A-N-C
It disappeared March 8th.
Only yesterday did we get an official attempt at a conclusion to the Malaysia Airlines mystery. The families and friends of those on board continue in our prayers.
Amid commentary from a dizzying parade of aviation experts over the past 17 days, I’ve learned a new flying phrase that also applies when we have both feet on the ground:
Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
According to http://www.faasafety.gov, this is used by pilots during emergencies as a reminder of their priorities.
Aviate might seem obvious, but in a moment of crisis it could easily be overshadowed by one of the other two. Pilots are trained to first regain and maintain control of their aircraft in emergencies.
Seems like good advice for you and me today, too, so let’s focus on our primary objective, especially when things seem out of control.
In other words: Ready to aviate?