Flying by the seat of your pants
Where did that expression come from?
- From pilots. It was part of our training in the early days of aviation.
- When you made a turn in an airplane, you had to coordinate the stick, rudder and elevator.
- The turn, if properly coordinated, left the pilot with a perfect center of gravity feeling.
- It the turn was uncoordinated, you had a "slip" or a "skid".
- Either error caused your butt to feel pressure, either on the left side, or right side.
- Hence, "Flying by the seat of your pants."
Great - what has that to do with WA?
Everything! I had a boss who told us, there are three ways of doing things here: the right way, the wrong way and my way! Here, you do it my way!
- At WA, there is only ONE way to do it - the right way.
- The only way to do it the right way, is to follow the training - to the letter.
- The reason so many of us fail is we try to do it OUR way.
- Doesn't work here. Do it right, or I will give you a certificate of failure!
Loads of training and support here
- Just do it the way it is working.
- If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.
- So, you have a better mousetrap?
Nowadays, pilots have "autopilots," that do most of the work. We no longer have to rely on the "seat of our pants".
Do it right...do it the WA way.
Joe
Recent Comments
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Interesting Joe, was told by my grandfather who was a foreman building the Sopwith Camel during the First World War, that he thought it was because they had just two instruments to start with the altimeter and the speedometer. In other words sheer luck. Good theories thought.
Another one comes to mind "Living on a wing and a prayer"
Thanks as always Joe.
Stuart
The ole Camel. I helped rebuild an old Jenny.
Your grandfather was right!
Wing and a prayer was a WWII expression of the boys flying the Mosquito when they lost an engine over Germany and had to get back across the Channel on one engine. Least, that's what the Yanks told me.
Thanks Mate
Joe
Hey Joe, I always look forward to your writing, very encouraging. You have a heart of gold. Looking forward for more from you.
MazieD
We all have the opportunity of a lifetime here. It is up to us as to how we deal with it.
Derek
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Great post
If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it
All the best
Thanks for sharing
Janet
So true. Better mousetrap?
Joe