Pilot’s Preflight Checklist

My brother owned a Cessna Skyhawk and I had the privilege of being his co-pilot on several occasions. I was always impressed with the preflight procedure. There was a checklist that my brother went through before every flight. The preflight protocol does not prevent unforeseeable circumstances from developing but it does establish the basic reliability of the plane.

Here is a checklist that helps establish our basic reliability in life.

How’s my vision? How do I see people? Do I look down on them? See them as problems? Do I judge them by their education, social status, or material wealth? Or do I see them as having value and potential for a productive life? If I see them as possessing value, I will treat them with honor and respect.
Are my expectations rooted in reality or have I created a reality that is rooted in fantasy. Fantasy doesn’t have a plan for fulfillment. Reality has steps of action that lead me to my goal. Lying lips create a reality that is divorced from the facts.
Do I treat people as expendables? Unfortunately, for many the ladder of success is built with people that have been climbed over to reach their goal. Do you kill your opposition to succeed or are you more concerned about helping others succeed?
Are you looking for the shortcuts? Thousands of hours are wasted looking for shortcuts to take us to our “dream.” We forget that sometimes the longest detours take us to exactly where we need to go. Replace the shortcut with the determination to allow our circumstances to develop our character. Remember, your value to others is determined by the problems you are able to solve.
Avoid pragmatism and expediency. Just because something works and produces results does not mean that it is right. Scams are built on the deception of promised results. Shortcuts usually require that we trespass on someone else’s property.
Don’t let the testimony of others replace verifiable fact. Are there third-party assessments and clinical trials that verify the claims?
Commit yourself to protecting the reputation of others. When someone comes to give you that juicy tidbit of info, you need to ask them a simple question: “Are you telling me this because you want me to be part of the solution or you want me to share in your opinion of what has been done?” Gossip is deadly, destructive, and divisive. It undermines trust, destroys loyalty, and precipitates division. Resolve to distance yourself from the mouth of a gossip.

A simple checklist that assures you that you plane is ready to fly. Remember, it is often in the crucible of personal private suffering that your noblest dreams are born and God’s greatest gifts are given. Keep looking up and I’ll see you at the top.

Duane Harder

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