T
he secrets to being a successful air ambulance pilot aren’t written on
an elusive list of trade secrets buried deep in a frightful dark abyss. Instead, the necessary tenets are generally in plain sight. Unfortunately, an abundance of what we know today comes from the tragedies of those who came before us. Also unfortunately, sometimes this worn-out cliché adds to the tragedies: “We don’t know what we don’t know.” Failing to learning from others (mentors) who are successful in this unique field is not only unprofessional for a pilot new to the air ambulance arena, but gravely hazardous as well. Being aware that you lack necessary knowledge and
skill sets – and being able to say “I don’t know” – is vital to success. You have to be thirsty for knowledge if you want to physically and mentally survive. Don’t rely on sheer luck.
Incompetence is dangerous on many levels.
The
psychological literature is full of supportive information on just how insidious and blind our incompetence can be. Not only does incompetence lead to bad choices, but incompetence also robs you of the ability to even realize that bad choices are being made. The failure to recognize that one has performed poorly will leave one to assume that he or she has performed well. As a result, the incompetent tend to grossly
overestimate their abilities. And this is where the “lucky” pilot comes into the picture, as they are frequently left with the mistaken impression that they are doing just fine when in reality they are merely lucky with a false sense of confidence. This philosophy is nothing new; Charles Darwin sagely noted 150 years ago, “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.”
Just because we survive a flight doesn’t mean that it was a successful flight. Yes, landing without bent metal or occupant injury is a good thing, but sometimes luck plays a part in this. Eventually, luck will run out and equipment will be damaged
— or worse. The transcendent level of knowledge required to be a safe and efficient air ambulance pilot
is available
to us, and it is up to new and experienced pilots alike to seek out that knowledge from mentors, instructors,
check
pilots, and pertinent technical resources.
While your success as an air ambulance pilot is not exclusive to these points, here are 10 principles that can help pave your path to a successful career. These points aren’t necessarily in a specific order, however you will find (in time) that they are all connected in some ways.
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