MAY 10, 2019 – I once had a flight simulator computer program that allowed me to “fly” all sorts of aircraft, big and small, fast and slow, old and new. Taking off was the easy part. I adjusted the flaps, powered up and away I flew. The toughest part was always landing the damn plane. I learned the essence of the adage, “A good landing is the one you walk away from” or, in the case of the flight simulator, “. . . the one that doesn’t flash, Game over!”
Likewise the presidency. The easy part is getting elected. The hardest thing is to execute a good landing by the measure of the aforesaid adage.
As we enter the 2020 presidential campaign season, I suggest people think about the “good landing” parallel in evaluating candidates.
If you’re a fan of the incumbent, I urge you to look beyond the altimeter and the fuel gauge. Sure, the stock market is high and the employment numbers are fully loaded, but you need to take much more into account. For example, are you sure you’re not flying upside down? Hard to land a plane with landing gear pointing skyward.
Also, don’t be lulled into a sense of false fun when Captain Mad Dog bellows over the aircraft intercom, “Welcome aboard Anything Goes Airlines. This is an FAA-free flight, which means that to avoid added delay on the tarmac, I ignored a warning light in the cockpit. Also, because I’m captain and can do what I want, I’m letting my teenage kids fly the plane. They’re good looking, work hard, and pay their taxes–I mean play with ball and jacks. Feel free to smoke and make America free again. Ignore your seatbelts—they’re made in China. Because I have a 2:00 tee-time, we’re gonna be takin’ the straight-shot route, even though it will lead directly into a storm cell loaded with tornadoes—so-called. Fake forecast!”
Sounds great, but it’s not looking good for a “walk-away” landing.
If you’re a fan of one or another of the Democrats, I suggest you do a thorough “pre-flight check” of the candidate(s). Sure, they might talk up a good story. They might look the part—flying jacket, leather helmet, aviator glasses, silk scarf wrapped around the neck. They might even hit your hot buttons: “Free beer aboard!” or “Enjoy extra legroom on the aircraft,” or “I’ll fly you over the most beautiful scenery in America the Beautiful!” or “This airplane has the best movie channels!”
Fine, all of it. But can the silver-tongued aviatrix or rakish aviator fly the damn airplane, and most important, at the (scheduled) end of the trip, can s/he land the plane so that everyone gets to walk away?
I want a pilot with a gazillion hours of flying time. One who is smart, sober, and has exceptionally good aeronautical judgment and instincts. Above all, I want a pilot who can land the plane, not crash it. Bonus points if I don’t have to exit by way of an emergency slide.
© 2019 Eric Nilsson
1 Comment
Awesome!
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