Flying by the Seat of My Pants
Issue #46
March 10, 2008
I have enjoyed forty-four years as a pilot, with thousands of hours flying many different types of aircraft. One of my favorites is a 1941 Stearman biplane, although I do not fly it year-around as the open cockpits are just too cold for comfort in the winter. With a recent warming trend in the weather, I decided to take good old number 486 (an identification number on the side from it’s early days with the Navy) for a ride.
Flying the Stearman is quite a contrast from the modern aircraft I regularly fly. Today’s airplanes have instrument panels full of gadgets to handle flying in all kinds of conditions, including moving map displays, satellite weather information, autopilots, and much more. On the other hand, the Stearman has very few instruments, and the pilot is left to navigating by dead-reckoning and flying by the “seat of the pants”. That is the way it was in the 1940’s.
I thought about this as I droned along at 90 miles per hour, with the wind rushing by, the sound of the old radial engine, and aromas I never get to experience in a closed cockpit. Things were so much simpler when the Stearman was built, with fewer rules and regulations that governed flying; it was okay to operate with minimal equipment. Today, instrument flight rules (IFR) are extensive, requiring the latest technology and constant training. I only fly the Stearman in good weather, and refer to IFR as meaning “I Follow Roads”.
Just think about the number of regulations that burden employers today. Looking back, I counted six federal employment laws in 1940, not including local and state laws. In 2000, that number increased to thirty seven, and it continues to rise. Like flying, running a business has become far more sophisticated.
When it comes to risk management, are you utilizing the latest technology and best practices? Is an individual given responsibility, and the resources, to oversee risk management in your business? Do you periodically conduct an assessment to be fully aware of your risks? Have you documented your policies and provided ongoing training to implement your programs? Are goals established with progress being measured on an ongoing basis?
Or, are you flying by the seat of your pants? Operating a business today without understanding, and managing, the risks leaves a company exposed to serious potential losses, and ultimately becomes subject to luck. The early airmail pilots took risks in getting to their destination by flying airplanes like my Stearman through conditions it was not equipped for, and “seat of the pants” flying skills could not save them. For many who did so, they sooner or later simply ran out of luck.
I am looking forward to more warm weather.
Kempkey Insurance Services goes beyond insurance by designing and implementing risk management programs for growth oriented businesses. We help our clients maximize the value of their insurance dollars and minimize their potential for unwanted surprises. Ed Kempkey can be contacted at (888) 536-7539 extension 2188, or at ed@kempkey.com .