put your oxygen masks on and you probably won’t be getting the in flight meal any time soon.

Kindly be seated, keep your seat in an upright position for take-off and fasten your set-belt. For those of you who can’t find a seat-belt, kindly fasten your own belt to the arm of your seat … and for those of you who can’t find a seat, do not hesitate to get in touch with a stewardess who will explain how to fasten yourself to your suitcase.”

ENJOY your stay in Africa!

We took off early. Ahead lies country easier to face with time in reserve. Not that the crossing of it is a great aeronautical feat, but that to consider it indifferently might result in a great aeronautical blunder.
- Beryl Markham, West with the Night